.DON MILLS CROSSING TRANSPORTATION STUDY

Don Mills Crossing Transportation Study: Phase 1
4.5.1 Existing Transit Demand
Growing transit demand is one of the key transportation trends in the area. According
Transportation Tomorrow Survey (from 2001 to 2011), transit ridership within the transportation
study area has been growing roughly one percent per year. Exhibit 4-20 summarizes existing
transit demand within the transportation area of influence. The Don Mills bus route is heavily
used followed by the routes on Lawrence Avenue East and Eglinton Avenue East. These routes
each carry more than 1,000 riders in one direction during the weekday peak hours.
Despite the concentration of transit at key locations, such as Don Mills Road and Eglinton
Avenue East, pedestrian activities remains relatively lower due to lack of comfort, safety
concerns and absence of amenities. In addition to the construction of the Crosstown LRT, future
transit planning will likely require further improvements to transit service to address anticipated
demand generated by the proposed or planned growth in the Don Mills Crossing area.
4.5.2 Existing Service Conditions
Exhibit 4-21 summarizes current demand of transit services provided within the transportation
study area. Overall, half of all buses are full during peak periods and some routes (such as the
Don Mills and Lawrence routes) operate at near or over capacity conditions during the weekday
peak periods. Conditions on the Don Mills route were slightly improved after the higher capacity
articulated bus service was introduced in 2014 and express bus service in 2016. The rest of the
routes in the study area experience moderate occupancy during both peak hours. The
interrupted street network and circuitous routes have created a ‘local transit desert’ within the
neighbourhoods, leading to lower usage and longer routes. Since service is running at
maximum frequency, additional transit priority measures and new technology will likely be
needed for the Don Mills route to increase capacity to meet the potential demand along the
corridor.
4.5.3 Planned and Potential Transit Services
Besides Eglinton Crosstown LRT, additional transit services are currently being studied by
several transit agencies. Potential future services include:
City of Toronto and Metrolinx are currently studying extension of Downtown relief line.
TTC published (October 2012) an outline of rapid transit line identifying three new
stations (Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park and Eglinton) within the transportation area
of influence.
The Relief Line is included in Metrolinx's Big Move and has been identified as ‘Next
Wave’ priority projects by the Province. Both subway and LRT options will be further
studied in the future.
The Missing Link refers to a potential new freight connection between the Milton line
west of Trafalgar Road and the CN line at Bramalea, travelling along a track adjacent to
Highway 407. It would leave the Milton tracks free for commuters and keep dangerous
cargo away from more populated areas. Metrolinx and Toronto's Official Plan identify a
potential future GO transit station (the Don Mills station) where the CP Rail corridor
crosses Don Mills Road in the core study area although no timeline or funding identified.
City Planning, Transportation 42