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This project is no longer active. The following information is provided for archival purposes.
The Study
The Toronto Transit Commission and the City of Toronto are evaluating
measures to significantly improve the speed and reliability of the
bus services between Downs view Subway Station and York University.
Although the ultimate plan for this corridor is to extend the Spadina
Subway to York University (find out about plans
to extend the subway), there is a need for immediate improvements
to existing bus services.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) study is being conducted to evaluate
the benefits of bus lanes and other possible approaches and how
these could affect road users, adjacent properties, and the natural
environment. The study is being done in accordance with the requirements
for Schedule “C” projects under the Municipal Class
Environmental Assessment.
Map
of recommended route
Study
background
This project's first round of consultation with the public
was held in June 2003. It consisted of an Open House at York University,
and a Public Meeting and Open House at the Legion Hall on Sheppard
Ave. West, near Downsview Station. At that stage of the project,
the possible routes for the bus-only lanes were narrowed down to
three options for further consideration:
- Sheppard
Avenue and Keele Street
- Dufferin
Street and Finch Avenue
- Dufferin
Street and Hydro Corridor
The following
are the presentation slides and display boards from the first round
of public consultation:
You will
need to have the FREE Acrobat
Reader 
on your computer to view PDF files.
The second public
consultation for this project was held on May 4, 2004 at W.L. Mackenzie
Collegiate. The following are the presentation slides from the second
public meeting:
Study update
At the second public meeting, the public expressed concern about
the proposed operation to have buses exit Downsview Station onto
Sheppard Ave. and then access northbound Allen. As a result, the
design was changed to have northbound buses exit directly onto Allen
(although regional buses may still exit onto Sheppard). With further
refinement, it was decided that the buses will exit Downsview station
into a bus-only curb lane, shared with right turning cars at Sheppard.
North of Sheppard, the curb lane will be bus only, shared with right
turns, as per the public meeting. View a summary
sketch of the revised design (PDF).
As a result
of consultation with stakeholders, it was decided that the project
would include improved landscaping at the intersection of Sheppard
Avenue and Dufferin/Allen. The design for this area will likely
include a sidewalk and double row of trees on the west side. View
a conceptual drawing
of the landscaping for this intersection (PDF).
Following some
negotiations with York University, a
conceptual design for the bus-only roadway on York University's
lands (PDF) was recommended.
The Toronto
Transit Commission, at its meeting on Dec. 15, 2004, agreed to removing
the portion of the bus-only roadway on York University's property
10 years after its construction, if the subway is not in place by
that time.
Council has
approved the conceptual design for the bus-only lanes. The Environmental
Study Report is now complete and is available for public comment
before the Ministry of the Environment considers approval of the
Environmental Assessment. See the Notice
of Study Completion (PDF).
Chapters of
the Environmental Study Report:
Executive
Summary
Table of Content
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 Part I
Chapter 6 Part II
Chapter 7
Drawing
Plates for Recommended Alternative
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Appendix G
The Environmental
Study Report is a large document and may be difficult to download.
It is also available for viewing at the following locations:
Downsview
Public Library
2793 Keele Street
Tel: 416-395-5720
York Woods
Public Library
1785 Finch Avenue West
Tel: 416-395-5980
Centennial
Public Library
578 Finch Avenue West
Tel: 416-395-5490
If
you require
any further information, please do not hesitate to contact:
Mr. Gary Carr,
P.Eng
Chief Engineer-Operations Planning
Toronto Transit Commission
1138 Bathurst Street
Toronto, Ontario, M5R 3H2
Tel: (416) 393-6140
Fax: (416) 535-1391
Email: DownsviewEA@ttc.ca
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