The future of Hamilton's public transit

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The other big question of course is funding here. There are some very ambitious frequencies outlined here, most of which exceed existing services by a decent margin. What's the cost of implementing this network, exactly?

The perennial transit question. Then again, the BLAST timeline would leave around 15 years post-LRT completion to lock things down, which would give a few councils a chance to summon the guts and/or funding to make this real.

[TheHonestMaple]

I'm guessing cost will be minimal, a lot of routes will be eliminated in this plan - freeing up a lot of busses. It's really just increasing the efficiency of the system.

[matt602]

I think turning the Barton route into a local feeder route instead of a downtown-bound is a positive move. The LRT should be the main way to get people into and out of downtown since it has the capacity for that, I don't think the Barton route could ever be turned into a functional rapid transit route anyway, at least not all the way into downtown. The part from Sherman going West gets incredibly congested and slow moving and the street really narrows down between Wentworth and Victoria. A future rapid transit route along Barton from Centre Mall to Winona via Confederation GO would be a good idea though.

[RaginRonic]

Oh...one thing I forgot to mention in the LRT thread, where it concerns the HSR overhaul, is that the spirit of the former LIMERIDGE bus route would be brought back to life, with the UPPER SHERMAN bus going down Limeridge Road East to stop at the Mall.

X-)

[PaperSun]

E-scooters launch today downtown in Wards 1, 2, 3 and 13. I've used them in Europe and the States. Will be interesting to see how they operate here.

[king10]

Originally Posted by PaperSun

E-scooters launch today downtown in Wards 1, 2, 3 and 13. I've used them in Europe and the States. Will be interesting to see how they operate here.

I could see some problems. When I used them in Europe, it was like the wild west of road rules.

[LikeHamilton]

Interesting. I just read a news piece that Paris (France) has just banned E-scooters as being to dangerous. Last year they had 3 deaths and 459 injuries.

Results show 90% support for ridding Paris of ‘self-service scooters’ whose riders are accused of flouting rules of the road

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/a...n-banning-e-scooters-from-french-capital

[ScreamingViking]

Saw one yesterday on Cannon at Gage, in the bike lane (must have been his own). There were no pedestrians about, but when the light changed he veered out of the bike lane and into the GPL... the lone car driver on that side was patient, but I can see both pedestrians and scooter riders getting hurt.

I've been to a few European cities in the past 3 years. For the ones that have had these e-scooters, they seemed largely rented by tourists who have NO IDEA what they're doing on them. Saw some close calls with bicyclists and people on foot. Also cases where scooters were abandoned, often several at the same spot.

[king10]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

Interesting. I just read a news piece that Paris (France) has just banned E-scooters as being to dangerous. Last year they had 3 deaths and 459 injuries.



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/a...n-banning-e-scooters-from-french-capital

I could see that.

My first time riding one I drove into a curb and had to bail from it

[king10]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Saw one yesterday on Cannon at Gage, in the bike lane (must have been his own). There were no pedestrians about, but when the light changed he veered out of the bike lane and into the GPL... the lone car driver on that side was patient, but I can see both pedestrians and scooter riders getting hurt.

I've been to a few European cities in the past 3 years. For the ones that have had these e-scooters, they seemed largely rented by tourists who have NO IDEA what they're doing on them. Saw some close calls with bicyclists and people on foot. Also cases where scooters were abandoned, often several at the same spot.

They actually promote that you can leave them anywhere in the designated ride zone. It's not like SOBI where there are racks you have to leave them on.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by king10

They actually promote that you can leave them anywhere in the designated ride zone. It's not like SOBI where there are racks you have to leave them on.

You can lock Hamilton Bike Share anywhere within the service area with a $1 fee if not at a rack. I also do believe you receive a $0.67 credit when you return a bike to a rack that was locked somewhere not a rack.

[king10]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

You can lock Hamilton Bike Share anywhere within the service area with a $1 fee if not at a rack. I also do believe you receive a $0.67 credit when you return a bike to a rack that was locked somewhere not a rack.

ahh. Pretty reasonable. Thanks for that.

[Canuck905]

Metrolinx is opening the reserved bicycle parking area at West Harbour on May 1st.

[Innsertnamehere]

https://hamilton.bidsandtenders.ca/Modul...ail/581064d6-a50e-4c5e-9545-5023b083c8a6

Hamilton is hiring a consultant to design a new 8 bay bus terminal at Limeridge Mall.

[Innsertnamehere]

The new bus barn is currently out for tender:

https://hamilton.bidsandtenders.ca/Modul...ail/17d9b7ce-e09d-4e93-9d01-13c183f1212a

The bid documents provide a watermarked rendering of the garage - which will feature a 2-storey, gold coloured office bridge between the 396 space parking garage and the primary bus maintenance and storage building. This part of the complex will front onto Brant St just east of Hillyard St.



An axonometric drawing showing the entire complex:



This bus garage is flying completely under the radar considering how it's a generational investment in transit infrastructure in Hamilton. It will be the basis that will allow Hamilton to increase services into the future to feed the LRT.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The new bus barn is currently out for tender:

https://hamilton.bidsandtenders.ca/Modul...ail/17d9b7ce-e09d-4e93-9d01-13c183f1212a

The bid documents provide a watermarked rendering of the garage - which will feature a 2-storey, gold coloured office bridge between the 396 space parking garage and the primary bus maintenance and storage building. This part of the complex will front onto Brant St just east of Hillyard St.



An axonometric drawing showing the entire complex:


This bus garage is flying completely under the radar considering how it's a generational investment in transit infrastructure in Hamilton. It will be the basis that will allow Hamilton to increase services into the future to feed the LRT.

Is it though? Locally, a new bus garage was built and not much was said about it. In a way, that is how it should be. We should hear of something like this and it just get done. We don't need some big silver shovel or ribbon cutting ceremony for it. the same should go for an new transit lines or extension, outside of maybe the first one. After that, it should be announced, but it should almost be ignored.

[akiraredacted]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The new bus barn is currently out for tender:

https://hamilton.bidsandtenders.ca/Modul...ail/17d9b7ce-e09d-4e93-9d01-13c183f1212a

The bid documents provide a watermarked rendering of the garage - which will feature a 2-storey, gold coloured office bridge between the 396 space parking garage and the primary bus maintenance and storage building. This part of the complex will front onto Brant St just east of Hillyard St.


An axonometric drawing showing the entire complex:


This bus garage is flying completely under the radar considering how it's a generational investment in transit infrastructure in Hamilton. It will be the basis that will allow Hamilton to increase services into the future to feed the LRT.

I went to the (Re)envision HSR open house/presentation thing a few days back, and the staff couldn't understate how excited they are to have a new facility with more room. They kept bringing up how the current mountain garage is over-capacity and how they're excited to have better maintenance and more buses for faster and higher quality service.

All the staff I met there are friendly and very passionate about what they do. They're also genuinely excited for the future of transit in this city.

Also hello, this is my first post (I hope I did this right)

[Innsertnamehere]

Welcome to the forum! always happy to have new members.

[Innsertnamehere]

https://hamilton.bidsandtenders.ca/Modul...ail/17d9b7ce-e09d-4e93-9d01-13c183f1212a

The bus barn tender closed. 2 bids submitted, lowest bid being Pomerleau Construction for $344 million.

[ScreamingViking]

Fares going up again. Great to hear that the express routes will get more service though, along with other improvements.


Hamilton bus fares to rise by 5 cents this fall, route changes coming
Transit riders will pay 5 cents more as of Sept. 1

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-bus-fare-1.6924173

Samantha Beattie
CBC News
Aug 01, 2023

Hamilton bus fares are increasing by a nickel starting in September.

The 5-cent increase will accompany changes to the fall schedule, said Hamilton's Transit Division in a statement.

As of Sept. 1, the 10 B-Line and 20 A-Line will run express all day on Sundays, making them seven-days a week services, says the city.

Route 5 will extend to King Street West and Highway 8 and Mount Albion Loop.

There will also be improved connects to and from Stoney Creek, the city says.

Extensions will be added on Route 55 to Winona Crossing and Route 55A to the Stoney Creek Municipal Service Centre.

There are more changes coming to a number of routes as part of the city's 10-year transit plan.

Some routes are being renamed, or incorporated into other routes, while other routes will run more frequently on weekends.