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Why Not a Subway Fantasy (Updated)

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Crossposted to Transit Toronto

After this week’s rough start, why not take a moment and fantasize about a bigger, better public transit system? In a move reminiscent of NC Duong’s fantasy subway map that made the rounds of the blogs and the Globe and Mail early in 2005, Miguel Syyap has put together his own subway fantasy complete with a map that looks tasty enough to eat.

Yes, Steve Munro has convinced me that we should be pursuing LRT expansion before subway expansion, but it is still fun to fantasize about a city-wide subway network that’s as extensive as the London Underground. And Miguel’s map as the added spark of authenticity by basing his initial phases around subway extension plans that are in progress, and proposals raised for the Network 2011 plan.

(Update: 21:28): Well, given that it seems that we, Spacing’s Wire and Torontoist appear to have completely exhausted poor Miguel’s bandwidth, I’ve volunteered to host the images on the Transit Toronto website. The mirror of Miguel’s efforts can be found here.

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19 comments

  1. That’s cool. I’ve been thinking about this a while and that’s almost exactly how I would have done it.

    The only addition I’d make is also having an express line along Eglinton, with stops at the airport, Renforth, York Centre, Eglinton West, Yonge, Eglinton East and Kennedy.

    As unrealistic as this all is, I could imagine setting a strategy of building towards this over a couple decades and channeling development in that way immediately.

  2. Looks like we blew out the bandwidth…I saw it in small and unfocused on the Torontoist site, but I hope someone can mirror the graphic somewhere or put it up for download.

  3. That’s simply awesome… If only.

    I suppose though, it could be largely done with LRT and dedicated right of ways…

  5. Whoops, I was looking at last year’s map. I can’t see this year’s map, ’cause Miguel used up all his bandwidth. Poor soul.

  6. I think a Lakeshore line along Lakeshore Boulevard, Queen Street and Kingston Rd would be much appreciated and help to connect Toronto’s lakeshore from Long Branch to Rouge River in a single line instead of the terminus of a few dozen bus routes. It would also be a great releif to the often crammed (and in the future even more crammed) GO trains and could connect with trasit and buses into Mississauga and Durham at traditional routes (a long Lakeshore and Kingston Rd) where there is already considerable density for the suburbs. it could also run express parallel to the downtown releif lines because undoubtably a Queen St subway would be very crowded.

  7. I haven’t felt this excited about a fantasy TTC map since I saw one in the Toronto Star’s “What If?” issue.

  8. the NC Duong version is really confusing.
    the Miguel Syyap version looks really streamlined and simple (like the yrt maps, hence the North viva arrow)
    you know whats confusing.
    looking at the bull system map, i personally think that toronto should use touchscreens at shelters to plan where you’re going and not have a confusing downtown bus route map.

  10. Matt:

    The idea that it’s subways or LRT but not both has hampered our planning for decades. What’s intriguing about this map is that the stop spacing is much closer than anything we do with subways these days. This is particularly so on the expanded Sheppard/427 line.

    Any new subways will have widely spaced stops and this means that many neighbourhoods will not be close to a station.

    Also, the reconstruction of Union Station now underway will preclude the rearrangement of tracks shown in this map.

    Sorry to rain on the parade. It is a nice map, but I wish some of those lines were LRT — we might actually see them built someday.

    Steve

  11. this is amazing. and toronto residents should not settle for anything less. as long as people referring to this as a ‘what if’ it will always remain a ‘what if.’ we have to push the different levels of government to make this a reality. yes it may unrealistic, but nothing ever happens unless people get excited about something and make it to happen. creating a map like this is the first step!

  12. How come in all these dream subway maps, no one ever builds a route up Jane street? Isn’t that one of the most heavily travel transit routes in the city?

  13. I’ve wonder that too, those nodes up Jane, at Finch, and others. And along Dixon Road, and etc, these clusters of high rises, with loads of density, they have all to take terrible long busses to get places.

  14. I like the concept of extending into Markham, but dipping into Town Centre and going to Markham would be a major hassle.

    Why not continue going ea (on the Sheppard proposal) instead of heading towards Scarborough Centre and bring it to Markham Station and have that Bloor Danforth Subway Plan head to Scarborough Town (facing North-South) then “Union Station style” curve to a Mc.Cowan Station (aligned with the Sheppard stop) and have them connect again to Markham?

    The only problem I see is getting the subway cars to follow the right lines, and confusion in the subway terminal.

  16. It’s a great long-term 100-year plan map in my opinion. My only real problem with it is that the yellow line should probably follow the rail-corridor and go up towards Pearson Airpot via the Junction (and thereby create a western branch of the downtown-relief line). It’s also one of the most likely expansions we’ll see in our lifetimes, yet it is off the map.

  17. It is really depressing looking at two such good potential expansion options and yet the plodders in all 3 branches of government keep messing around. Remember the Downsview Park plan as an internationally acclaimed haven for reseach and relaxation? It must be at least 10 years since that was planned– and what was the result? A giant ugly parking lot! No trees, no large corporations, aging military infrastructure (but lots of Chryslers!). Or what about that grandiose plan for the waterfront? WHERE ARE THE RESULTS???
    It just makes me sick. That is exactly why when a few months ago there was a buzz about the Spadina extension to York U and beyond (again), I discounted its eventual reality.
    Sure subway expansion is expensive. But it builds a city…it connects a city. In the next 10-15 years, Toronto hopes to be the home to an additional 1-2 million people. How will they all get around? There are very few highways into the downtown core and congestion doesn’t get worse by the year–it gets worse by the day or dare I say hour. Look at the Sheppard line. Sure it was expensive..but look at the transformation and development along the line. It fuelled a boom in condo building and will continue to be a catalyst to the growth of that corridor (although for the life of me, I cannot figure out why they wouldn’t have placed a priority on connecting the Yonge subway to the Spadina one and create a loop–I would think that this is far more efficient economically than having two terminals and it would make it a little easier to get crossstown).
    I wish that planners years ago would have had the foresight to continue with the growth of the subway system. I hope that the new GTTA will eventually be given far broader powers to address the pressing needs of transportation in our burgeoning city.

  19. Nice looking map. The only thing I would like to see is some sort of North – South connection in the West end allowing people to get between the 3 lines easily. Getting a subway into Central and Northern Etobicoke would open up a lot of opportunities for new immigrant familes. It would be a lot easier for them to get to work without the needed expense of an extra car. Why are politicans so near sighted when it comes to this kind of stuff!