Comment 100316

By RobF (registered) | Posted April 16, 2014 at 10:31:55 in reply to Comment 100309

Agreed, but i wish the author had avoided the weaker anti-LRT arguments and stuck to her main point.

LRT seems to be a good fit for the King-Main corridor and offers us many benefits. There are, however, critiques out there that aren't simply reactionary or pro-car ... who benefits in the long-run as transit infrastructure alters land rent and puts pressure on affordable housing supply? What will be the impact on bus service? Context matters (Hamilton's affordable housing problems are a poverty problem ... not a product of sky-high real estate like in Toronto or Vancouver) and Ryan has addressed the later question adequately in my view.

Still, I feel a certain discomfort with the transformative change and creative class rhetoric that is used to support the LRT. I'm all for public investment in transit and shifting toward "complete streets", but "urban revitalization", which tries to shed the taint of its fallen out of favor predecessor "urban renewal", is hardly unproblematic or a straightforward win-win for all existing residents. We should openly acknowledge that.

Permalink | Context

Events Calendar

There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?

Recent Articles

Article Archives

Blog Archives

Site Tools

Feeds