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Waterfront West LRT (TTC)
Encyclopedia
The Waterfront West LRT was a proposed light rail
line in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It was part of the Transit City
proposal announced on March 16, 2007, to be operated by the Toronto Transit Commission
. As the shortest and least expensive Transit City line, it was expected to cost approximately $540 million. The line was to open in four stages and and be completed by 2015 as the third of the seven Transit City lines after the Sheppard East LRT and Etobicoke-Finch West LRT lines.
However, Mayor Rob Ford
cancelled the line after taking office in December 2010.
The Waterfront West LRT line would run for 11 km, estimated to account for 21 million trips in 2021. The western terminus of the line would be built at the Long Branch GO Station in Etobicoke. The line would use an exclusive right of way along Lake Shore Boulevard West, and follow the existing right of way used by routes 501 and 508 through Humber loop, and along the Queensway. A new right of way would parallel King Street West east of Roncesvalles Avenue, and follow the rail corridor to the existing Exhibition loop facility. It was initially designed to operate via the existing Harbourfront streetcar right-of-way from the exhibition loop facility to Union Station, however, now it has been recommended that it operate via a new right-of-way to be constructed under the Gardiner Expressway, and along Bremner Boulevard to a new portal that will allow it to access the Union Station streetcar tunnel. This was because of concerns over operating too many streetcars through complex multi-phase intersections at intersections like Fleet St., Lake Shore Blvd. W, and Bathurst St., as well as service reliability and speed.
The TTC has predicted an average daily ridership of over 40,000 on the segment that would serve the developing Liberty Village
and CityPlace
neighbourhoods, as opposed to approximately 2,200 per peak hour on the western segment of the line. There is some concern over the necessity of a full right of way on Lake Shore Blvd. West, as there is very little, if any, congestion due to traffic, and that segment already has safety islands at most of its stops.
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was part of the Transit City
Transit City
Transit City was a plan for developing public transport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was first proposed and announced by then-Toronto Mayor David Miller and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission Adam Giambrone on March 16, 2007...
proposal announced on March 16, 2007, to be operated by the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
. As the shortest and least expensive Transit City line, it was expected to cost approximately $540 million. The line was to open in four stages and and be completed by 2015 as the third of the seven Transit City lines after the Sheppard East LRT and Etobicoke-Finch West LRT lines.
However, Mayor Rob Ford
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
cancelled the line after taking office in December 2010.
Route layout
The TTC has predicted an average daily ridership of over 40,000 on the segment that would serve the developing Liberty Village
Liberty Village
Liberty Village is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded at the north by King Street West, the west by Dufferin Street, the south by the Gardiner Expressway, the east by Strachan Avenue, and the northeast by the CP railway tracks...
and CityPlace
CityPlace, Toronto
CityPlace is the name given to a large section of former railway land in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada that has been redeveloped for multi-use purpose. The term has been more recently used for a large up-scale multi-tower condo development in the Harbourfront district. When completed, this area...
neighbourhoods, as opposed to approximately 2,200 per peak hour on the western segment of the line. There is some concern over the necessity of a full right of way on Lake Shore Blvd. West, as there is very little, if any, congestion due to traffic, and that segment already has safety islands at most of its stops.
Potential extensions
This segment is not actually part of Transit City. It may be constructed at the same time the rest of the line is built or later.Long Branch to Mississauga
The Waterfront West LRT had long been conceived to continue west into Peel Region from the currently proposed terminus at the Long Branch GO Station. This extension takes the Waterfront West LRT from Long Branch GO Station west to cross the Toronto/Peel Region border and continue to an undisclosed location within Peel Region.Proposed stops
The TTC has indicated that stops will be spaced on average 370 m apart from Long Branch GO Station to Park Lawn Road. This list does not include potential extensions of the Waterfront West LRT. The distances between these stops varies, but they are likely candidates, from west to east to Park Lawn Road:On Lake Shore Boulevard West
- Browns Line - Long Branch GO Station (connection to Lakeshore West GO train line)
- Thirty Seventh Street
- Long Branch Avenue
- Thirtieth Street
- Twenty Seventh Street
- Twenty Second Street
- Kipling AvenueKipling AvenueKipling Avenue, originally named Mimico Avenue, is a street in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a concession road, 6 concessions from Yonge Street, and is a major north–south arterial road that also extends beyond Toronto, into the Regional Municipality of York.The...
- Thirteenth Street
- Islington Avenue
- Third Street
- First Street
- Royal York RoadRoyal York RoadRoyal York Road, historically known as Church Street or New Church Street, is a north-south arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a concession road, 5 concessions west of Yonge Street, and runs through many residential neighbourhoods, most notably Mimico and the Kingsway...
- Symons Street
- Hillside Avenue
- Mimico Avenue
- Burlington Street
- Legion Road
- Park Lawn Road
Major streets and landmarks
Major streets and landmarks crossing the Waterfront West LRT (from west to east from Park Lawn Road):Along the Gardiner Expressway and the Lakeshore West GO train line
- South Kingsway
- Parkside Drive
- Queen Street WestQueen Street WestQueen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
- King Street West
- Exhibition PlaceExhibition PlaceExhibition Place is a mixed-use district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, by the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just west of downtown. The 197–acre area includes expo, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments, parkland, sports facilities, and a number of civic, provincial,...
Proposed Transit City LRT lines
- Eglinton Crosstown LRT
- Jane LRT
- Etobicoke-Finch West LRT
- Don Mills LRT
- Scarborough Malvern LRT
- Waterfront West LRT
- Sheppard East LRT
See also
- Transit CityTransit CityTransit City was a plan for developing public transport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was first proposed and announced by then-Toronto Mayor David Miller and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission Adam Giambrone on March 16, 2007...
- Toronto Transit CommissionToronto Transit Commission-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
- Toronto streetcar systemToronto streetcar systemThe Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
- Toronto subway and RTToronto subway and RTThe Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...