Comment 51712

By bobinnes (registered) - website | Posted November 16, 2010 at 23:54:43

Hi Sean, thanks for having a look.

I'll mainly respond to the track issue since electric trolleys address the peak oil issue and the upgrading-anyway issue is beyond my ken, although I have heard about frequent drivebys after school at Westdale.

Regarding the tracks, you might want to read the last page or two of comments on Jarrett's article. I seem to recall some confirmation of the 10 year cycle for tracks and a discussion of Toronto in particular, and left a comment to that effect also. Yes, asphalt does have problems at bus stops and cities often have special pavements installed at these locations. Can i point to Burlington Street as a generation long pavement cycle??!!!;-) But mostly, i'm reacting to the sheer magnitude of the task I see ad infinitum going on with track replacement in Toronto. The latest was near High Park, I think on College. Constrained workspace, ongoing car traffic AND streetcar traffic, lots of workers milling about. Good for employment i suppose. There has to be a better way! We all love streetcar rides and someday, we may be able to afford a line of our own. We gotta build the need with exciting jobs (read tax revenues) at a time when the US dollar is about to implode so we have our work cut out for us.

Your idea of a limited length phase-in is certainly the best implementation approach and it's quite possible that the West end might be accepting of more high density development since there is some there already. A dedicated ROW presents a challenge and Jarrett's article/ comments discusses the right turn problem. I'm really having trouble seeing how a track system can beat a trolley unless Hamilton discovers a pot of gold and can rebuild everything to suit the track, something like the system on Spadina or St Clair.

Cheers, Bob

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