Calgary Public Transit II - Page 14

frinkprof · #**261** Posted **Mar 25, 2010, 3:44 PM**

Nevermind.

Wooster · #**262** Posted **Mar 25, 2010, 4:00 PM**

Edit: Dah!!! beaten by the Frink.

MalcolmTucker · #**263** Posted **Mar 25, 2010, 4:34 PM**

^ I think the discrepancy might be due to the difference between revenue linked trips (if you transfer lines you don't count a second time) and non-revenue unlinked trips (even people just heading up and down 7th Ave count).

Surrealplaces · #**264** Posted **Mar 25, 2010, 6:08 PM**

Thanks guys, I figured those numbers were probably the most accurate. I found a few other sites that quote 300k, and some other higher numbers. I wanted to make sure the APTA numbers were an apples to apples comparison.

Aegis · #**265** Posted **Mar 27, 2010, 2:46 AM**

If Ric McIvor became Mayor, would the probabilityof the SE LRT being built in a reasonable time-frame increase?

srperrycgy · #**266** Posted **Mar 27, 2010, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aegis

If Ric McIvor became Mayor, would the probabilityof the SE LRT being built in a reasonable time-frame increase?

Let's not think of Blinky as mayor yet huh? (I don't sleep well as it is)

If SELRT was done as a P3, it would be done much faster, but money is the issue. I would say 4 years for construction. Just a guess.

frinkprof · #**267** Posted **Mar 27, 2010, 8:28 AM**

Nevermind.

Aegis · #**268** Posted **Mar 27, 2010, 9:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

Let's not think of Blinky as mayor yet huh? (I don't sleep well as it is)

If SELRT was done as a P3, it would be done much faster, but money is the issue. I would say 4 years for construction. Just a guess.

Well, I'm not asking how long it will take for the SE LRT to be built under ideal funding circumstances.

The question is more focused around the following premise:

Bronconnier picked the WLRT as his legacy. Coincidently, he lives in the general area that would benefit from the line. Politicians don't take risks on "golden projects" (projects that carry extra prestige) unless there's a payoff. As for what the payoff is for Bronco, it could be to help ground the next stage of his career. Klein also made the NW and South LRT his legacy, when he was mayor. The majority of Calgary's original LRT infrastructure was constructed during a recession.

If McIver became mayor, would the SE LRT be completed quicker because he would make it his main accomplishment/priority, for political reasons? (His fiscal conservatism should be discounted, since he really doesn't have the ability to affect most of the decisions he rails about, other than his one vote). As mayor he would have more clout and could find a payoff in completing the project.

SubwayRev · #**269** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 1:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aegis

Well, I'm not asking how long it will take for the SE LRT to be built under ideal funding circumstances.

The question is more focused around the following premise:

Bronconnier picked the WLRT as his legacy. Coincidently, he lives in the general area that would benefit from the line. Politicians don't take risks on "golden projects" (projects that carry extra prestige) unless there's a payoff. As for what the payoff is for Bronco, it could be to help ground the next stage of his career. Klein also made the NW and South LRT his legacy, when he was mayor. The majority of Calgary's original LRT infrastructure was constructed during a recession.

If McIver became mayor, would the SE LRT be completed quicker because he would make it his main accomplishment/priority, for political reasons? (His fiscal conservatism should be discounted, since he really doesn't have the ability to affect most of the decisions he rails about, other than his one vote). As mayor he would have more clout and could find a payoff in completing the project.

I would think he would try and accelerate that project, for political reasons, but I'm not so sure it would be a "legacy" project. I think it would be more of a "look, I get things done" porject.

I think Bronconnier pushed for the West LRT because it had been in the planning stages for the longest. The fact that he happened to live in that area is more coincidence. An area of the city can't be excluded from infrastructure development for the simple fact the mayor lives there.

As an aside, I wouldn't call the South LRT legacy projects for Klein either. The South line opened five months after he became mayor. He didn't have anything to do with it, other than probably being on hand for the opening.

Ferreth · #**270** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 2:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubwayRev

I would think he would try and accelerate that project, for political reasons, but I'm not so sure it would be a "legacy" project. I think it would be more of a "look, I get things done" porject.

I think Bronconnier pushed for the West LRT because it had been in the planning stages for the longest. The fact that he happened to live in that area is more coincidence. An area of the city can't be excluded from infrastructure development for the simple fact the mayor lives there.

As an aside, I wouldn't call the South LRT legacy projects for Klein either. The South line opened five months after he became mayor. He didn't have anything to do with it, other than probably being on hand for the opening.

The NE line was Klein's legacy project, as in he moved ahead with building it during a Calgary downturn that makes this look like a cakewalk in comparison. I remember my dad talking about how that was the only game in town for a while during the worst of the mid-80's recession.

MalcolmTucker · #**271** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 3:34 AM**

The NE LRT, the two leisure centres (which Ralph did try to stop but failed, shows how Mayors don't have absolute power) and the new city hall (and later the NW LRT). They cut police, transit, and fire personal (not to mention all other city non-uniformed) to pay for these projects. Really set up the city for success however - a trim civil service, low taxes, and infrastructure.

TETT2 · #**272** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

The NE LRT, the two leisure centres (which Ralph did try to stop but failed, shows how Mayors don't have absolute power) and the new city hall (and later the NW LRT). They cut police, transit, and fire personal (not to mention all other city non-uniformed) to pay for these projects. Really set up the city for success however - a trim civil service, low taxes, and infrastructure.

Right. When it comes down to it, the Mayor is one vote like the other Alderman. It just depends what they can do behind the scenes.

SubwayRev · #**273** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 3:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferreth

The NE line was Klein's legacy project, as in he moved ahead with building it during a Calgary downturn that makes this look like a cakewalk in comparison. I remember my dad talking about how that was the only game in town for a while during the worst of the mid-80's recession.

I'd say that's good business, not necessarily a "legacy" project. Recessions are the best times to ramp up spending, when costs tend to be lower.

MalcolmTucker · #**274** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 3:28 PM**

Pushing NE before the NW or W was the legacy part, as it seems Klein pushed it to the front of the line.

frinkprof · #**275** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 3:35 PM**

Nevermind.

MalcolmTucker · #**276** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 3:49 PM**

The impression it left on me was the switch was almost out of malice - to teach the NW a lesson that you don't get a toy if you won't play with city hall. At the time I think the impetus of the west line fell out as well since the hill communities had stagnated and there was more than enough road capacity.

frinkprof · #**277** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 3:52 PM**

Nevermind.

SubwayRev · #**278** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 4:51 PM**

I don't really understand this 'legacy' talk. Maybe I'm reading people's comments out of context, but I feel that when people say "that was his legacy project," they are implying it was being done more for the Mayor's personal vanity, and less because it was needed for the people of Calgary. Is the NE line more of a feather in one's cap than any other line? Would the NW have been Klein's legacy if that had been built first? I mean, both were built during Klein's tenure as Mayor, so I don't see how one is a 'legacy' and the other is just another infrastructure project.

As for Bronconnier, if he had spearheaded the SE line instead of the WLRT, would it be his 'legacy' project?

frinkprof · #**279** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 5:17 PM**

Nevermind.

MalcolmTucker · #**280** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 5:20 PM**

^ I think some people talk of WLRT as taking the route it does instead of going to Mount Royal University as an example of a politician on the take, which is totally bogus. They then used 'legacy' in a facetious sense imply that the project is also for personal aggrandizement.

I am not sure where Klein came into this really...

I would ask people: would we ever get any project done if it wasn't for personal aggrandizement for politicians?