Rapid Transit

[drpgq]

I think the easiest solution is not to bother with the spur, until they are willing to do a full A-line up the Mountain. I'm curious as to how many now take the A-line bus past downtown in the morning. I'm guessing not many.

[lucasmascotto]

if there are alternate routes that have less of an impact on commercial activity, then those routes should be considered

Actually, no. These routes are suppose to serve already bustling centres of commercial activity and connect already existing transit services. Simply putting them in areas of least traffic or even public concern ends up wasting money and servicing areas that don't have the ridership levels, businesses, or even investment potential. Take a look at Pheonix's LRT line or even the Gold Line in Los Angeles. Furthermore, looping the LRT around certain quieter streets and then back on to the arterial roads, is not only incredibly expensive, but actually slows down vehicular traffic and the transit commute itself. I'd rather have four years of construction, then a vastly useless line that will drop me off nowhere and take longer to connect with other commercial districts then the initial bus routes in the area. I have nothing against putting the LRT on Main Street - I can live with that. Fine. However, looping the A-Line around Hughson or John, or wherever, makes no financial or long-term sense when James is already densifying with condo construction.

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by drpgq

I'm curious as to how many now take the A-line bus past downtown in the morning.

Not comprehensive, but you can get a sense of ridership patterns in Steer Davies Gleave’s 2011 Preliminary Design & Feasibility Study.

See Table 6.2 Forecast Line Flows A-Line 2031 and Figure 6.4 A-Line AM Peak Line Flows & Capacity 2031 (LRT, 4-min Headway).

[matt602]

I have no idea about the morning but I've noticed a surprising amount of people on SB A-Line buses that pass me while I'm waiting for a Barton or a Cannon bus on James North. The North End seems to be a decent trip generator for the A-Line bus. I'm not sure if those people are just taking it down to MacNab terminal or actually proceeding up the mountain, though.

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by matt602

The North End seems to be a decent trip generator for the A-Line bus. I'm not sure if those people are just taking it down to MacNab terminal or actually proceeding up the mountain, though.

SDG's projections suggest that James North’s southbound in morning peak is nearly twice as high as northbound ridership in the same period.

And that's with the line extending all the way to the airport, accompanied by the retirement of the 20 (shifting most if not all of the route's ridership to A-Line LRT/BRT).

But what if you're running the 20 against a 1km spur?

[mishap]

Has any study looked into the potential for higher-order transit along Barton St along with current rapid transit plans? What gets left out of the discussion is that Barton will almost directly connect Confederation and West Harbour GO stations. And right in between is the Centre on Barton, also the potential end of the future S(?)-line.
Given the current frequent service, along with possible future improvements to north-south routes (Ottawa/Upper Ottawa combined, separate Kenilworth service, Parkdale and Rymal peak increases) feeding more passengers into the corridor, I would think that upgrades are in order in the future. I don't know if LRT will ever come about, but BRT would be justified. BRT can also be implemented very quickly, simply by adding the bus service, and the amenities like platforms and transit priority measures can be added as you go.
However, if the B-Line is run along King Street, I could see planners balking at the idea of any form of rapid transit along Barton, arguing that it is "close enough" to the B-Line, especially near Sherman. For all practical purposes, it isn't. If one of the main ideas of rapid transit - really the main one from the initial plans - is to foster renewal, why is there so little consideration for a corridor that has incredible potential for improvement?

[matt602]

I'm definitely down with rapid transit on Barton Street, being a frequent Barton bus rider myself but it does seem like that would be a challenge going through the Barton village between Wentworth and Victoria. If they can make LRT work in the International Village through King Street though, I'm sure something can be figured out for Barton.

A good trial of this service could be something like a 2A Barton short turn route that turns back at either the Centre on Barton or Melvin and Talbot, much like the old trolley bus used to. Could even do a straight up Barton Express, extended into Stoney Creek past Bell Manor Loop with a detour up to the Centennial GO once it's done.

[drpgq]

I've argued for a Barton B-line on this site for years during rush hour. As it is now, the Barton stops at pretty much every stop with a fair number of scooter and buggy boardings. Only doing limited stops would result in a way faster ride from Centre Mall, although Barton Village could suck if you got stuck behind the regular 2.

I was more interested in the traffic in the morning Northbound for the A-line but good that it gets good traffic Southbound.

[thistleclub]

Ancaster Community Council gives nod to LRT
(Ancaster News, Kevin Werner, June 14 2016)

Ancaster will get “absolutely nothing” from Hamilton’s $1-billion light-rail transit project, says Councillor Lloyd Ferguson.

But the Ancaster politician still supports building the controversial system because it will increase the property values along the LRT corridor along Main Street, which will mean higher taxes to the city, which will provide some relief to weary overtaxed Ancaster homeowners.

(“LRT) will transform the city,” Ferguson told members of the Ancaster Community Council June 6. “It will rejuvenate the downtown, increase land values. That’s what’s in it for Ancaster.”

Ferguson, who has indicated he will throw his support behind the vote to keep the $1 billion from the province, said he believes the politically-charged discussion surrounding the LRT funding scheduled for June 15’s general issues committee meeting, will be pushed back to the fall. If it happens it will be the third time councillors delayed voting on Ward 4 councillor Sam Merulla’s motion to support the provincial funding for LRT. There is also the belief pro-LRT supporters are concerned they could lose the vote.

“They will bring it back in the fall,” said Ferguson.

He said one of the reasons some of his political colleagues are getting cold feet in their support for the LRT is because a municipal election is looming in the fall of 2018, and “they want to get elected.”

Ferguson said a few suburban councillors, who in the past have supported seeking the LRT funding, are realizing that during the next municipal election there will be candidates challenging council incumbents who supported LRT.

“Some of my colleagues are trying to get elected,” he said.


Read it in full here.

[Beedok]

Really should see more efforts to sell to the suburbs that this will help the downtown pay more taxes.

[thistleclub]

LRT debate? Just call it a game of blitz chess
(Hamilton Spectator Andrew Dreschel, June 19 2016)

The LRT debate is starting to resemble a game of blitz chess in which each move is rapidly countered by the other side.

Consider some of the latest ploys.

Coun. Chad Collins, who believes LRT is a misguided project, asked staff to investigate the claim that some $80 million of city money would be freed up as a result of Metrolinx picking up the cost of replacing aging infrastructure along the route.

Collins was skeptical about the claim and didn't like the fact there was talk of redirecting the presumed savings to suburban and Mountain infrastructure projects to lure council doubters and fence-sitters back aboard.

It turns out Collins is right.

After reviewing the 10-year capital forecast, staff did not find any significant capital projects along the LRT corridor that would result in budget savings that could be used elsewhere.

In other words, there is no $80 million to be freed up because no money has been earmarked for work along the route.

"I guess it's important to do your homework," says Collins.

Not so fast, ripostes Coun. Sam Merulla, who happily admits he's orchestrating efforts to dangle inducements before vacillating councillors.

Merulla says there may not be any immediate savings but there will be avoided costs down the road, which still saves local taxpayers money.

In other words, even though replacing things like water and sewer lines along the LRT corridor is not part of the 10-year capital budget, those services will still eventually need attention.

"Whether we're saving it today or we're saving it years from now, it's all taxpayers' money," says Merulla. "The difference is we don't have to budget for the local taxpayer to pay for it, the province will."

Not surprisingly, Collins has a countermove.

Avoiding costs 15 or 20 years down the road still doesn't free up money to redirect elsewhere, he says.

For the record, the estimated $80 million stems from the 2013 Rapid Ready report, which notes that replacing roads and water lines along the LRT corridor may not be in the capital budget but are part of the overall infrastructure repair backlog.

Additionally, general manager of finance Mike Zegarac says staff have yet to calculate what the avoided costs along the current corridor will be, but he figures there's likely a financial benefit to extending the life and value of some of the infrastructure pieces.

In any event, Merulla is already working on another line of attack.

During the LRT construction phase, he wants to divert to the Mountain and suburbs all the money that would normally be spent on infrastructure projects across Wards 1 through 4.

Since LRT will go through those four lower city wards, he says they won't be able to close down other streets for major road or sewer work because of traffic disruptions and displacements. So why not redirect that money as an "incentive" to shore up LRT support?

Incentive is one word for it. Buyoff is another. Other equivalents abound.

Meanwhile, Coun. Terry Whitehead is plotting a new offensive of his own.

Whitehead, who says he'll support LRT "if it meets the right conditions," is drafting a motion to study the merits of running the line down Main East instead of King East.

Arguing there is no "empirical data" showing which route is better, Whitehead wants council to consider hiring an independent consultant to report on the potential cost of moving the route to Main.

"We've got one chance to get this right and I think we owe it to the taxpayers to do that."

According to a 2009 report, city staffers internally considered and rejected Main before making a recommendation to council. But there's little documentation on why.

Whitehead last week withdrew a similar motion because some councillors thought the wording was provocative. He says he's not trying to be "obstructionist."

"I want to be on solid ground. If we're stuck with LRT, I want to make sure it's the best it can be. I think we need to ask the right questions, and I think the community expects us to ask the tough questions so we can come back with the best product under the circumstances."

Come to think of it, the debate is actually more like a multiplayer chess variant than simple blitz chess.

[matt602]

Gotta love how Whitehead claims to be a supporter, but then uses words like "If we're stuck with LRT".

At least Chad isn't a flip flopper.

[mishap]

Originally Posted by matt602

I'm definitely down with rapid transit on Barton Street, being a frequent Barton bus rider myself but it does seem like that would be a challenge going through the Barton village between Wentworth and Victoria.

I think queue jumps would be very viable along Barton, allowing buses to get a head start at certain stoplights. And not diverting onto Melvin (which was once a part of Barton St for those of you wondering why it does that) will shave even more time off the run. As for Barton Village, how long is the current Route 2? About 12 km? The Village only represents a very small portion of that, less than a kilometre. And passing opportunities arise whenever a Barton bus pulls into a local stop, which is often.

I could see a route that runs from Confederation Go, past The Centre, a slight hook to serve West Harbour GO, and then to the downtown GO Station. Sure, there could be crowding issues at the GO, but platform space can be freed up by removing 1 King or 51 University buses, or extending this route to Mohawk College. The possibility of a 51 extension to the college has been mentioned in planning documents; I'm not sure if there are any plans to run all King buses to the west end. Maybe in the east end, this route can also serve Eastgate, providing higher-level service between two major connection points.

It is very likely that the Confederation GO station will become a another hub, mainly serving the northern east end and Stoney Creek, plus the beach strip. I could see some serious route realignments when that station opens (projected 2019-2020).

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by matt602

At least Chad isn't a flip flopper.

Aside from his previous votes in support of LRT, anyway.

[SteelTown]

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats say they want LRT
The team adds its voice to several MPs, MPPs and former mayors - but others aren't so sure about the project
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/ticats-lrt-1.3649991

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have come out in favour of a planned light rail transit (LRT) system.

The CFL team issued a one-sentence statement Thursday supporting the much-debated $1 billion project in Hamilton, one of the highest profile institutions to do so.

"The Tiger-Cats support LRT because it is a significant investment in Hamilton's future that will improve transit infrastructure," the team said in an email.

The team is the latest voice in a growing chorus of those who want the system.

[thistleclub]

Local anti-LRT critics like to harsh on Metrolinx as vague and evasive, but at least they've been present and engaged.

Going off fresh coverage from The Public Record, HSR is pointedly MIA on the transit file. If Council takes issue with grey areas around implementation, they can train their sights on city employees.

Example:

"Numerous times during the meeting, members of ACPD asked questions about service changes to HSR and integration of HSR feeder buses into the LRT system.

The answer from Metrolinx staff was they didn’t have the answer, HSR hasn’t made any concepts public, and HSR staff were not present at the meeting.

What about those who presently use the 1-King and can’t walk up to 400 metres? HSR not present.

Will there be stretches of the LRT route with local HSR buses that are feeder routes from elsewhere? HSR not present and doesn’t have those answers.

After the meeting, I asked City of Hamilton LRT communications manager why the HSR has not been present at these meetings and when the public can expect some answers from the HSR. (Prior to her promotion to LRT communications manager, Anderson was Public Works spokesperson.)

Anderson says the HSR will be joining the LRT conversation in September and will start providing answers to questions related to the future of HSR as it relates to integration with the LRT. The HSR will have representatives at all public consultations as well."


Despite this, some new detail. The entire piece is worth a read.

[thistleclub]

Via The Public Record, LRT No Side Holds First Organizational Meeting [Full Video]

[thistleclub]

LRT traffic study coming in for landing (a bumpy one?)
(Hamilton Spectator, Andrew Dreschel, July 14 2016)

Coun. Chad Collins' theory that opposition to LRT will grow when more impact information is released may soon be tested.

City staff are delivering a highly anticipated preliminary report on the traffic repercussions of the project at the Aug. 8 meeting of the general issues committee.

"It's not going to have all the granular details or all the solutions," says LRT co-ordinator Paul Johnson, adding the complete report won't be ready until the fall.

"It will show in general where impacts are. It's not all the solutions to it, but it gives a sense of where we are on the path toward dealing with the traffic situation."

The so-called traffic modelling looks at LRT's impact on side roads and vehicle movement and how to deal with the upheaval along the 11-kilometre corridor from McMaster University to the Queenston Traffic Circle.

The $1 billion provincially-funded project is expected to disrupt current traffic patterns because the two centre lanes along much of the Main-King route will be taken up by LRT tracks, reducing carrying capacity and eliminating King as an arterial road.

Restricted access to downtown's International Village and Westdale, plus severely prescribed left-hand turns along the route to minimize vehicles crossing the tracks and slowing down the trains, will also have a ripple effect on traffic circulation.

Collins, LRT's most vocal critic on council, has previously predicted that opposition and the clamour for an LRT referendum is bound to grow once the public becomes more aware of the fallout on businesses and traffic patterns.

Certainly to date LRT supporters who view the project as an economic development and urban revitalization godsend have been far more active and organized than the opposition.

From the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce to the reinvigorated Hamilton Light Rail citizens' group and from the support of seven local MPs and MPPs to activist Graham Crawford's logo collection of 291 (and counting) endorsing local companies and organizations, the pro-camp is efficiently working to win hearts and minds and keep malleable members of council onside.

But there are signs the anti-LRT crowd is finding its organizational legs.


Read it in full here.

[drpgq]

"But there are signs the anti-LRT crowd is finding its organizational legs."

Maybe, although it strikes me that the few people involved are kind of clowns and their organizational skills will prove pretty weak. Apart from some business owners who think they will lose out (which certainly could be true) I can't see other members of the community being particularly passionate about turning down $1 billion from the province.

[eatboots]

Well those guys over at Weird Stuff are big time Tesla groupies and the same ones who got Hamilton to change the upper part of Burlington to Nicola Tesla Blvd so I wouldn't underestimate their organizational skills. You'd think they would be down with the electrical aspect of the LRT but that may be the thing they don't like about it.

The arguments here are pretty vague and the participants seem to just grab whatever suits them, but there are lots of cracks that show some true colors. The guy in front wants to keep driving fast around Hamilton and loves the one way streets, Skelly is a conservative and doesn't want to take liberal money. The old guy has owned a store for 30 years but somehow also doesn't like downtown. There also seems to be the confused well meaning people who don't understand why the billion dollars can't be spent elsewhere. All the usual suspects when it comes to a group like this.