The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Coldrsx]

Money is still cheap, borrow.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Money is still cheap, borrow.

Are municipalities allowed to borrow?

[Coldrsx]

In Alberta you are permitted to do so:

'The Alberta Municipal Government Act limits total municipal debt to two times municipal revenues, with debt servicing not to exceed 35% of revenue.'

[Coldrsx]

Our WLRT is having a non-statutory public meeting tomorrow which should be telling as to the future of said line.

[Mikemike]

Hopefully it's paused and rethought.

The current design was selected based on costs several hundred million dollars less, and based on now clearly fantastical claims that it would seamlessly fit into neighbourhoods.

[nname]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Money is still cheap, borrow.

TransLink is already close to the maximum debt it is allowed to have.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by nname

TransLink is already close to the maximum debt it is allowed to have.

The more reason not to waste money on a surface LRT lines that will have little to no additional benefits compared to BRT. The money saved should instead go tot eh Broadway Subway that will likely have a much higher ridership.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

The more reason not to waste money on a surface LRT lines that will have little to no additional benefits compared to BRT. The money saved should instead go tot eh Broadway Subway that will likely have a much higher ridership.

The joys of 21 municipality urban regions!!

[Acajack]

In other news, the PQ has announced that if elected they may scrap (well, probably not) or scale down the REM significantly because it doesn't cover enough of greater Montreal. And of course, not enough areas on and off island where the PQ is strongest.

At this point the risk to the project is minimal as the PQ is third in the polls.

[Franco401]

"How can we improve our chances of getting elected?"

"Kill a project that would endear us to people outside our base, instead pandering to those who would have voted for us anyway?"

"Genius"

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In other news, the PQ has announced that if elected they may scrap (well, probably not) or scale down the REM significantly because it doesn't cover enough of greater Montreal. And of course, not enough areas on and off island where the PQ is strongest.

At this point the risk to the project is minimal as the PQ is third in the polls.

The CUPE has been funding a fringe group to come out against the REM. The CUPE is furious about the REM being a PPP and having autonomous trains. The PQ's plan is basically the trainsparence group's plan, which's point of view has been dismissed in court for being out of touch with reality. They've been trying to derail the REM since it was announced by using courts and the media.

The CUPE is forcing the PQ's hand here and that shouldn't even be legal.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

The more reason not to waste money on a surface LRT lines that will have little to no additional benefits compared to BRT. The money saved should instead go tot eh Broadway Subway that will likely have a much higher ridership.

You're underplaying the long term benefits of LRT over BRT and grossly overplaying the cost savings. There's no bloody way you can build a subway from the savings of going with BRT over LRT.

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by Franco401

"How can we improve our chances of getting elected?"

"Kill a project that would endear us to people outside our base, instead pandering to those who would have voted for us anyway?"

"Genius"

Well the PQ aren’t known to be geniuses these days so makes sense.

[240glt]

Here's some really great news for rural Albertans, the provincial government will roll out a pilot project to connect 63 small municipalities with the mid sized cities in the province. I know the regional transit systems in BC really help a lot of people get around.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/ndp-announces-pilot-project-for-rural-buses

[GernB]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Here's some really great news for rural Albertans, the provincial government will roll out a pilot project to connect 63 small municipalities with the mid sized cities in the province. I know the regional transit systems in BC really help a lot of people get around.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/ndp-announces-pilot-project-for-rural-buses

The City of Lethbridge seems to have anticipated this somewhat, as the new downtown transit terminal under construction is to have space for regional transit.

[TorontoDrew]

Dec 17th.
[IMG]Downtown From Midtown by Matt, on Flickr[/IMG]


The ION testing in Kitchener Waterloo. This was on March 13th. I didn't know they had moved so fast with this project. Hats off to the region.

[IMG]ION Testing 8 by Matt, on Flickr[/IMG]

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

Well the PQ aren’t known to be geniuses these days so makes sense.

Just think about cancelling a bridge project a third constructed...

[Metro-One]

So just an FYI the Broadway Subway in Vancouver (6KM) and Surrey LRT (10KM) are a go.

Super excited about Broadway, mixed to negative feelings about Surrey LRT.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

The ION testing in Kitchener Waterloo. This was on March 13th. I didn't know they had moved so fast with this project. Hats off to the region.

They were actually supposed to have been operational by now (by late 2017) but have been delayed due to vehicle delivery delays at Bombardier.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Dec 17th.
...


The ION testing in Kitchener Waterloo. This was on March 13th. I didn't know they had moved so fast with this project. Hats off to the region.

[IMG]ION Testing 8 by Matt, on Flickr[/IMG]

I don't know if they'll make it, but I think it's still projected to start running by the end of June.