This section includes the remainder of Chapter 4 covering three alternatives to the centre platform option at Bloor Yonge.

• A double station with new platforms north of the existing Bloor Station
• A bi-level station
• Two versions of a diversionary route with a new southbound or northbound track and station

I commend these to the readers who have been proposing various alternative tunnel and platform arrangements here for a clear view of just where the structures actually lie.  Bear in mind that much has been built since these plans were drawn, and assumptions about available rights-of-way or the acquisition and demolition of buildings are probably no longer valid.

Chapters 4.2 through 4.4 describe three optional layouts of Bloor-Yonge Station.

Series Station Option

This scheme involves building a second station north of the existing one as shown in Exhibit 4.2.1.

The area is constrained by footings of nearby buildings and this explains the odd layout of connecting passageways.

However, with two stations close together, ATC operation would be mandatory even if the headway were not close enough to demand it otherwise. This option was rejected.

Bi-Level Station Option

This option requires construction of a new northbound track and platform underneath the existing subway. Because the Bloor line is in the way, it has do go deep enough to get under that line before rising back to the surface.

The drawings showing this are all crowded onto one sheet, and I have scanned separate sections to make this easier to follow.

Exhibit 4.3.1a shows the southbound platform while Exhibit 4.3.1b shows the northbound one. On the southbound side, the existing northbound track is removed and the platform is extended out so that trains can load and unload at the same time.

On the northbound side, there is a similar arrangement, but it is completely new. The connection to the Bloor line is partly shown here, but also in following drawings. In effect, there is a new east-west passageway under Yonge Station from both sides of the northbound track connecting to new stairs and escalators up to the Bloor line.

Exhibit 4.3.1c shows two different chunks. One is the detail of the connection from the northbound platforms to the existing Yonge Station. The other is a cross section at the north end of Bloor Station showing how the existing subway structure (now the southbound track) nestles within the structure of surrounding buildings. Any proposals for expansion in this area must take the existing building foundations into account.

Exhibit 4.3.1d shows the station in cross-section looking north.

Divided Station Option

This includes two separate schemes, one with the new northbound station under Park Road, and the other with the new southbound station under Yonge Street.  Both of these had extensive conflicts with buildings in the 1980s, and this is even more of a problem today due to construction of new towers.

Neither of these is practical, but I have included them so that those of you who propose schemes like this can see where, exactly, the new structures would have to go to build them.

Park Road Option

Park Road is the street on the east side of The Bay, and this is also the point where the Bloor line curves under Yonge Street and enters deep bore tunnels.  The proposed station would be under the Bloor line at this point.

Exhibit 4.4.1a and Exhibit 4.4.1b show the details of the connection arrangement between the stations.

Exhibit 4.4.2 shows the alignment with the new track swinging east from Rosedale Station and down Park Road. The lines rejoin between Isabella Street and Wellesley Station.

Yonge Street Option

For the Yonge Street option, the station would lie under Yonge (and the Bloor Subway) between Bloor Street and Asquith Avenue (the back of The Bay).

Exhibit 4.4.3 shows the alignment with the new track swinging west from Rosedale Station and down Yonge Street. The lines rejoin between Charles and Isabella Streets.

Exhibit 4.5.1 (pdf) summarizes the issues of all of the options.