Urban spawl was un-coordinated or organized and just slapped up in any open area from Toronto to almost St. Catharines.
So now we want public transit and rightly so considering all the negative of gridlock and pollution.
So we are tied to our vehicles as unless you live near a GO station and work near a GO Station it is not convienient.
So what is partially successful is like people who live outside Washington or New York, you drive to a huge parking lot or Kiss and Ride and hop on the train. To take an HSR to our Downtown is time consuming.
For example I seldom have to go to Toronto, maybe 4 times a year on business. If I drive it is with little traffic an hour, an hr and a half just before the rush home.
If I use GO in the East end with the free park and ride it is just over two hours door to door. If I was to do this on an annual basis there is a difference of 115 hrs. That is a conservative amount or the low end as there are days I could get out early and the 1.5 hr drive would be less, or the days it could be more but GO has been delayed also so 115 hrs is fair.
As for Union station it is a zoo to get out of in the morning.
So even with gridlock and parking the benefits of public transit are not enough to entice the general public. One woman did comment that she uses GO because she is afraid to drive .
In many cases once you have the solitude and space of your car with the going and your favourites station it is hard to settle for a cramped seat next to some unsmiling individual. Thank god for MP3 players.
Hopefully it cantches on, I still think that in a trade off for reduced pollution and less wear and tear on the too small roads, public transit should be free or very very inexpensive. Gas prices are rising and it is still not drawing people out, maybe more car pooling or the HOV lanes, are helping the hard core commuters.
Toronto is so big that unless you work in the downtown it is not feasible for the average person with all the connectors HSR>GO Train>TTC..
As for bike in Union can you just imagine at 0800 hrs Mon-Fri. Maybe if they had their own bike entrance and parking.
heck if it was secure have a cheap Supercycle kept at Union. long term.
I love the train but dislike the hassle of drive, bus, train and walk. And my destination is upper downtown.
I think we have to redine the work destinations. Have employers consider public transit.
