Quote:
Originally Posted by Dado
Personally, I think the talk of "reset" buttons is bit overheated.
The only issue is really the tunnel downtown. That would likely be the only thing to be "reset" and given the timeline of tunnel construction we could have an operational at-grade system long before a tunnel gets built anyway. We could even do a planning and EA study on a surface option all the while that engineering design work goes ahead for the tunnel, because it's not like it's going to be done quickly. That allows a decision to be taken on either course of action once the designs are complete for both without slowing anything down.
And what if this "reset" led to an earlier completion of the Tunney's Pasture-Baseline portion of the system using the savings from the tunnel?
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I think there is a lot of wisdom in what you are saying. I have felt for a while that we must bring the tunnel engineering to a completion so that this project is ready to go when we can fund it and when it makes sense. No more silly reset buttons!
I will go back to what I have said for years, that in the long-run, we need both a surface and tunnel route for rapid transit. This is how we gain a true large increase in downtown capacity and is needed if we want to connect both sides of the river. In this respect, a surface route may only provide a temporary solution to our downtown problems, but it is part of the long-term solution.
I am truly concerned that this 'tunnel or nothing' approach may not lead us anywhere, at least not for a long time. I am also concerned that the current approach is closing off surface transit access to downtown except by congested streets. In other words, in our rush to move forward with the tunnel first, we are closing other options permanently.
As it stands, O'Brien and Cullen are not really LRT boosters. Their interest is in the tunnel and if it doesn't reach the citizens of Ottawa beyond a starter system, that will be left to those who follow to build, if ever. We know that Watson has not been keen on the tunnel but I believe that he has enough political acumen to not use such terms as 'reset button'. We will see what his position is, but I expect that he will attempt to get things moving based on the funding available. He would be wise not to cancel anything but try to gather support around a plan that can be built faster. This may involve taking parts of various plans that have already advanced substantially through the engineering stage and then patch it together.
As it stands, with O'Brien's and Cullen's leadership for the past 4 years, LRT has completely fallen off the radar with most taxpayers. Most no longer care or don't expect anything to come of it.
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