A city-council backed and federally funded plan to extend the Bloor-Danforth line into Scarborough is a better option than a shorter two-stop extension proposed by the province earlier this month, a new report by TTC CEO Andy Byford finds.
The report says the city proposed route underneath McCowan Road and north to Sheppard Avenue, which was the inspiration for a plan announced by Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty Monday, is superior to a provincial plan to extend the subway along the path currently followed by the Scarborough RT.
“In our paper, we compared the cost of building the subway along either alignment and we believe from a customer perspective and from an engineering and operational perspective it’s a much better option and that’s the very strong recommendation in the paper,” Byford told CP24 Monday afternoon.
Three weeks ago, Transportation Minister Glen Murray announced that the province would spend $1.4 billion on a two-station extension of the Bloor-Danforth line into Scarborough Town Centre.
City council then voted in favour of a revised plan, which instead would see a three-station subway extension underneath McCowan Road and north to Sheppard Avenue.
That plan was conditional on the city acquiring additional funding, which came in the form of a $660 million federal investment announced by Flaherty Monday.
Speaking with CP24 Monday afternoon, Byford says he now believes there is enough money on the table to get shovels in the ground.
"Our strong recommendation is to go all the way through to Sheppard (Avenue) and with the provincial money, the federal money that was announced today and the property tax that the mayor has talked about we believe you can get through to where you really should be going and that's underground to Sheppard (Avenue)."
Remember for instant breaking news follow @cp24 on Twitter.
