Comment 70594

By Mahesh_P_Butani (registered) - website | Posted October 15, 2011 at 00:42:42 in reply to Comment 70585

The goal of revitalizing urban blight is to generate equitable growth via re-development and new developments.

The primary goal of LRT is intensification via supplementary bonusing of density.

The hype around LRT is that it is a green transit alternative to cars.

The expectations of LRT are that it will generate compact urban form.

The data supporting all the hype and expectations is mostly anecdotal. Hence the outcomes are mostly anecdotal.

The results of LRT implementation in most cities like Hamilton which are suburban in character (with a tiny remnant of an old core surrounded by old and newer suburbs) is: what was sold as an urban centric transit solution, usually ends up becoming a rapid linkage connecting far flung suburbs to each other via the city core.

This is the primary goal of LRT in Hamilton. Hence the design of the tracks as presented.

LRT in Hamilton will neither lift the poor, nor create walkable, compact urban form for the new urban professionals.

The poor already know about walkabilty - it was never a novelty for them. They will continue to walk on account of the un-affordabilty of the LRT as it grows to meet the demands of expansion.

It is the new urban professionals in the new TOD driven urban compounds of Hamilton, who will have to quickly learn to reconcile their expectations of LRT with its stark reality.

At best Hamilton's LRT network as it is planned will continue to expand suburban growth, which should not come as a surprise years from now as it would be in sync with the original intent of the track design - which was after all approved resoundingly by LRT enthusiasts.

Almost everything in today's world is anecdotal: WMD, CodeRed, god, devil, prosperity, diversity, equitable growth, good food, good sex, good discourse, good education, good art, appropriate behavior, dissent, job creation, urban revitalization, lifting poverty, displacing poverty, creative cities, and much more...

Maybe, it is about time we get rid of all models and start giving the "anecdotal" the legitimacy it deserves. :)

Comment edited by Mahesh_P_Butani on 2011-10-15 00:50:47

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