Toronto Mayor John Tory is intervening in transit plans with a call to speed up spending and the construction timeline for the relief line, designed to relieve crowding on the city's subway system in the urban core.
"[Toronto] Mayor John Tory says city and TTC staff have found a way to speed up construction of the relief line by at least two years, a proposal that would mean the long-awaited subway project could open by 2029," reports Ben Spurr.
"The proposal to speed up construction of the line would require accelerating design work, property acquisition and utility relocation, and starting procurement for equipment and contracts required for tunneling," adds Spurr. "TTC staff said construction on early works for the line could begin as early as 2020."
The first phase of the relief line would connect the eastern end of Line 2 at Pape to Line 1 at Queen St. in Downtown Toronto. The line would span 7 kilometers and cost an estmaited $6.8 billion (Canadian dollars), according to Spurr's description of the project.
The announcement is set against the political backdrop of recent efforts by Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government, led by Premier Rob Ford, to take over the TTC subway system.
FULL STORY: Tory says subway relief line construction could be sped up by two years, open by 2029
Cost Estimates Nearly Double for Toronto Light Rail Plan
Cost estimate for Toronto's proposed Eglinton East LRT have ballooned from $2.3 billion to as much as $4.4 billion.
Toronto Extends its Subway for the First Time in 15 Years
Fanfare, a full slate of politicians, and a day of free rides celebrated the opening of the extended Line 1 of the TTC subway system. There was also criticism of the new extension.
One Rail System to Ring the Bay Area? Supporters See Reasons for Optimism
A plan to integrate the various regional transit providers in the San Francisco Bay Area could be the key to winning back transit riders in the post-pandemic world.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us
Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.
Good Cause Eviction Policies Don’t Hamper Construction, New Research Shows. Legislators Are Still Concerned.
Multiple states have ongoing pushes for good cause eviction protections. A frequent obstacle: a now disproven claim by developers.
Demise of Entertainment Industry Mirrors Demise of Housing in LA
Making movies has a lot in common with developing real estate: producers = developers; screenwriters = architects; directors = general contractors. The similarities are more than trivial. Both industries are now hurting in L.A.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)