[URBAN NOTE] "Now that the subway battle is over, the hard part begins"

[rfmcdonald]

Edward Keenan writes at the Toronto Star about the continued struggles for mass transit in Toronto.

Deep breaths, everyone.

What happened at city council on Wednesday? Among those who, like me, supported an LRT option to replace the Scarborough subway, there is a sense that the biggest news was of a huge mistake — the decision to build a one-stop extension of the Bloor-Danforth subway line to the Scarborough Town Centre. But it was a decision made by a solid majority of city councillors, who have had years to study and debate and consider the issue. There’s no reason to think they would make a different decision with a bit more time, a bit more arm twisting, a bit more information. They are the elected government of this city, and they reaffirmed a big decision I disagree with. It was not the first time this has happened, it won’t be the last time. Democracy: whattaya gonna do?

At the very least, it puts the matter to rest, or should. Some closure. An opportunity to marshal resolve and resources for other work that lies ahead. And there is always work that lies ahead. Much of it on the transit file. More work now than before, actually.

What else happened at city council on Wednesday? Well, city councillors approved a 15-year transit plan that is, on balance, a very good plan. There is much to be happy about here. For example: city council voted unanimously to move forward with detailed design on a 17-stop LRT line on Eglinton East from Kennedy to the U of T Scarborough campus. City council voted overwhelmingly to move forward with more detailed design of an LRT line on Eglinton West to the airport. City council voted overwhelmingly to support SmartTrack alterations to the provincial express rail plan. City council voted overwhelmingly to move forward with developing work on the relief line that will run on Queen and Pape, and eventually up through Don Mills and perhaps to Sheppard — long listed as the TTC’s top building priority and just as long overlooked. Council voted to complete all this work to have all these lines in operation by 2031.