A Metrolinx Benefits Case Analysis is completed for each project
identified in The Big Move, a Regional Transportation Plan,
to evaluate the
project’s return on investment. The evaluations are undertaken in
partnership with municipal stakeholders and their respective transit
agencies.
When it comes to making decisions on these capital intensive
infrastructure projects, the costs and benefits of all reasonable
alternatives need to be evaluated so that the best version of these
transit projects are built. The Metrolinx Benefits Case Analyses provide
decision makers with a robust and consistent "triple bottom line"
evaluation of the relative environmental, economic and social impacts of
each Big Move project. The results from this stage of analysis are used
to inform whether the project should move to the next stage of
Planning,
Design and Engineering.
The Benefits Case Analysis Reports for the projects done to date can
be downloaded below:
Dundas Street Benefits Case Analysis Report
Durham-Scarborough Benefits Case Analysis Report
GO Rail Benefits Case Analysis Report
Hurontario-Main Benefits Case Analysis Report
Hamilton King-Main Benefits Case Analysis Report
Sheppard-Finch Benefits Case Analysis Report
GO Lakeshore Benefits Case Analysis Report
Yonge North Subway Extension Benefits Case Analysis Report
Scarborough RT Benefits Case Analysis Report
VIVA Benefits Case Analysis Report
Dundas Street Benefits Case Analysis Report
The Dundas Street Rapid Transit project was identified in
The Big
Move, a Regional Transportation Plan, as a Metrolinx priority project. The project
envisions higher order rapid transit from Kipling station in Toronto
along a 37 km stretch of Dundas Street to Hwy. 407 in Burlington.
The Dundas Street Benefits Case Analysis examined four options – Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) Light where buses operate in mixed traffic; full BRT
from Kipling to Hurontario where buses operate in a dedicated lane with
BRT Light from Hurontario to Hwy. 407; Light Rail Transit (LRT) from
Kipling to Hurontario and BRT Light to Hwy. 407; and fully separated BRT
along the whole corridor. All BRT options generate positive benefits for
the transportation user, and positive financial, environmental, economic
and socio-community impacts for the corridor.
Metrolinx staff will continue to work collaboratively with municipal
and regional partners on developing the detailed planning, design,
engineering workplan.
Full report
Durham-Scarborough Benefits Case Analysis Report
The Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project was identified in
The Big Move, a Regional Transportation Plan,
as a Metrolinx
priority project. The project involves 36 km of higher order rapid
transit from Scarborough Centre Station in Toronto along Ellesmere Road
and Hwy. 2 through Durham Region to downtown Oshawa linking Scarborough,
Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa together.
The Durham-Scarborough Benefits Case Analysis results showed that two
of the three options evaluated – full BRT and partial BRT throughout
Durham and Toronto – generate positive benefits for the transportation
user, and positive financial, environmental, economic and
socio-community impacts for the corridor as a whole.
Metrolinx staff will continue to work collaboratively with municipal
and regional partners on developing the detailed planning, design,
engineering workplan.
Full report
GO Rail Benefits Case Analysis Report
The GO Rail Benefits Case Analysis assesses improvements to GO rail
service along the Barrie, Milton, Richmond Hill and Stouffville lines as
well as the Lakeshore East Bowmanville extension as identified in
The Big Move, a Regional Transportation Plan, as Metrolinx priority projects. For
each of these corridors, the costs and benefits of improvements to
two-way, all-day service were explored for the full corridor length with
the exception of Richmond Hill, which included the extension to
Bloomington Road, and Stouffville that looked at both two-way, all-day
service to Unionville and Lincolnville.
The results showed that the improvement to two-way, all-day service
on the Barrie, Milton, and Richmond Hill lines would generate positive
benefits along the corridor. For the Stouffville line, the analysis
showed that the benefits from service improvements along this corridor
to Unionville station would balance the incurred costs, while the
results from the Bowmanville extension showed that the benefits of
two-way, all-day service did not outweigh the costs.
Metrolinx together with its operating division, GO Transit, used this
analysis to inform the work done in the
Electrification Study. It will continue to work collaboratively to further develop the
planning, design and engineering along these corridors.
Full report
Hurontario-Main Benefits Case Analysis Report
The Hurontario-Main Rapid Transit project was identified in
The Big
Move, a Regional Transportation Plan, as a Metrolinx priority project. The project
envisions higher order rapid transit from Port Credit to Downtown
Brampton along the Hurontario-Main corridor.
The Hurontario-Main Benefits Case Analysis evaluated three options –
full Light Rail Transit (LRT), full Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and an
option with LRT in the southern segment and BRT in the northern segment.
Both the full LRT and mixed LRT/BRT options generate positive benefits
for the region and will be capable of accommodating long-term travel
demand growth along the corridor. The full BRT option will not be
capable of meeting projected 2021 capacity requirements.
Metrolinx staff will continue to work with Mississauga and Brampton
on developing the detailed planning, design, engineering workplan.
Full report
Hamilton King-Main Benefits Case Analysis Report
The
Hamilton King-Main Rapid Transit was identified in
The Big
Move, a Regional Transportation Plan, as a Metrolinx priority project. The project
envisions rapid transit between Eastgate Square and McMaster University
via Downtown Hamilton along the Main Street/King Street corridor.
The Hamilton King-Main Benefits Case Analysis demonstrated that all
three options under evaluation – full Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), full
Light Rail Transit (LRT) and partial LRT – will generate positive
benefits for Hamilton and the region. All three options will be capable
of accommodating long-term travel demand growth in the corridor.
Metrolinx staff will continue to work collaboratively with Hamilton
on the detailed planning, design, and engineering workplan for the
King-Main corridor.
Full report
Consultation
boards
Scheme plans
Sheppard-Finch Benefits Case Analysis Report
The Sheppard-Finch Light Rail Transit project was identified in
The
Big Move, a Regional Transportation Plan, as a Metrolinx priority project. The
Benefits Case Analysis considers multiple rapid transit investment
options for the Sheppard East and Finch corridors. The project envisions
rapid transit along Sheppard Avenue East and Finch Avenue West.
The analysis demonstrated that a continuous Light Rail Transit line that
connects Sheppard East to Finch West via Don Mills Road generates the
most benefits for cost. This option is recommended for next steps
towards implementation.
Full report
GO Lakeshore Benefits Case Analysis Report
Electrified, express rail service in the Lakeshore corridor was
identified in The Big Move, a Regional Transportation Plan,
as a Metrolinx
priority. As envisioned, the project would transform service in the
Lakeshore corridor from Hamilton to Oshawa with fast, frequent electric
trains replacing current diesel operations over time.
The Lakeshore Express Rail Benefits Case Analysis provides an
evaluation of the comparative costs and benefits of potential service
improvement alternatives in the short to medium term and for the
ultimate Lakeshore express rail vision.
The Lakeshore Express Rail project will be considered within the
broader context of the GO rail network, and as such, the Benefits Case
Analysis is one of the many inputs to the
GO Electrification Study, that was completed
and released in January 2011.
Full report
Yonge North Subway Extension Benefits Case Analysis Report
The Yonge North Subway Extension was identified in
The Big Move,
a Regional Transportation Plan, as a Metrolinx priority project. The Yonge North Subway
Extension Benefits Case Analysis provides an evaluation of the
comparative costs and benefits of rapid transit service options
northwards to Richmond Hill Centre.
The Yonge North Subway Extension needs to be considered within the
broader context of the Yonge North corridor, and as such, the Yonge
North Subway Extension Benefits Case Analysis will be a key input to
further work being carried out in partnership with York Region, the City
of Toronto, and the TTC to identify the best project scope and phasing
for improving rapid transit in the Yonge North corridor.
Full report
Scarborough RT Benefits Case Analysis Report
The Scarborough Rapid Transit (RT) project was identified in
The Big
Move, a Regional Transportation Plan, as a Metrolinx priority project. The Benefits
Case Analysis considers different investment options for replacing and
extending the Scarborough RT service.
The existing vehicle fleet is aging and must be replaced and
modified, and there is an opportunity to extend service toward Malvern
Town Centre. The analysis looks at the investment merits of two
technologies (Mark II and Light Rail Transit vehicles) and different
extension scenarios to connect with Malvern Town Centre. The Benefits
Case Analysis measures benefit-to-cost ratios of these options and also
includes broader “triple bottom line” economic, environmental and social
impacts.
Full report
VIVA Benefits Case Analysis Report
The VIVA Benefits Case identifies the optimal investment scenario for
York Region’s rapid transit system on Hwy. 7 and Yonge corridors.
The Benefits Case Analysis analyzes two scenarios in York Region,
both where existing VIVA services will be upgraded to rapid transit to
create an east-west spine on Hwy. 7, connecting with Züm on Queen Street
to downtown Brampton, and from Newmarket to Richmond Hill Centre along
Yonge Street. Under one scenario, the project is to be fully built by
2018, with the other scenario deferring construction of certain segments
to 2026. While delaying construction returns a higher cost-benefit
ratio, both options are feasible for moving forward.
Since the release of this Benefits Case Analysis, York Region has
received $1.4 billion in funding from the Province to construct the
rapidways envisioned in the deferred construction scenario.
Full report