Are subways better for Toronto, or is light rail the way to go?

This question has polarized the community more than any other in recent memory.

Subways offer a speed and a capacity advantage, and have traditionally been the preferred choice for rapid transit construction in the city. But, modern subway lines are usually built with stations greater than 1 km apart to keep speeds up. This makes mid-block access a bit more difficult. Light Rail Transit, which proposes to run sleek, modern streetcars in transit-only lanes on the surface, offers a cost advantage and, indirectly related, a advantage in the placement of stations. Since they are less expensive and since speeds are lower anyway, LRT stations can be placed closer together. This means that it won’t be a long trek to a destination which isn’t at a main intersection.

Your ability to walk, how you rank speed and ease of access, and your opinion about how much capacity is needed will define where you stand on the endless waltz that is the LRT vs Subway debate, but one difference between the two still has the jury deliberating.

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