Quote:
Originally Posted by roger1818
I do tend to agree that if we were to do this, rail would make more sense than a busway. I don't think there is space to have the busway beside the tracks so you would need to have the tracks imbedded in the busway. While theoretically possible since the line only sees about 3 trains a week each way, it really wouldn't be optimal.
The big issue is east of the junction with the Smiths Falls Sub. The Ca nadian Northern Ontario Railway Federal Bridge would need to be twinned, as would the overpass over Prince of Wales Dr.
Personally, I think building the Baseline BRT (including the extension to Bayshore) is a higher priority and would serve much of the same purpose (providing a bypass from Hurdman to Bayshore). |
Looking at Winnipeg where they built a transitway right beside a railroad, you need a roughly 18m wide right-of-way for a transitway and a single rail track (I checked with Google Earth). The right-of-way west of Woodroffe is roughly 31m wide. I'm no engineer, but I guess it could be done.
I doubt that a line that bypass downtown would get enough ridership to warrant LRT, especially if it adds an extra transfer at Walkley Station, assuming that the Walkley-Blair part would still be built as BRT.
I was thinking of running it along the power lines east of Merivale instead of the railway, which would require a new bridge entirely over the river, which could also be a great link for cyclists. It would serve better the Colonnade Business Park and the new condos north of Colonnade.
I agree that the Baseline BRT should be done first, looking at the miserable state of the 88. Again, I'm no engineer, so don't take my proposal too seriously. Just something I did out of boredom.
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