Toronto Star: Plan rolls out new era in transit

[marmar]

Plan rolls out new era in transit

Nov 24, 2008 04:30 AM

Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter


When the shovels go in the ground on the first of the city's proposed Transit City lines next September, it will mark the beginning of a new era in Toronto transit.

Sheppard East will be the first of the seven proposed light-rail lines to use supersized streetcars to bring downtown-style transit to the suburbs.

"Transit City is based on the principle that no one should be disadvantaged by not owning a car. (It) takes the high-quality transit service available in the core and begins to extend that to the four corners of Toronto," said TTC chair Adam Giambrone.

"(Transit City) takes a downtown reality, where transit is not only competitive but, in many cases, is superior to the private automobile, and begins to extend that across the entire city, making transit a real and viable alternative to people in every corner of the city," he said.

The ride offered by the sleek Euro-style light-rail vehicles will be a far cry from the old streetcars on Queen and King Sts.

They'll be fast, for one thing. Simulations show the cars would move at 23 kilometres per hour, travelling from Don Mills Station to Meadowvale Rd. in 36.5 minutes. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/article/542266