| yorkregion.com
February 23, 2008, By: David Fleischer
 Yonge
subway could be ready by 2015
RICHMOND HILL - If everything falls into place, you could
be riding the rocket by 2015.
York Region has been moving full-steam ahead with plans for
the Yonge subway extension since it was announced in June,
as part of the province’s Move2020 transit plan.
“We’re not waiting on anything at the moment,”
York Region Rapid Transit Corp. vice-president Mary-Frances
Turner said.
Within a week of Premier Dalton McGuinty’s announcement,
the region halted plans to build Viva’s bus-only lanes
on Yonge and initiated an environmental assessment of the
corridor.
In previous years, transit projects required one-third of
funding to be paid by the federal, provincial and municipal
governments. In the Move2020 plan, the province picks up the
municipal share, making the federal government’s contribution
the key to moving forward.
With federal funding in place, construction could begin within
18 to 24 months, Ms Turner said. Construction takes a further
five years.
One of the big questions is the location of stations on the
6.5-km extension.
The region identified six potential stations: Cummer Avenue,
Steeles Avenue, Clark Avenue, Centre Street, Helen Avenue
and Richmond Hill Centre (at Hwy. 7).
The estimated cost of the project is between $1.5 billion
and $2 billion.
The route follows Yonge Street, with two alternatives, depending
on the location of the Richmond Hill terminus.
One places the station near the Silver City movie theatres,
leaving a 500-metre walk to the Viva and GO stations.
The second route travels beneath Holy Cross Cemetery and
ends closer to the current stations.
Subway Task Force
• Created by the region last month to oversee the process
and liaise with Toronto
• Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill will each elect
two members of council and one citizen
• The region will appoint two councillors and one other
person
• It is expected to start meeting by early spring with
public meetings soon after
• It will consult on issues including number and location
of stations, speed of trains, ridership and development opportunities
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