Ottawa Rapid Transit Network developments

[lrt's friend]

I had an usual experience today in visiting a long-term care facility. The comment came out that because it was not served by public transit, it was harder to get health care workers there. I had never thought about it, but many of these workers are not highly paid so it makes sense. So, many health care workers find public transit attractive, and their hours often do match standard peak periods. In other words, health care facilities are very well suited to rapid transit because they deliver significant passengers beyond standard peak periods.

When you look at many rapid transit projects in the United States, there is a focus for service to certain facilities. They include the CBD, universities and major hospital complexes. You see this time and again, especially the first rapid transit line built by a city. These facilities generate passengers and serve areas which have higher parking fees, which make transit more competitive.

Let's now compare the Hospitals complex with Trainyards. Which is likely to generate the most transit riders now and in the future, and which will generate transit riders over longer hours? Clearly, hospitals have very high parking fees while Trainyards has free parking. This will give the hospital complex a clear advantage in that respect. Compare the concentration of employment and visitors and which market will more likely generate transit riders. A big box mall is notorious for being very car oriented especially because of how spaced out these malls are generally. I realize that Train Yards is to have office buildings at some point, but this will generate only peak hour riders and I understand that there will eventually be a link to existing rapid transit through the Via Rail Station.

I say that a major hospital and health care complex is a much more important transit destination than a big box mall and neighbouring low density industrial park.

As far as airport rapid transit link, I agree that it will a useful service, however, I have expressed continuing conditions. To be of any value to visitors to the city, it must provide direct, no transfer service to downtown hotels. Very few want to transfer heavy luggage between transit vehicles on the way downtown. This means an O-Train extension to the airport is a total waste of money if you want to entice visitors to use it. My other concern is that we have to make sure that our tax money is spent mainly on local residents who are the taxpayers. It is for this reason that I have continually objected to an airport link being the southern terminus for rapid transit. This approach considers the needs of visitors over local taxpayers. If we want a airport link, it must be spur, just as is happening in Vancouver. We also have to remember the ongoing controversy in Toronto, where they want to build an exclusive rail link between the airport and downtown while ignoring local residents along the route. This plan would also tie up very limited rail infrastructure between Toronto's northwest suburbs and downtown for a special high cost service that served mostly visitors from outside the city.