Ottawa Rapid Transit Network developments

[Dado]

Originally Posted by DubberDom

Why are you talking LRT along Cumberland transitway?

Because it was in the 2003 TMP and the long term post-2031 plan calls for LRT along this corridor. Therefore it makes sense to consider the design of the corridor for light rail as well as BRT.

People, stop dreaming, LRT is a least 30 years away from there...

And if it's designed poorly, people like you will argue in 30 years to leave it as BRT. We made those mistakes a generation ago, we should not be repeating them again. We have a responsibility to future generations to not make life more difficult for them.

build the bus-way ASAP! Screw LRT, that's the dumbest idea this city ever had.

No, the dumbest idea this city ever had would be removing the trains from downtown Ottawa. For its part, BRT was the second dumbest idea this city has ever had.

Instead of LRT, we should simply build the tunnel through downtown (let's assume $1Billion),

... which won't solve a thing other than to bury the problem, out of sight, out of mind.

The problem isn't surface running. The problem is using buses.

and consider using Bi-Articulated buses for transitway only (instead of a silly train) and feed through existing transitway bus stations.

And how is that significantly cheaper than conversion to light rail? Bi-articulated buses have to be high-floor since the driving wheels have to be in the leading section (no trailer driving as with the current artics). That means that to get reasonable boarding times, all stations have to be heavily retrofitted for much higher floors.

No more express buses to downtown, but have the articulated buses come by every 2-3 minutes in rush hour (that would solve the bus gridlock)

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. A bi-articulated bus has, at best, the approximate capacity of a *single* light rail vehicle (it's probably less since standing room is more limited in buses). Currently, we would need a 2-car train every two minutes or a 3-car train every three minutes (i.e. 60 cars per hour, and that's probably low). That's just for today, without regard to the future. So we would need a biartic every minute right now. Moreover, by replacing all express buses you'd get rid of the one claimed advantage of BRT: the transferless ride. So you'd have all the problems of BRT with none of the advantages, without having many, if any, of the advantages of LRT.

What is the fascination with trains anyway???

What is the fascination with buses? Pick the right tool for the job. Buses are the wrong tool for high volume line hauling.