Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) chair Karen Stintz recently spoke out in support of moving the eastern, suburban segment of the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown back above ground, as in the earlier Transit City plan. With a favourable response coming from left- and right-wing councillors alike, the main obstacle to shifting gears may be Mayor Rob Ford.
Stintz said that as the details of Ford’s plans to bury the suburban stretch of the Crosstown were worked though, she felt it didn’t made sense to move at-grade technology underground, and increase the cost, where it wasn’t necessary to do so.
“If we didn’t pay the premium there would be funds that would be freed up for other projects,” Stintz added. Discussions of a potential compromise between councillors has involved putting those savings toward the extension of the Sheppard subway to Victoria Park and toward tranist along Finch Avenue, she said.
Coun. John Parker, who had already publicly questioned the logic of burying the portion of the Crosstown east of Laird, said he agreed with Stintz’s position.
“I’m hoping that, before too much time, effort and taxpayer money is invested in this approach, that it is rethought and a more rational approach is pursued,” he said.
Coun. Joe Mihevc commended the TTC chair for her leadership in staking out a position that puts her at odds with the mayor.
“The wider transit community — and this would include the planners, the architects, the engineers — is in support of what the chair has said,” Mihevc said.
A spokesperson from Metrolinx said only that the provincial agency had already stated its position on the matter. David Salter, a press secretary for Bob Chiarelli, the province’s minister of transportation, said he couldn’t speculate on changes to the Crosstown project.
“We need to have clarity from the city, and we want the City of Toronto to land on a single position,” Salter explained.
Mayor Rob Ford’s office did not respond to a request for an interview.
