Raise the Hammer

I completely agree with TD so I won't comment further on Mark's love of flying through our city like its a damn freeway. I will however comment on this part...

It behooves [sic] the city to take essential time to examine all the manifold possible configurations of LRT (PRT, Mag-lev, Monorail, subway, EL, streetcar, etc.)

Firstly, mag-lev trains, really? Not only are these types of trains insanely expensive (starting at $100 million USD per kilometre) but they are designed to provide city-to-city rapid transport at speeds of 100km/h and up. The trains wouldn't even be up to speed before they would have to slow down for the next stop. Unless of course the only goal was to move people as fast as possible from Mac to Eastgate.

Secondly, subways are just as unworkable due to Hamilton's high water table and water drainage problems. Not to mention how expensive it would be to accomplish what LRT can do for far less.

Thirdly, monorails and other Elevated Lines (I'm assuming this is the EL you meant) have been shown to not be as successful as LRT and were in fact proposed and dismissed by the city in the 1980s for what it would do to the streetscape.

As for PRT I assume you mean Personal Rapid Transit, something which has been researched since the 60s and only implemented once - between the three campuses of West Virgina University and never in an actual intra-city setting. Why would we choose an untested, expensive and complex system like a PRT when LRT has numerous case studies showing its benefits.

Using just common sense and 10 minutes of internet investigation, I've shown why the rapid transit discussion has always been between bus and light rail. As you said there are a "manifold of possible configurations" but doing in-depth studies on obviously unworkable solutions wastes both time and money. Creating study after study is a common political ploy to appear as if something is being done about an issue without actually doing anything, and Hamilton deserves better.

Comment edited by UrbanRenaissance on 2010-02-03 14:50:39