Comment 111204

By Haveacow (registered) | Posted April 29, 2015 at 12:48:57

I have a few comments but I am very busy so I will make them in point form.

  1. You have done a great job of warehousing data and providing outside links regarding the political realities of rapid transit in Hamilton. By the way, don't get hung up on worrying about peak passenger volumes being too low. Many of Toronto's LRT routes have peak volumes of 3-5000 people/hour/direction but, the all day passenger total is what is bankrupting the TTC. The new Finch Ave. West LRT will only has a peak volume of about 2500 p/h/d but the buses are crowed all day and well into the evening but the TTC can't afford to keep adding more buses. In this way LRT is not only going to improve things for passengers and their travel time but the TTC is saving a bundle in operational cost, they only having to run 15-18 2 car trains with a single driver at peak less during off peak versus 40-50 buses and their drivers, for most of the day and well into the evening.

  2. The link still is needed to those who still don't understand why rapid transit is built and its positive externalities. Real data regarding why the status quo will not work has to be hammered home. Most people who don't want rapid transit must be made to understand that, empty wide roads with plenty of lane space for cars for most of the day is not good transportation planning, its a sign the city is in deep peril. When most of the cities around you have varying degrees of serious road space issues its not a good sign that, your roads are mostly empty. The point that needs to be taken to people is that, the days of single family sprawl are over! Not because anyone who has seen ever seen or studied actual design and urban planning thinks so, but that the cities can't afford it any more! Period! Younger generations are not abandoning sprawl housing and private cars in growing amounts because they are young and hip. They are realizing they don't want to live the way mom and dad did and that there are more affordable and livable places that already exist in the centre of cities, everything is really close so walking for most things is an option. Cars that most can't afford to use unless you have a real good job are not the transportation answer that younger people are looking for.

Oh, telling people who are against increased rapid transit funding for BRT or LRT that, rapid transit is a good development tool is not they way to go, they generally want things to stay the same. Many people who don't want to increase costs for things like transit also don't want the wholesale scary changes that new development would bring. Just a tip.

  1. The financial question of local transit funding MUST,MUST be dealt with in Hamilton before any RT's are created, whether they have a L,B or any other letter for that matter. Instead of a series of route plans try to create a series of policy tools to show a path to full real local transit funding, again with the political realities of Hamilton's unique situation. Like I said before, its going to be difficult to apply for provincial funding against all those other cities that want rapid transit as well as all those cities that are going to be asking for phase 2 projects when your city does not even have its local funding in order. A friend were I am currently working said that, if he wanted to purposely destroy or seriously hinder a transit system he would use Hamilton's funding model.

  2. Chris is quite correct, there are many ways to put in local funding but, it is a definite. IF HAMILTON WANTS RAPID TRANSIT OF ANY KIND IT MUST PUT IN SOME LOCAL FUNDING TOWARDS THE PROJECT! It would be great if the province wants to kick in 100% of the LRT/BRT project's capital funding. It would be nice if they kept that promise but, when financial belts tighten, the cities that are willing to put in some type of local funding get the edge over ones that, stand and wait for handouts. Both Ottawa and Waterloo have plans for local funding for their phase 2 projects as well. I make you a guarantee they (Ottawa & Waterloo), will get that provincial funding before Hamilton will get any serious funding for its phase 1 if Hamilton Council continues this current course.

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