Can’t wait for relief line to address overcrowding

Re Subway crowding crisis has reached house-on-fire status, Keenan, Feb. 6 The chickens have come home to roost after decades of political interference and mismanagement of Toronto’s transit system. While massive amounts of time and money have been diverted to subway building in low-density areas better served by light rail, the relief line for the congested central area was put on the back burner.

We cannot wait another decade for the relief line to be built, while congestion and chaos mount on the Yonge and Bloor lines. Drastic measures are needed to create additional surface rapid transit for those corridors that will be fast and economical to build.

The most practical solution would be an LRT on Yonge St., in its own right-of-way, possibly extending all the way from Richmond Hill to Union Station. Not only would it carry new riders coming from increased development, but it could also serve as an urgently needed backup to the Yonge subway.

I have additional proposals for quickly and economically solving Yonge subway congestion listed in a report I submitted to the TTC in August 2015. The TTC has so far refused to test any of my solutions. The mayor and city council should press the TTC to test these proposals. Josef Kates, Toronto Recent articles about subway crowding illustrate an overall need to look at Toronto’s planning process. Line 1 may be at over capacity, but Line 2 along Bloor/Danforth is also stressed. Yet, in my west end neighbourhood, several huge developments are being proposed along Bloor St., at Jane, High Park, Dundas and Dufferin, as well as another, just north, at Dufferin and Dupont. How will our transit system handle thousands more commuters? Perhaps it’s time we hit the pause button on rampant building, until we have proper infrastructure in place. Francine Dick, Toronto Edward Keenan has obviously not lived or experienced underground transport systems during rush hour across many cities in the world.

The riders on the famous tube in London, England put up with a jam much bigger than the ones we experience here in Toronto. Many times on the tube when living and working in London I have asked my fellow travellers to give me a push so I can get out at my destination station.

Londoners take it in their stride and smile, and that is what we should do. The TTC go to great efforts to give good service and we should appreciate that more and whine less. Stephen Ayers, Toronto