Comment 114664

By mdrejhon (registered) - website | Posted November 05, 2015 at 20:50:11 in reply to Comment 114551

There needs to be some rather strict conditions attached (by Federal/Province), that all the below must be funded, before funds can be given for a LINC/RHVP widening:

  • Major safety improvements mandatory Too many people are dying. Doing a "cheap widening" is likely to cause more people to die (even with median barrier). A median barrier is needed but cannot be the only safety improvement.

  • Major flooding remediation mandatory Widening LINC/RHVP will increase flooding. There was a Mountain person who posted why funds weren't spent on flood remediation. Such a person would likely be for a LINC/RHVP widening, but he would be funding an increase in flooding! This will raise cost, but this issue needs to be be raised.

  • Major transit improvements mandatory This includes LRT extensions (e.g. A-Line extension to Limeridge) and bigger HSR bus fleet Hamilton-wide, as well as a new express HSR bus on LINC/RHVP. This also requires that the Lower City LRT not be blocked, as the funded LRT needs to get started ASAP, but that the A-Line should start quicklhy in a positive Ottawa-style manner (Ottawa starts Phase 2 quickly right after Phase 1), rather than do Toronto-style delays in transit-building.

  • New RHVP/LINC lane needs to be HOV/HOT right at the outset This is less frustrating than later converting a non-HOV to a HOV lane. The freeway is still adding capacity (...even though it will naturally be filled right back up induced demand...), but the HOV lane will keep express buses fast by sharing the HOV lane and make the lane move more than 2000 people per hour (as per typical freeway traffic).

...About the possible bundled transit improvements:

Pxtl came up with a good idea (though need a bit of efficiency tweaks...) of a new express bus route that takes advantage of a new HOV+transit lane on LINC/RHVP.

L-Line Express

This bus can even connect to the A-Line LRT station at Limeridge mall! (Which could be built by the time this all happens, anyway...given Jason Farr's pending motion)

This isn't full true BRT as it would share with cars in a HOV+transit lane, but it provides a legitimate inexpensive additional rapid transit option provided there are good connection, and these buses will mesh with the Hamilton Rapid Transit network better in the post-LRT world.

From some calculations and it appears there's even (barely) enough space for some narrow protected median bus stations (using left-hand bus-only offramps) near some of the overpasses, especially at Limeridge Mall.

That would be a great transit connection to a future Limeridge A-Line LRT stop. With Jason Farr about to raise a motion for an early ask for an A-Line extension (in a more positive Ottawa/Waterloo attitude of starting LRT extensions sooner, rather than the Toronto-style indecisiveness. Ottawa's considering Phase 2 very shortly after Phase 1).

Obviously, not a perfect solution (I prefer transit-oriented developments), but I realistically see we need to win Mountain support for fast-tracking LRT extensions, more rapid transit HSR/LRT, metro-wide HSR bus expansion, etc.

Comment edited by mdrejhon on 2015-11-05 22:03:05

Permalink | Context

Events Calendar

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

Recent Articles

Article Archives

Blog Archives

Site Tools

Feeds