[miketoronto]

I was at a community meeting last night concerning public transit improvements to North East Scarborough. A vocal community was the Morningside Heights community, which is a new subdivision built on the extreme edge of Scarborough(Toronto). This is basically at the edge of the city limits, and the last large open piece of land within Toronto city limits that can be developed.
Anyway the community is suffering from overcrowded buses and slow buses, due to the lack of express service. They are lobbying for express service, but the transit commission will not listen, eventhough buses are leaving fully packed from this community, and basically no one else south of this community including me can get a seat on the bus. Anyway here are my pics. I am not impressed with the community, as it is just suburban sprawl. Yes it is built to a higher density, and the transit seems to be attracting riders. But still, its sprawl. Anyway enjoy a look at the edge of Toronto.

We arrive at the edge of Civilization. Lets go for a walk.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2395/2419121346_07ff59e82c_o.jpg

Morningside Heights backs onto the Rouge Park.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/2418304405_cfa3f709a3_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2418304489_7641976197_o.jpg

One of the parks.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2194/2418304637_92ce094d32_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2265/2418304735_4642a5f495_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2418304833_13eb9c424f_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2418304935_309ac6a762_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2353/2419122022_4e87b0c7f2_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2055/2418305217_67f59a3ae9_o.jpg

Yes people are actually using the bus. The bus circles through the community approx every 7-15min seven days a week during daytime hours and early evenings. Late evening service seven days a week is approx every 20min.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2080/2418305349_7c622162a6_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2418305449_ea2f134bfa_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2399/2419122440_6a41725cde_o.jpg

There are some townhouses mixed into the community.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2419122652_d6040de037_o.jpg



Time to go back to civilization. During non rush periods it is about a 30min ride to the closest subway station. During rush hours the trip can take over 40min. Driving time to the nearest subway station is 10 min. You can see why they want express service.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2287/2418305635_12dd31a9c2_o.jpg

[kool maudit]

it's not quite as good as manhattan's version, is it?

[WZ1]

Looks like Mississauga or Oakville to me :) .. jaws drop.. how could this suburbia be in the City?

[miketoronto]

Looks like Mississauga or Oakville to me :) .. jaws drop.. how could this suburbia be in the City?

Well easy because it is in the old inner suburbs. This is not the inner city. Yeah it does look like Oakville or Mississauga. Our own piece of 905 in the 416.
Only difference is unlike 905, these people actually use the buses.

[DC83]

It's ok, Mike. This subdivision will soon become as undesireable as Malvern.
I don't get Toronto... citizens are BEGGING for better bus service, yet the TTC ignores them. Want to save money, TTC? computerize your subways... make subway operators retire and use that money to improve service to areas that want it.

In Hamilton, we have to beg our citizens to get on tranist... yet we're still planning expansion routes in our outer areas (Rymal Rd, Aerotropolis Lands) as well as planning for LRT in our inner city.

Toronto will learn, Mike. And 'Morningside Heights' will become 'Murderside Heights'... just like every other city extremity 'survey' (Jane/Finch, Malvern, Rexdale, etc).

[Top Of The Park]

These shots could be from any north american city

[miketoronto]

I don't get Toronto... citizens are BEGGING for better bus service, yet the TTC ignores them. Want to save money, TTC? computerize your subways... make subway operators retire and use that money to improve service to areas that want it.


I don't get it either. The fact that so many people in what is not a low income community want to hop on the bus and are still taking transit in droves considering they had very little service just two years ago, is amazing. Yet the TTC could care less. Instead of trying to make transit more competative, they just basically say to stick with the 40min ride to the subway and stop complaining.

If the bus was going empty I would understand. But if the bus is leaving the loop full, then there is demand to support some sort of seperate route that takes a more direct route to the subway.

The success with transit in this community is amazing though. They went from having a rush hour only service every 22min, to seven day a week service within months of the rush hour only service starting. And now buses come through every 7min in rush hour periods. Only problem is they are taking all the seats, so I always have to stand now, as this bus comes down into my neighbourhood.
I have read the report concerning bus service in Morningside Heights, and the rush hour extension to this neighbourhood actually turns a profit. So much of a profit that the profits pay for the off peak service. Basically the city does not have to subsidize the extension as it covers its cost.

Morningside Heights is located in that loop at the top of the map. Map thanks to the TTC.
http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/schedules/133map.GIF

[Stanzmastertron3000]

Still looks nicer than Scarborough.

[flar]

At least they have some bus service.

And I can't stand full buses, sometime I can't get home because of that. Nothing worse than waiting around for ten minutes for a bus to drive right by without stopping. They really need backup buses to send out when they become full.

[Grimm]

Still looks nicer than Scarborough.
Nice zinger... except that the pictures were taken in Scarborough.

[JackStraw]

Good pics mike.

It does look very suburban.

[Stanzmastertron3000]

Nice zinger... except that the pictures were taken in Scarborough.

Alright, I'll narrow my comment down to mike's neighborhood then.