The Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Line 5) and the Finch West LRT (Line 6) are about to open in Toronto. I was lucky to catch the new signs go up at stations and the new maps. We are so desperate to see new transit infrastructure open that we get excited about these signs.
Lines 5 and 6 broke ground in 2011 and 2016, respectively. I put a lot of hope on my commute being better once these lines opened. What effective and less sexy transit solutions could have been done during that time?
➡️High-usage bus and streetcar routes could have been converted to exclusive lanes. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has been moving in this direction, especially in the past year. I co-founded A Voice For Transit, a transit advocacy group that was supportive of bus-only lanes.
➡️More cycling lanes could have been built. The City of Toronto took advantage of the lock-down periods of the pandemic to build. More investment in building a culture of cycling would help to mitigate push back.
➡️Allowing more retail in residential areas. That would help to reduce trips by car or transit for shopping. Toronto City Council approved this measure almost two weeks ago after decades of banning them.
What if all of this have been done in 2011 or 2016? In addition to the lines 5 and 6.
Maybe this resonates with what’s going on in your city. What do you think?
