Why the Scarborough RT will still be around in 2025

So - if you're reading this, you must be well aware of the mess that is the rail debate in Scarborough - the lengthy, and wasteful discussion about what we, as Toronto taxpayers, will build to replace the aged, and obsolete Scarborough RT route.

Look at 'little blue' over there, so small and lonely

Nobody ever seems to agree on anything about this line, except one thing (the most important); it NEEDS to be replaced. Every photo you see of the actual trains, or system itself, look like they're from the 70's. I could go take a photo today, and show you - and you'd be like - "Oh, I love vintage TTC pics" - well I'll tell you, there's nothing vintage about this...

It looks like something that, in the 60's - people called 'transit of the future'.

I'm not going to go through all of the options that came to light during this fiasco - but you to catch you up - the RT was always MEANT to be replaced by a subway, but after years of indecision (still ongoing), they finally decided to replace it with a state-of-the-art LRT system, that would move more people than the RT, service more neighbourhoods, and cost almost half as much as a subway the same length and number of stations would be. 

However, Rob Ford came out and argued that the "people of Scarborough" weren't happy with this plan. I could argue that, but let's say they were - it was mostly just the vision, and information that those people HAD about LRT's. People think of light rail, and they think of this...

They don't know that LRT's have the same max speed as subways, they don't know that the only reason they have an average slower speed is because there are more stations to stop at, and they don't think about the fact that, unlike streetcars, you're traveling in fully dedicated through ways, that won't be subject to traffic and congestion.

But...instead of powering ahead with an option that was fully funded, and could be started (and completed) much earlier, Rob Ford, his gang at city hall, and even his enemy turned ally Karen Stintz, decided they'd play a game of "Who can get the most votes in Scarborough", at the expense of any sort of transit being built there. They pulled their support from the LRT plan (which was due to begin in construction soon), and decided to back a subway extension along the Bloor Danforth line, against the advise of the chief city planner.

Stintz's decision to back subways may well have cost her any
chance at taking over as mayor in next year's election

Now, about a month later - we're here - the subway the city asked for is not happening - and instead, the province has seemingly had enough of the back and forth, and have decided to 'graciously', build a subway extension that will not only cost more than the LRT, but will remove 3 stops from what exist on the current line, servicing LESS neighbourhoods, and not connect with the Sheppard East line, which was one of the main points of this line. 

So where do we go from here? Council says it will fight the province's decision. Wait, haven't we been down this road before?

• Council fights decision, offers alternative
• Province offers new plan in accordance with budget and requests from city
• By this time, new council decisions have been made and they fight the new plan
• Etc. etc. etc.

We are a city of indecision - it's what we've been known as for the last couple of decades, and we, as citizens need to make sure that we have leadership that will make things happen. Toronto, more than ever, needs representatives that are willing to think outside the box, and support plans of action, rather than inaction. We're just about a year away from the city elections, so I urge you to start thinking about what you want out of Toronto in the next 20 years, because the people in power now, will be in charge of shaping our city

Just remember - building 10 KM of "slower" transit, is better than 0 KM of subways.