Downtown Relief Line
Encyclopedia
The Downtown Relief subway line is a subway line planned for Toronto
, Canada
, but not yet constructed. Various plans along the basic right-of-way have been proposed since the earliest history of the Toronto subway system, which are collected in the Queen Street subway
article.
plan
which the Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC) released in 1985. Its main purpose was to relieve the forecast overcrowding on the Yonge line, particularly at Bloor-Yonge station. The Downtown Relief Line disappeared from the transit radar soon after the province delayed approving Metropolitan Toronto
's Network 2011 plan. The provincial government was alarmed over the construction cost and withdrew political support for the new line.
Former TTC Chair Adam Giambrone
had started to support the construction of such a line, saying it will be a necessity after Transit City
, sometime from 2018-2020; Metrolinx Chair Rob MacIsaac
recently said that the line is unlikely to be brought forward from its projected 2020 start date.
Rob MacIsaac also referred to this as the Queen line, and as such it may not follow the 1985 proposed alignment.
Downtown Rapid Transit
Between Dundas West
or Keele
and Eglinton East
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...
, 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...
, but not yet constructed. Various plans along the basic right-of-way have been proposed since the earliest history of the Toronto subway system, which are collected in the Queen Street subway
Queen Street subway
The Queen Street subway line was one of many subway lines planned for Toronto, Canada, but never built by the Toronto Transit Commission.-1911 proposal:...
article.
History
The Downtown Relief Line (also known as the Downtown Rapid Transit/DRT) was originally one of the three routes proposed in the Network 2011Network 2011
Network 2011 was a plan for future transit expansion created in 1985 by the Toronto Transit Commission. It was centred on three proposed subway lines: the Downtown Relief Line, Eglinton West Line, and the Sheppard Line...
plan
which 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:...
(TTC) released in 1985. Its main purpose was to relieve the forecast overcrowding on the Yonge line, particularly at Bloor-Yonge station. The Downtown Relief Line disappeared from the transit radar soon after the province delayed approving Metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
's Network 2011 plan. The provincial government was alarmed over the construction cost and withdrew political support for the new line.
Former TTC Chair Adam Giambrone
Adam Giambrone
Adam Giambrone is a Canadian politician who was a Toronto City Councillor, representing the southern of two Davenport wards. Elected at 26, he remained the youngest member of Toronto council after re-election. He is also a former president of the federal New Democratic Party...
had started to support the construction of such a line, saying it will be a necessity after 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...
, sometime from 2018-2020; Metrolinx Chair Rob MacIsaac
Rob MacIsaac
Robert Scott Alexander "Rob" MacIsaac is the chair of Metrolinx, the provincial planning agency responsible for the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton....
recently said that the line is unlikely to be brought forward from its projected 2020 start date.
Rob MacIsaac also referred to this as the Queen line, and as such it may not follow the 1985 proposed alignment.
Proposed 1985 routes
- Alignment Proposals
Between Dundas West
Dundas West (TTC)
Dundas West is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line in Toronto, Canada. It now ranks as the 29th busiest station in the system. Its postal address is 1525 Bloor Street West; the main entrance, however, is on Dundas Street, at the corner of Edna Avenue...
or Keele
Keele (TTC)
Keele is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 1733 Bloor Street West at Keele Street/Parkside Drive...
and Eglinton East
Stations on the proposed Downtown line in Phase 1
- South Spadina (or Lower Spadina)
- Skydome (since renamed Rogers CentreRogers CentreRogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
) - UnionUnion (TTC)Union Station is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. Opened in 1954 along with the first twelve subway stations of Toronto, it is located between the Yonge Street and University Avenue sections of the line at 55 Front Street West between Bay Street and York...
- St. Lawrence
- Ataratiri
- Queen East
- Gerrard
- PapePape (TTC)Pape is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 650 Danforth Avenue at Pape Avenue. It was opened in 1966...
Stations proposed for an eastward extension
- Cosburn
- Thorncliffe Park
- Flemingdon Park
- Eglinton East
Stations proposed for a westward extension
Three possible alignments were considered for the westward extension. The least expensive would follow the railway right-of-way past the Exhibition and up to the Galt-Weston railway corridor, taking it to Dundas West station. Another alternative would go west of Strachan along the Oakville Sub to Roncesvalles, where it would turn north to connect to the Bloor line at Dundas West. The final alignment considered ran along an elevated guideway on Parkside Drive at the edge of High Park to Keele Station.Galt-Weston Railway Corridor
| Roncesvalles Avenue Alignment
| Parkside Drive Alignment
|
See also
- Don Mills LRT
- Lower Queen StationQueen (TTC)Queen is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto, Ontario, Canada subway. It is located at 171 Yonge Street at Queen Street West/East.-Entrances:The main entrances are at the intersection of Yonge and Queen streets...
- 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 Transportation CommissionToronto Transportation CommissionBefore 1954, the Toronto Transit Commission was called the Toronto Transportation Commission.-History:Toronto's first public transportation company was the Williams Omnibus Bus Line and owned by undertaker Burt Williams. The franchise carried passengers in horse-drawn stagecoaches along Yonge...
- Eglinton West subwayEglinton West subwayThe Eglinton West subway was a proposed east-west subway line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was to start from the existing Eglinton West station on the Toronto Transit Commission's Yonge-University-Spadina line. Work began in 1994, but was halted in 1995 when the newly-elected Government of...
- Queen Street subwayQueen Street subwayThe Queen Street subway line was one of many subway lines planned for Toronto, Canada, but never built by the Toronto Transit Commission.-1911 proposal:...