Toronto Transit Commission/City of Toronto EGLINTON CROSSTOWN LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT Environmental Project Report 3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 3.2 Operations Plan The development of the project was based on a number of inputs: 3.2.1 LRT Service The studies described in Chapter 2; The service objective is to provide a peak-hour maximum capacity of 8000 pphpd (person per hour per Design Criteria developed by the Toronto Transit Commission; direction) with at least 40% of passengers being able to be seated at the peak-hour demand. The service is proposed to operate at least every 6 minutes at peak times regardless of demand. It is expected that these The assessment of Existing and Future Conditions described in Chapter 4; and requirements will result in all facilities being designed to accommodate ultimate train lengths of approximately 90 metres (consisting of three 30 metres long LRT vehicles). The Consultation Process described in Chapter 6. The following chapters describe the proposed project. Initially the LRT Is not planned to operate 24 hours a day. During LRT operations, existing bus services along Eglinton Avenue will no longer exist. Some north-south buses that have a portion of their route 3.1 Design Principles travelling along Eglinton Avenue will continue to operate in short sections of the LRT corridor where necessary. In general, customers travelling east-west along Eglinton Avenue will be served by the LRT During preliminary planning for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the following design principles were during normal operation hours as opposed to buses. established: LRT operating headways will likely vary throughout the corridor. The tunnel portion of the LRT corridor will Must provide fast, reliable, frequent and comfortable transit service from a passenger have turn back capability at both ends of the tunnel section to allow the LRT to operate with short turn perspective; service and provide shorter headways than on the surface sections. Headways on the surface section of the LRT also may vary depending on ridership demand. Fully accessible to persons with mobility difficulties; Fare collection will be operated as proof of payment. This system will be implemented to avoid delays Must achieve highest level possible of safety and security for both passengers and employees; associated with traditional fare collection. Station and stop platforms will include ticket vending machines, Must be achieved with minimum environmental impacts; and which will also be used to facilitate transit transfers to subways and buses. Must incorporate excellence in urban design – pedestrian realm, facilities, amenities, and 3.2.2 Bus Service landscaping. Excellent passenger transfer facilities between LRT and subway stations, and between LRT Parallel Bus Service lines - typically grade-separated from other vehicular traffic -- minimizing vertical and horizontal movement required by passengers when transferring between lines; Members of the public have requested that parallel bus service be provide on Eglinton Avenue, in particular through the underground section of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The TTC determines bus routings based Transfer stations to be fully accessible between inter-connecting lines; on customer needs and observed travel demands, which, in some cases, includes operating buses in Surface passenger stops to be located and designed for easy passenger transfer to intersecting parallel to a rapid transit line. bus routes, and to provide safe, signal-protected access between the stops and surrounding land uses; The average station spacing on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT between Keele Station and Laird Station is approximately 850 metres. This spacing is comparable to the station spacing of the Bloor-Danforth Fare transactions to be done through proof-of-payment fare media and random-check Subway, where parallel bus service is not provided today. Parallel bus service is provided on the Yonge enforcement; and Street at all times between Davisville and Finch Station (where some stations are 1600 metres apart), and Vehicles, stations, and infrastructure must allow for: at peak times south of Davisville (where the stations are approximately 650 metres apart on average) . o the highest possible level of, and ease of, maintenance; The need for parallel bus service will be determined through the TTC Service Standards process based on observed ridership patterns and specific community needs, relative to the additional cost of providing the o the highest possible level of customer and employee security; service. o must be fully accessible for people of differing levels of mobility. Feeder Bus Service The bus operating plan for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT includes the following changes to the bus network: MARCH 2010 Page 59 Toronto Transit Commission/City of Toronto EGLINTON CROSSTOWN LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT Environmental Project Report The 32C Eglinton West – Trethewey route will be shortened from its current terminating point at To develop a conceptual plan for the Transit Project Assessment, design criteria for both LRT alignment Eglinton West Station to the new terminal at Keele Station. This route will operate on Eglinton and roadway geometry were assumed. The criteria were developed based on the “TTC - Design and Avenue from Emmett Avenue to Keele Street. Supply of the Low Floor Light Rail Vehicle – Technical Specification” and the “Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) – Geometric Design Guidelines”. Additionally, in January 2008, TTC developed a set of The 32D Eglinton West – Emmett route will be shortened from its current terminating point at technical specifications named “Design and Supply of the Low Floor Light Rail Vehicle – Technical Eglinton West Station to the new terminal at Keele Station. This route will no longer operate on Specification” to replace the existing streetcars and to support the proposed Transit City network. This Eglinton Avenue. technical specification provides the vision for the future Toronto LRT network and the basic design criteria The 47 Landsdowne will be rerouted along Eglinton Avenue from Caledonia Road to Croham for the vehicles to be used. The design criteria are listed in Exhibit 80. Road to a new bus loop located adjacent to the Caledonia Station. The 51 Leslie and 56 Leaside routes will be combined and will operate on Eglinton Avenue Design Parameters Proposed Standards between Laird Drive and Leslie Street. The portions of these routes that serve Eglinton Avenue from Laird Drive to Eglinton Station at Yonge Street will be eliminated. Maximum Operating Speed 60 km / h The 100 Flemingdon Park route will be shortened from its current terminating point at Eglinton LRT Right-of-way Width 7.4 m – Midblock Station to the new terminal at Don Mills Station. This route will no longer operate on Eglinton Avenue. Median Width TBD The 54 Lawrence East route will be shortened from its current terminating point at Eglinton Minimum Grade 0.5 % Station to the new terminal at Don Mills Station. This route will no longer operate on Eglinton Maximum Grade (LRT) 5.0 % Avenue. Minimum Curve Radius 25.0 metres 3.3 Design Criteria Side platform – 3.0 metres Platform Width Centre Platform – 6.0 / 5.0 metres 3.3.1 Transit Elements (desirable / minimum) LRT vehicles will be of modern European-style design with a length of approximately 30 metres. Trainsets Platform Length 90 metres will consist of two cars initially, with opportunity to expand to three cars when ridership levels warrant. The Desired – 0.0% (provided that capacity of the LRT for planning purposes is 260 passengers for two car trainsets and 390 passengers for adequate drainage can be provided) three car trainsets. Maximum operating speed is 60 km/hr; though vehicles will not be permitted to operate Platform Area Grade above the posted speed limit along Eglinton Avenue. The vehicle’s average speed including stops is Maximum – 3.0% projected to be 28-31 km/hr in the west surface section, 22-25 km/hr in the east surface section and 32 Maximum – 6.7 metres from Top of km/hr underground. Rail (TOR) Nominal – 5.5 metres from Top of Rail Trains will be powered by electricity from overhead catenary wires. Train operations on the surface Operating Height sections of the LRT corridor, both train control and opening/closing of doors, will be controlled by on-board (TOR) staff. In the underground section of the LRT corridor, vehicles may be controlled by automatic train Minimum – 4.0 metres from Top of operation (ATO). Rail (TOR) The LRT vehicles will be fully accessible to all riders, with low floor vehicles with level boarding from platforms. Boarding will occur on all doors to reduce time spent serving stops/stations. Doors will be 3.3.2 Road Elements located on both sides of the vehicle to accommodate centre and parallel platforms. Operator cabs will be located on both ends of the trainsets to permit operation in either direction without the requirement for turn Due to the implementation of the LRT, existing roads along the Eglinton Crosstown LRT corridor will around loops. require modifications. Exhibit 81 summarizes the road design criteria that were used during this study. The track technology to be used is a combination of a continuously welded rail with a rubber sleeve that isolates the rail from the concrete. This elimination of rail joints combined with the isolating sleeve provides a smooth operation with limited noise and vibration that is no different than the noise levels of a busy street. MARCH 2010 Page 60 Toronto Transit Commission/City of Toronto EGLINTON CROSSTOWN LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT Environmental Project Report Stray currents. Design Parameters Proposed Standards Trackbed has been primarily assumed as a conventional reinforced concrete slab. Posted Speed 60 km/h Attachment to the bridge deck will be considered during design. Any local strengthening to assure load distribution would be addressed at that time. 2 x 3.3 metres through lanes Pavement Width The LRT loading is comparable to current highway loadings and as such, causes only a 2 x 1.6 m for delineated bicyle lane marginal change to the loadings at underpass footings.