{"id":2115,"date":"2011-03-30T09:39:24","date_gmt":"2011-03-30T14:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vivanext.com\/blog\/?p=2115"},"modified":"2011-03-30T09:59:04","modified_gmt":"2011-03-30T14:59:04","slug":"spadina-subway-it%e2%80%99s-about-connections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yrrtc.ca\/blog\/2011\/03\/30\/spadina-subway-it%e2%80%99s-about-connections\/","title":{"rendered":"Spadina Subway: it\u2019s about connections"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Map<\/a><\/p>\n

Is it possible to live or work in northwest Toronto, western York Region or east side of Peel, and not know about the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension? Although you might know that a subway extension is planned, you might not know the details about this huge subway development project.<\/p>\n

The extension to the University-Spadina TTC subway line from the current Downsview Station north to Highway 7 in Vaughan will be big news to anyone living or working along its route. A connection from Downsview Station to the Wilson Yard TTC storage and maintenance facility has already been built, and four Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have been manufactured in Canada for this project. Each TBM took several months to build, and three weeks \u2013 21 truckloads of parts \u2013 to deliver to its launch location. This spring the parts of the four TBMs will be lowered into their launch shafts at Sheppard West Station and Steeles West Station, and assembled in launch position. In the first of several tunnel drives, the TBMs at Sheppard West will bore northward to Finch West Station, and the TBMs at Steeles West will bore southward to York University Station. Each machine will bore at a rate of about 15 metres per day, and they\u2019re multi-talented machines, excavating in front and placing tunnel reinforcements behind them. When they reach their destinations they\u2019ll be removed from the ground and relocated to new launch locations for the next tunnel drive. The tunnelling is expected to take about two years, with the entire project, including stations, scheduled to be complete and in service by late 2015.<\/p>\n

Highway 407 Station and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will be the first subway stations in York Region. Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will be built at Millway Avenue along the Highway 7 West rapidways, and will feature retail space, a domed roof with skylights positioned to reflect light to platform level, and pedestrian and transit-oriented development.<\/p>\n

We talk about rapidways all the time, but really we\u2019re developing a rapid transit network \u2013 a system to move people within our region and connect us to neighbouring transit networks. Subway extensions create a vital connection in the GTHA transit network, and will bring new life to communities near subway stations, as people gather in these areas to live, work, shop and play.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in more details about subway extensions, be sure to visit some of these links:<\/p>\n