TTC endorses downtown subway relief line

The TTC has approved a staff report which recommends a $3.2-billion rapid transit line between downtown and the city’s east end to reduce overcrowding on the subway.

Furthermore, at its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, the TTC voted to make the so-called downtown relief line a priority over extending the Yonge subway line north to Richmond Hill.

The study, by TTC and city staff, says current projects to address surging ridership on the Yonge line and GO Transit won’t suffice in the long run.

It proposes a line connecting Pape and St. Andrew stations.

The report goes to council for debate — which will likely consider funding options — next week.

The TTC then voted for staff reports on the proposal of converting the Scarborough RT to a subway extension, which would complete the subway “loop” with the downtown relief line.

Meanwhile, the commission has postponed debate on whether to bring cellphone service to its subway platforms.

Though a wired Toronto may welcome cellphone service on its subway platforms, a Canadian terrorism expert says the TTC should also consider the security risks when it decides.

In a report in the Toronto Sun, David Harris points out that terrorists could use wireless signals to detonate explosives or communicate with co-conspirators.

Mobile phones were used to detonate bombs on Madrid’s subway system in the 2004 attack that killed 191 people and injured 1,800.

And a year later, cellphones were again used to carry out a terrorist attack on London’s buses and subways in which 52 people died.

Wiring Toronto’s subways would bring in $25 million — the amount Broadcast Australia PTY would pay to equip 61 stations by 2014.

At the Wednesday meeting, the TTC also discussed a delay in the building of the Spadina subway extension and a proposal to hand over its property at Yonge and Eglinton for redevelopment by the city.

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