Can the St. Clair Right-of-Way be Stopped? Can Toronto Hydro be stopped?

The St. Clair proposed streetcar right-of-way has emerged as an issue for many voters. Almost half of those engaged in doorstep discussion raise the right-of-way that the TTC is now constructing, and almost without exception they are vociferously opposed. Many express their unhappiness with the process since they engaged in consultation in good faith only to learn that the TTC and the councillor had already made up their mind. It is clear that most residents are able to distinguish the disruption caused by construction from the TTC plan to widen the street and put a barrier in the middle of it.

But can it be stopped? John Sewell and the Save Our St. Clair group (the group that led the opposition during the last years to the TTC’s proposal) believe it can. As Save Our St. Clair said in a recent bulletin "Only three contracts have been signed for this work, one from Yonge Street to Avenue Road, one from Avenue Road to Tweedsmuir; and a third from Tweedsmuir to Vaughan. No further construction work has been tendered and any new contracts will have to come before the new City Council following the election. The new Council has the opportunity to rethink this plan and stop it."

An Excerpt from eNewsletter #4 - Click here to keep reading.

John believes the TTC’s plan can be stopped at Vaughan Road (one block west of Bathurst) and that west of Vaughan the plan can be changed to benefit transit and the community. This would be done by having a reserved right-of-way for transit on the tracks during rush hours and no left turns. Enforcement could be by a camera mounted at the front of the streetcar to photograph offending vehicles and send them a ticket. It is using technology from Highway 407 for a good public purpose.

Toronto Hydro's bad idea

In the midst of the bruhaha about the TTC's right-of-way plan, Toronto Hydro has arrived to make matters even worse. The National Post reported on October 26 that Hydro had not been able to co-ordinate its work in burying hydro lines with the TTC's construction program - and Hydro would begin digging up the road shortly after the city/TTC's work had concluded. 

In other words, Toronto Hydro plans to extend the nightmare just a bit further, perhaps to 2010. This is entirely unacceptable. That work should not proceed.