Comment 87725

By Shempatolla (registered) - website | Posted April 07, 2013 at 20:08:24

Lets examine some of the facts around Metrolinx, the TTC, et al and decide if the taxpayers of this province should trust these agencies with MORE of our money.

  1. Metrolinx's Presto fare system .... the regional one card distance based swipe card fare system was projected to cost $250 million dollars. The current cost is $750 million, the meter is still running and it STILL does not work right.

  2. The TTC's St Clair streetcar right of way project (which is the template for many current proposed LRT projects was delivered at over %100 over budget and two years late. This past week the TTC divulged that it will need to spend an ESTIMATED $58 million dollars more to tear up and retro fit many of the platforms to fit the new ground level loading streetcars that were ordered when this project started. The TTC has already spent an undisclosed amount to correct the same problem on the Spadina streetcar right of way.

  3. The TTC Streetcar fleet and infrastructure mainenance budget is $700 million per year. These on ground on street tracks are constantly being ripped up, replaced causing grid lock, congestion, dirt, noise, pollution and economic loss for businesses along their routes every year. If even half of this budget was put towards subway construction which is what is really needed in North America's 4th largest city, how much more efficient would public transit be in the short, medium and long term?

  4. There have been recent articles on RTH recently promoting safe streets and investment in public transit. Who doesn't want this? No brainer. But examples of such that have been put forward are in fact miserable failures. I work in Toronto on Lansdowne Ave. The narrowing of this street has made being a cyclist and a pedestrian more dangerous not less. Emergency vehicles (of which I am in at work) frequently cannot navigate the traffic because there is now only 1 lane each way. Roncessvalles Ave is an even bigger sad joke and waste of taxpayer money. These were both streets that worked and have worked for most of the 23 years I have worked there. Lansdowne even had electric buses. Now because of some unqualified elected politicians pet project (Adam Giambrone) and the backing of an even more dysfunctional city council and politically and ideologically motivated activitsts these streets are less safe, less efficient, more congested and have been done over budget, and late. Thank You taxpayers. If we are to ask the people who pay taxes to invest even more money in ideas like safe streets, public transit and congestion easing, we better bloodywell make sure that what is implemented works. Unfortunately the recent history of these projects in Ontario contrary to what their proponents are saying are not really successes.

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