Global News combined the new 2011 Census population density numbers released Wednesday with a map of the transit projects selected for early implementation by city council.
The new population density information supports council’s decision to focus on light rapid transit, says one urban planner.
“I think this map, if anything, it affirms the idea of the light rail lines,” said Andre Sorensen, Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Toronto Scarborough.
“The Eglinton line looks great. It’s actually travelling through some areas of very significant density. Same thing with Finch West. That really does look like a good decision. There is a lot of density along that corridor,” he said.
The proposed Eglinton LRT passes through dense neighbourhoods near Davisville, Forest Hill North and Kennedy Station. But Sorensen doubts that the line would support a subway. “You really need to have that really dark blue, over 10,000. That’s the sort of density that you need to support a subway.”
After looking through Global News’ maps, he said that most of Toronto is remaining stable or losing population. Significant growth is concentrated in only a few areas.
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“That suggests that in the forseeable future, 20-30 years, there is no real justification for building subways. Light rail lines are going to be the appropriate technology in terms of the densities we’ve got and the densities we’re likely to have in the future.”
“There are places in Toronto where it would make sense to have more subway,” he said. “But our densities are largely suburban densities, even in the inner suburbs. So the LRT is actually a very good technology, especially where we’ve got lots of width on the big arterial roads like Eglinton.”
Sorensen said that other important factors, aside from density, will affect future ridership. “Every transit trip begins and ends with a walking trip,” he said. Making the areas near transit stations more attractive in terms of walkability or adding a mix of commercial development near stations will entice more people to leave their cars at home because they can run errands during their commute.
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