Light Rail Transit debate set to go underground

Bramptonguardian.com
Feb. 29, 2016
By Peter Criscione

Bury or not to bury?

That is the question now facing Brampton councillors as they prepare to tackle a proposal to drive mass transit underground.

A report going before planning committee next week considers two tunnel options for a Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension north of Steeles Avenue, at a cost of either $410 million or $570 million depending on what council agrees on.

“I believe that any option that further burdens the Brampton taxpayer to fund an alternate LRT route when a fully funded option was rejected by my council colleagues is irresponsible,” said area councillor Martin Medeiros.

Last October, following months of intense debate, council handed mayor Linda Jeffrey a crucial defeat after voting down a $1.6 billion surface alignment option (funded by the province) that would drive mass transit through the downtown to the GO rail station.

Jeffrey attempted to reverse a 10-1 decision of the previous council to eliminate a surface route on Main Street as an option.

Although widely supported, the surface route downtown was met with fierce opposition from area residents and politicians concerned about the city's heritage district.

Council’s rejection of the proposal (by a vote of 6-5) sees the LRT now travelling along Hurontario Street, from Mississauga’s Port Credit to the Gateway Terminal in Brampton and no funding commitment from senior levels of government on options north of Steeles Avenue.

Jeffrey has been handed the arduous tasked of coming up with an alternative route that council can get behind.

It is still the early stages, but some councillors say they are not keen on going underground.

“The cost certainly is a roadblock,” said councillor Jeff Bowman.

Medeiros, who supported the HMLRT surface route, said he will wait to hear more from staff before deciding.

The March 7 document also asks council to set aside $2.5 million in the budget so staff can study each option.

Staff has tabled two scenarios on Main Street.

The first option (estimated at a capital cost of $570 million) has a tunnel on Main Street from north of Elgin Drive to the Brampton GO station with three underground stations at Nanwood, Wellington and Brampton GO.

Option two (at an estimated cost of $410 million) sees a tunnel on Main Street from north of Elgin Drive to the Brampton GO station with a surface stop at Elgin and underground station in downtown Brampton.

Based on an initial review, staff’s preference is option two.

However, the staff report notes that a true cost estimate can’t be nailed down until additional geotechnical and hydrogeological investigations are done.

That technical work, and public consultations, will take at least two years to complete, according to staff.