The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Chadillaccc]

Friggin amazing idea! They should do this with Lower Bay in Toronto, or Olympic Plaza in Calgary!


Empty Paris Subway Stations Could Become Nightclubs, Pools


Talk about "underground" club: a candidate for mayor wants to get creative with abandoned Metro stations.
2.7.2014

BY NEAL BROVERMAN

As if Paris wasn't magical enough, plans are being floated to turn eight abandoned Metro stations into performance spaces, nightclubs, restaurants, art galleries, or swimming pools.

The proposals and renderings come from Parisian mayoral candidate Nathalie Koziuscot-Morizet (who would become the City of Light's first female mayor if elected, while another woman is also vying for the position). Subway stations abandoned because of low ridership or simply not opened because of planning changes are rife for adaptive reuse, Koziuscot-Morizet believes. The mayoral election takes place next month.

Full Story: http://www.outtraveler.com/destination-g...y-stations-could-become-nightclubs-pools

[Symz]

That is an awesome idea!

[Innsertnamehere]

Lower Bay is still used to move trains through, its the only access point between the Bloor and YUS lines. The platform itself may be unused, though the tracks running through it are.

[eemy]

Lower Queen then?

[1overcosc]

IIRC part of Lower Queen is used as a connecting walkway

[Innsertnamehere]

Lower queen is full of utilities now, its 60 years old and it has been 50 years since they dropped the plans to use it. Its nothing more than a small hole in the ground anyway, only a couple hundred square feet.

[caltrane74]

Finally some movement on the Downtown Relief Subway Line. Metrolinx is going after that new Federal Infrastructure Money.



Byford optimistic about movement on downtown subway expansion

OLIVER MOORE
The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Feb. 14 2014, 7:52 PM EST

The regional transit agency Metrolinx is pushing ahead with early work on the long-dreamed-of downtown relief line, new details about federal infrastructure funding this week offered hope for public transit, and TTC chief Andy Byford seized on the Prime Minister’s recent visit to make his pitch directly.

Although financial commitment to the multibillion-dollar downtown line was not forthcoming, Mr. Byford was encouraged by details about federal infrastructure money that emerged this week. The Building Canada Fund is worth $10-billion, he noted, and 40 per cent is for transit.

“I don’t mind where the money comes from, what I do know is Toronto needs more transit,” Mr. Byford said after the TTC rolled out its new customer charter, which included a commitment to push other levels of government for funding.

New subway capacity to soak up people going to Toronto’s downtown has long been seen as crucial to the city’s future.

The Yonge line is increasingly full, and technological improvements will hold the crush at bay only so long. The TTC says that Yonge-Bloor station, the choke point on the system, will be overwhelmed by 2031. Even now, peak-time commuters on parts of the line can be forced to watch several trains go by without being able to board.
At a Metrolinx board meeting on Friday, staff said public consultation would begin next month. And they cited a long list of tactics – from faster surface routes to fare integration – to help address crowding in the short run.

“To actually build … is going to be a 10-plus-year project, and we think we shouldn’t say that’s the only answer and that we have to wait 10 or 12 years to have it done,” Metrolinx chair Rob Prichard said after the meeting. “So the key is to find the early inputs, the early outputs, what can we do earlier.”

Read More Here

[WhipperSnapper]

Lower Bay should generate a lot of revenue considering it's easily the busiest subway film stage in North America. The design vis not only utilitarian but access is right smack in the middle of the "pool"

[Chadillaccc]

Lots of great news out of Calgary Transit the last few weeks.


$900M Calgary Transit expansion approved by city council
But plan requires other levels of government to contribute millions

City council has approved a major expansion of Calgary Transit worth almost $900 million for dedicated busways and express bus routes that could spread across the city over the next seven years.

"Today's a big day, one of probably the most important days since I've been mayor," said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Council previously voted to use money from a tax hike over 10 years to kick-start funding for a new dedicated busway that will stretch from north Calgary to the city's deep southeast.

Today it approved that route, as well as other upgrades and bus rapid transit (BRT) routes for the city.

Chris Jordan with Calgary Transit says improvements on some of the lines will also speed up trips for commuters.

"Like the Centre Street transit-only lanes through McKnight Boulevard, one kilometre of transit-only lanes that get the buses moving faster through a congested area, and we'll be looking at targeted improvements like that on all of these corridors where we do own the land and we can move ahead fast," he said.

However, building out this plan will require the federal and provincial governments to come through with $400 million — and there's no guarantee that money is coming.

Full story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/90...nsion-approved-by-city-council-1.2519308





Calgary Transit to boost service by 55,000 hours
Council approves new services hours to be financed by increased ridership

City council has approved a plan to provide Calgarians with more public transportation options next year.

Calgary Transit will add 55,000 new hours of service, funded through higher revenues which have resulted from increased ridership.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said council likes the idea of reducing the crowding on some bus routes by increasing frequency, and also getting buses into new communities sooner.

“One thing we're really learning is that, as we are building new communities to be more transit friendly, there's a real pent-up demand to take transit,” he said.

A monthly bus pass will cost more in the New Year. It's going up by $2 to $96 for an adult monthly pass. The adult cash fare stays at $3.

Full Story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-transit-to-boost-service-by-55-000-hours-1.2441920





Calgary Transit has record-setting year in 2013
107.5M paid customers used the service, more than ever before

Calgary Transit saw a five per cent increase in the number of paid passengers in 2013.

A total of 107.5 million paid customers rode trains and buses last year, a record for Calgary Transit.


The institution points to the city's economic growth and the extension of the C-Train's Blue Line in 2013 as reasons for the increase. Added hours of service on transit of 69,000 also helped boost ridership.

"We know that with all the new riders, our system can get very busy," Calgary Transit said in statement released Friday.

"We continue to monitor the system for overloads and look for ways to respond. Our goal is not only strong ridership but a pleasant experience for customers."

Over the past three years, Calgary Transit has seen a 12 per cent increase in the number of passengers. That's double the rate of the city's population growth for the same period.

Full Story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-transit-has-record-setting-year-in-2013-1.2509909




Also, 107 500 000 divided by 365 days equals 294 521 riders per day through the year of 2013. Our Q1 2014 ridership will probably be around 310 000 per day

[1overcosc]

It seems to be a problem in every city in the country that transit expansion plans have outgrown the $$$ available for them. I think Toronto has the most extreme case of this problem but others have it as well.

Ontario's proposed transit tax system is one of the best hopes we have of solving this problem. It will be politically difficult to enact & it better be done right (fair tax methods, dedicated revenue, fair distribution between regions, etc.) but hopefully it will be implemented, and inspire other jurisdictions across Canada to do the same. Alberta in particular could probably really benefit from a transit tax. With the insane population growth their cities are experiencing it would be a good way to ensure transit expansion keeps pace. I would hate to see Calgary repeat Toronto's mistake of building nothing while the population doubles.

[Beedok]

I think all calculations show Hamilton could afford its LRT plans, but it's an issue of motivation.

[Innsertnamehere]

probably largely because the liberals have been promising funding for it out of the transit taxes for years now. Hamilton politicians might start deciding to actually do something about it if the transit taxes fail to pass.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Hamilton politicians might start deciding to actually do something about it if the transit taxes fail to pass.

Sadly, their appetite will dwindle. They expect full provincial funding. And when the issue of "revenue tools" came up, they ducked behind the we don't want to raise citizen's taxes hedge.

[ssiguy]

Checked OC Transpo and Calgary is now solidly ahead in ridership as Ottawa's continues to decline. Ottawa is down below 100 million to estimated 98 million for 2013. Ottawa has only about 920,000 compared to Calgary's 1.1 million but Ottawa also gets the benefit of riders from Hull/Gatineau.

Checked London and it's now slough either........for the year 2012 {latest I could find} it hit 23.5 million serving 375,000 and growth has averaged 4.1% per year from 1996 to 2012, way faster than the rate of population growth.

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Checked OC Transpo and Calgary is now solidly ahead in ridership as Ottawa's continues to decline. Ottawa is down below 100 million to estimated 98 million for 2013. Ottawa has only about 920,000 compared to Calgary's 1.1 million but Ottawa also gets the benefit of riders from Hull/Gatineau.

Checked London and it's now slough either........for the year 2012 {latest I could find} it hit 23.5 million serving 375,000 and growth has averaged 4.1% per year from 1996 to 2012, way faster than the rate of population growth.

Don't forget about the STO on the Gatineau side. I don't what their numbers are but I'm sure it would bring the Ottawa-Gatineau numbers to about the same as Calgary's if not more.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

...but Ottawa also gets the benefit of riders from Hull/Gatineau.

Um... what?

[Innsertnamehere]

Ottawas job losses are more than likely to explain it. Harper is cutting staff like mad and that has a major effect on Ottawa's economy.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Checked OC Transpo and Calgary is now solidly ahead in ridership as Ottawa's continues to decline. Ottawa is down below 100 million to estimated 98 million for 2013. Ottawa has only about 920,000 compared to Calgary's 1.1 million but Ottawa also gets the benefit of riders from Hull/Gatineau.

Checked London and it's now slough either........for the year 2012 {latest I could find} it hit 23.5 million serving 375,000 and growth has averaged 4.1% per year from 1996 to 2012, way faster than the rate of population growth.

Several issues here: mainly Harper's insane cuts in Ottawa. The guy couldn't care less about the city.

Contrary to Calgary, Ottawa's system is now a huge frustrating mess which grinds down to a massive bus parking lot in downtown at rush hours... The subway can't be built fast enough.

You also forget to mention that several Ottawa riders use STO to cross the river and access areas either downtown Gatineau or further areas. We can't look at Ottawa without including it's neighbor, which adds 25,000 daily STO riders.

Things will get back to positive ridership numbers once the fuhrer is kicked out of office and the city gets its second LRT line going.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by bikegypsy

Several issues here: mainly Harper's insane cuts in Ottawa. The guy couldn't care less about the city.

Contrary to Calgary, Ottawa's system is now a huge frustrating mess which grinds down to a massive bus parking lot in downtown at rush hours... The subway can't be built fast enough.

You also forget to mention that several Ottawa riders use STO to cross the river and access areas either downtown Gatineau or further areas. We can't look at Ottawa without including it's neighbor, which adds 25,000 daily STO riders.

Things will get back to positive ridership numbers once the fuhrer is kicked out of office and the city gets its second LRT line going.

STO daily ridership is actually about 60,000.

[caltrane74]

Metrolinx shared some photos on their facebook page..