Update — March 11, 10:06 p.m.: The City has posted the presentation from the open house on line. The presentation is in four parts: here, here, here and here. (all .pdf)
Probably this news surprises few people, but, the City of Toronto and the TTC plan to convert the 3 Scarborough rapid transit line to light rail, similar to the other Transit City lines.
Next week, the City and TTC are hosting two open houses to present their proposal to convert the line and extend it to Sheppard Avenue East (and beyond). The open houses take place on Monday, March 8 and Thursday, March 11.
The current ICTS (Intermediate Capacity Transit System) vehicles serving the RT are now almost 25 years old, so they’re reaching the end of their life expectancy. The City and TTC had to decide soon whether to buy new, similar vehicles for the line or to use the same type of light rail cars that are going to serve other lines in Toronto.
By converting to light rail, they can use a single transit vehicle storage and maintenance facility to serve the RT and other light rail Transit City lines. The City and TTC recently held another open house explaining their plans to build this facility on Sheppard Avenue East and Conlins Road.
They also want to extend the line to Sheppard Avenue East and Progress Avenue in the Malvern community of northeast Scarborough, to directly connect with to the future Sheppard East light rail Transit City line. During the first phase of the project, they’ll extend the line from McCowan Station to Sheppard along an exclusive right-of-way. In phase two, they’ll extend the line to the Malvern Town Centre near McLevin Avenue and Neilson Road.
A new Sheppard Station near the Chinese Cultural Centre would include a bus terminal and passenger pick-up and drop-off facility.
The City and TTC also hope to re-organize Kennedy Station to accommodate the new LRT on the 3 Scarborough line and the Eglinton Crosstown and Scarborough Malvern light rail Transit City lines. They also propose improving how passengers transfer between the RT, the subway and the other light rail lines at the station.
The open houses take place:
Tuesday, March 8, from 6:30 until 9 p.m.
Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School (cafeteria)
959 Midland Avenue (north of Eglinton Avenue East)
Thursday, March 11, from 6:30 until 9 p.m.
Chinese Cultural Centre
5183 Sheppard Avenue East (at Progress Avenue)
Another series of open houses will take place this spring.
You can learn more about the project to convert the 3 Scarborough rapid transit line to light rail and extend it to Malvern here and here.
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