The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

How come? Just curious.

Lack of frequency, which will not get better with Phase 2 and the route runs NW and ends well west of downtown. Most bus routes in this part of the city will terminate at Hurdman Station on the Confederation Line where trains will be much more frequent and will be closer to the Rideau Centre, which is the prime all day destination in the downtown area. For most people, the Trillium Line means two transfers to reach downtown while travelling through Hurdman Station will only require one transfer.


The Trillium Line is best suited for those travelling to Carleton University or locations west of downtown including the Civic Hospital and the Tunney's Pasture government office complex.

[1overcosc]

Specifically, the Trillium Line after Phase 2 is completed is only expected to come once every 10-12 minutes or so. As lrt's friend said, this makes it ok for walk-up use for people who happen whose origin/destination happens to be within walking distance of a Trillium line station, but it makes it a pain in the ass for people who want to access it via transfer from a bus.

It's essentially functioning as a local bus on rail. Not necessarily a bad thing (in its current design it doesn't really have the capacity for much more), but we need to be able to recognize it as such.

In the future, if the Trillium line is ever electrified, double-tracked, and turned into a proper metro line, it can function as a typical rapid transit line even if it continues to end at Bayview, as then its frequencies could be bumped up to high enough levels to make the transfer problem go away.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Specifically, the Trillium Line after Phase 2 is completed is only expected to come once every 10-12 minutes or so. As lrt's friend said, this makes it ok for walk-up use for people who happen whose origin/destination happens to be within walking distance of a Trillium line station, but it makes it a pain in the ass for people who want to access it via transfer from a bus.

It's essentially functioning as a local bus on rail. Not necessarily a bad thing (in its current design it doesn't really have the capacity for much more), but we need to be able to recognize it as such.

In the future, if the Trillium line is ever electrified, double-tracked, and turned into a proper metro line, it can function as a typical rapid transit line even if it continues to end at Bayview, as then its frequencies could be bumped up to high enough levels to make the transfer problem go away.

The last I heard, the suggestion is that the current Phase 2 plan will suffice until 2048, so double tracking and electrification is not in the works anytime soon.


For me, transferring at Greenboro from my local bus, then transferring again at Bayview to reach downtown does not make any sense as being a reasonable trip. The current 12 minute schedule makes transfers to my local bus unpredictable and that is without the second transfer at Bayview. I have already learned that from experience.

[Acajack]

Gatineau announced at 2B+ dollar rail plan for the western part of the city yesterday. 26 km, 18 stations, linkages to Ottawa's O-Train - up and running by 2028.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-aylmer-ottawa-light-rail-1.4713843

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Gatineau announced at 2B+ dollar rail plan for the western part of the city yesterday. 26 km, 18 stations, linkages to Ottawa's O-Train - up and running by 2028.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-aylmer-ottawa-light-rail-1.4713843

Whoa, that sounds amazing. About time Ottawa and Gatineau/Hull were better connected.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Gatineau announced at 2B+ dollar rail plan for the western part of the city yesterday. 26 km, 18 stations, linkages to Ottawa's O-Train - up and running by 2028.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-aylmer-ottawa-light-rail-1.4713843

Yeah, good luck for the funding...

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Whoa, that sounds amazing. About time Ottawa and Gatineau/Hull were better connected.

I admit to finding the project a tad ambitious, but it seems like all the players are on board (feds, province, city, etc.)

[1overcosc]

It's kind of reminiscent of when Ottawa started pushing for the Confederation Line; the plan seemed far fetched and there was lot of doubt the city could pull together the funding for it; but it happened anyway.

[Innsertnamehere]

Ottawa's plan made a whole lot more sense than this one though - this thing services mostly estate subdivisions and low density tract housing. The ridership has got to be abysmal.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Ottawa's plan made a whole lot more sense than this one though - this thing services mostly estate subdivisions and low density tract housing. The ridership has got to be abysmal.

The real plus of this one is the presence of two rapid transit cross-border links providing proper rapid transit connections across the provincial border (something the metro region has very badly needed for a very long time). To be honest, I'm not particularly concerned with whatever crap extension they build into the suburbs if that's what it takes to get this vital downtown-to-downtown connectivity up and running.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

It's kind of reminiscent of when Ottawa started pushing for the Confederation Line; the plan seemed far fetched and there was lot of doubt the city could pull together the funding for it; but it happened anyway.

Actually, this reminds me more of the old Chiarelli NSLRT plan. I'm hoping it gets replaced with a more sensible holistic plan that takes all of Gaitineau into account, not just Aylmer.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Actually, this reminds me more of the old Chiarelli NSLRT plan. I'm hoping it gets replaced with a more sensible holistic plan that takes all of Gaitineau into account, not just Aylmer.

Why? All we need is to convert Rapibus to rail and we are serving most of Gatineau.

We actually need to bring more people closer to rapid transit.

The problem with rail transit is its lack of flexibility and the awkward last mile problem that discourages transit use.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Why? All we need is to convert Rapibus to rail and we are serving most of Gatineau.

We actually need to bring more people closer to rapid transit.

The problem with rail transit is its lack of flexibility and the awkward last mile problem that discourages transit use.

I live in the Gatineau (Gatineau) sector. With Rapibus we're actually served way better than the Plateau-Aylmer districts at the moment in terms of rapid transit and this will be the case for the next decade at least.

After that we'll see.

[hipster duck]

Apart from interlining with the Confederation Line (which is not a sure thing, given the squabbles that Canadian transit agencies have across jurisdictional - let alone provincial - boundaries), I'm not sure what the point of this LRT is.

As insertnamehere said, this isn't a corridor that really needs light rail; Aylmer doesn't have too many trip generators plus Gatineau already has a high quality BRT line whose network potential would be improved if it were extended.

There definitely needs to be better connectivity between Gatineau and Ottawa, though.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

Apart from interlining with the Confederation Line (which is not a sure thing, given the squabbles that Canadian transit agencies have across jurisdictional - let alone provincial - boundaries), I'm not sure what the point of this LRT is.

As insertnamehere said, this isn't a corridor that really needs light rail; Aylmer doesn't have too many trip generators plus Gatineau already has a high quality BRT line whose network potential would be improved if it were extended.

There definitely needs to be better connectivity between Gatineau and Ottawa, though.

It's sole purpose would be a non bus connection to both cities.

[J.OT13]

The west end of Gatineau is the fastest growing in the city (and one of the fastest in the province apparently), but it is also fairly dense. The north line serves la Plateau, which is mostly 3 storey condo buildings. Plenty more condo communities are planned directly along the future line.

[p_xavier]

Since the CAQ will probably win a majority this Fall, I can't see them funding that especially with their ambitious Montréal plan :

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/decongestion.pdf

3 LRT lines, about 50km of REM extensions, amongst others.

They have mentionned that the Québec City LRT will get funded and their Montréal plan but that's it.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Since the CAQ will probably win a majority this Fall, I can't see them funding that especially with their ambitious Montréal plan :

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/decongestion.pdf

3 LRT lines, about 50km of REM extensions, amongst others.

They have mentionned that the Québec City LRT will get funded and their Montréal plan but that's it.

It also depends on how many CAQ members we in Gatineau choose to elect!

[J.OT13]

It's insulting when political parties complete ignore certain regions. Gatineau has been ignored by most Quebec gouvernements throughout its history. Ottawa too, often suffers in the Ontario context; 4 years ago during the last provincial campaign, then PC leader Tim Hudak point blank said that the province had no money to fund Stage 2 of Ottawa's LRT while simultaniesly promising billions for anything Toronto might want. He backtracked when people flipped out, but it was too late.

This time around, the NDP ignored Ottawa. Horwath came here once for a quick rally and left. She promised Stage 2 of the LRT and indirectly promised the new Civic. Liberals called them out and NDP responded it was there in there platform, black on white on orange. What the platform actually said, was that billions would be invested for new hospitals in the province, nothing specific for Ottawa. In fact, the NDP candidate for Ottawa-Centre (who won) wanted to cancel the Civic plans because he doesn't like the location or the way it was chosen. That would have marked the third time in as many years.

PCs paid a little more attention to Ottawa and made direct promises (Stage 2, Civic and a few other projects they will "presented to cabinet").

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

It's insulting when political parties complete ignore certain regions. Gatineau has been ignored by most parties throughout its history. Ottawa too, often suffers in the Ontario context; 4 years ago during the last provincial campaign, then PC leader Tim Hudak point blank said that the province had no money to fund Stage 2 of Ottawa's LRT while simultaneity promising billions for anything Toronto might want. He backtracked when people flipped out, but it was too late.

This time around, the NDP ignored Ottawa. Horwath came here once for a quick rally and left. She promised Stage 2 of the LRT and indirectly promised the new Civic Liberals said the NDP never promised it, NDP said it was there in there platform, black on white on orange. What the platform actually said, was that billions would be invested for new hospitals in the province, nothing specific Ottawa. In fact, the NDP candidate for Ottawa-Centre (who won) wanted to cancel the Civic plans because he doesn't like the location or the way it as chosen. That would have marked the third time in as many years.

PCs paid a little more attention to Ottawa and made direct promises (Stage 2, Civic and a few other projects they will "present to cabinet".

Northern Ontario is paid lip service.