Rapid Transit

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

We simply don't need 5 lanes of drag racing ripping through the city

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I don’t think disappearing trips should be considered a good thing. Shifted trips, yes, but disappeared means reduced mobility and economic activity.

I live in Lower Stoney Creek - right now I usually drive downtown via king / main. Post LRT I hope to take the LRT when possible, I.e. for my daily commute whenever I end up going back to the office, but when I drive I expect I’ll shift down to the QEW / Burlington St to get into downtown instead as that generally takes the same amount of time as taking king / main right now.

Hamilton is lucky in that it’s road infrastructure in the lower city is generally overbuilt so it has room to absorb traffic, and a lot of it will dissipate with the LRT through converted trips and onto other routes, but I still see issues in a few spots. Specifically the east end, which can probably be fixed by 2-waying Main St, and for access to the 403, which is tougher to fix. Ideally they would extend the 2 lane stretch of King from the 403 as far east as possible, but there isn’t really an easy fix there. I imagine a lot more people will end up taking York for 403 access towards Burlington, but those going to Ancaster will sort of be stuck.

That's not typically what's meant by disappearing trips. Disappear typically means trips taken at times with less traffic, more carpooling, more errands in one trip, and frivolous trips where very little was done.

These are all good things, and typically make up a small portion and usually don't effect economics. When different cities instituted a congestion charge, trips "disappeared" but economic activity didn't change significantly.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

Most traffic engineering software doesn't properly model permanent removal of road space. When you remove road space you get some traffic displacement, but a not insignificant portion moves to a different mode of transport, whether that be walking, cycling or transit, and many trips disappear. That's also not taking into account that Hamilton's road network is severely overbuilt. We may actually see some more use of Burlington St finally, and people going backward to utilize the RHVP or LINC, and many will shift or change their driving habits.

As it stands, loss of King St will barely affect traffic downtown. You can see this at King and Queen right now. There is a bit of traffic backed up to Bay, but that's only because you have 4 lanes converge to 2 lanes. If it was 2 lanes, or even 1 lane the entire way, you wouldn't see that same constriction.

I agree with you -- the expectation of the loss is likely to be exaggerated; people can and do adjust, in the ways you mention here and a later post. Some look at the loss of lanes on King as a net negative, even with the alternate routes available. Well, no... travel capacity is being added in a big way with LRT service, and there will be probably be fewer buses on the east-west corridor using the remaining live lanes in the network.

The models aren't perfect, but they're the best tool we have to make traffic flow estimates (across the road transportation network) that are the basis of the analysis that underpins the economic case for a project.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

That's not typically what's meant by disappearing trips. Disappear typically means trips taken at times with less traffic, more carpooling, more errands in one trip, and frivolous trips where very little was done.

These are all good things, and typically make up a small portion and usually don't effect economics. When different cities instituted a congestion charge, trips "disappeared" but economic activity didn't change significantly.

carpool trips are converted, not removed, so yea, good thing. "frivolous" trips were being made for a reason previously, be it making things more convenient, etc. for users, so it is a sort of reduced utility in a way if those trips are removed, even if it is sort of marginal.

And those trips disappear because it becomes too challenging to make the trips, which means essential trips are more challenging too and people just keep making them because they have to.

Hamilton has so much excess road capacity it can implement the LRT without creating massive traffic issues if the right plays are made.. but a traffic mess isn't desirable either.

Don't get me wrong, the LRT is great and I fully support it, I just think the City needs to put a bit more thought into where the traffic will go. I really do think they have the space to accommodate it, such as two-waying main street, but that thought needs to happen.

[TheHonestMaple]

How does the James Street line play into this whole project? Is it an actual planned Phase 2 like the KW line into Cambridge, or is it more fantasy?

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

How does the James Street line play into this whole project? Is it an actual planned Phase 2 like the KW line into Cambridge, or is it more fantasy?

It'll end up being a BRT line for a while. I just don't see ridership demand for it for the foreseeable future.

I could see them building dedicated bus lanes on Upper James at some point, but that's likely it for a while.

[matt602]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

How does the James Street line play into this whole project? Is it an actual planned Phase 2 like the KW line into Cambridge, or is it more fantasy?

It doesn't. It's supposed to stay BRT-lite for the indefinite future since the ridership along that corridor is nowhere near as developed as the B-Line. HSR did just receive funding for transit priority signalling along Upper James though so that might be a preparation for enhanced A-Line service in the near future.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

How does the James Street line play into this whole project? Is it an actual planned Phase 2 like the KW line into Cambridge, or is it more fantasy?

When McGuinty was premier there was a campaign promise of two rapid transit lines in Hamilton. I can find secondary references to both being promised to be LRT, but the provincial Libs may have backed off on the "L" for the A-Line. But that was a lifetime ago (2007).

Regardless, ridership definitely does not warrant more than express bus service on the A-Line for now, hopefully upgraded to full BRT over time. That will also require rejigging many mountain routes to feed a main trunk transit corridor down U.James (probably part of the reason the ridership isn't high enough today for more than express buses). To be successful, higher-order transit service usually needs to be supported by a well-routed network of regular bus service.

[Pulkvedis Pods]

What are the chances that a direct transit route gets put into service which runs between downtown and Ancaster? Have there ever been any plans to run a line down Main St. W and up the escarpment along Wilson into the village (and with further densification along Wilson - beyond)?
The area is going to grow by how many thousands of people in the next few decades? Is there anyone in government who has voiced an initiative or support for something like this?

[catcher_of_cats]

Originally Posted by Pulkvedis Pods

What are the chances that a direct transit route gets put into service which runs between downtown and Ancaster? Have there ever been any plans to run a line down Main St. W and up the escarpment along Wilson into the village (and with further densification along Wilson - beyond)?
The area is going to grow by how many thousands of people in the next few decades? Is there anyone in government who has voiced an initiative or support for something like this?

There is already a bus that goes from main west and up wilson. One day, in like 20 years, the city might send a bus from Macmaster LRT station up wilson to Lowes plaza.

[Innsertnamehere]

I fully expect there to be a bus from McMaster up Wilson in the future, especially with the intensification happening along Wilson there.

[Pulkvedis Pods]

Originally Posted by catcher_of_cats

There is already a bus that goes from main west and up wilson. One day, in like 20 years, the city might send a bus from Macmaster LRT station up wilson to Lowes plaza.

But doesn't this bus turn on to Rousseau instead of running through the village? Doesn't really seem logical if that is the case. Another line runs to the Meadowlands, true, but that doesn't offer any incentive to take transit.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Pulkvedis Pods

But doesn't this bus turn on to Rousseau instead of running through the village? Doesn't really seem logical if that is the case. Another line runs to the Meadowlands, true, but that doesn't offer any incentive to take transit.

Maybe you should ask your city councillor. He's reluctant to add service because of the cost, but also doesn't want the transit "area rating" scheme changed because he's afraid of potential property tax increases for Ancaster households, who will then be seen as paying for Hamilton's transit.

[Pulkvedis Pods]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Maybe you should ask your city councillor. He's reluctant to add service because of the cost, but also doesn't want the transit "area rating" scheme changed because he's afraid of potential property tax increases for Ancaster households, who will then be seen as paying for Hamilton's transit.

Thanks, ScreamingViking. Found the information and liaison contact line to get something started. At least to find out how mired in bureaucracy any transit related question is.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Pulkvedis Pods

Thanks, ScreamingViking. Found the information and liaison contact line to get something started. At least to find out how mired in bureaucracy any transit related question is.

Transit in Ancaster can also benefit from all the employment land development happening around the airport (a good chunk of it within the former town borders). More HSR service will be needed there... there's no reason some of that can't be routed through Ancaster's town centre.

[urban_planner]

I've always been pro LRT but now that I've seen them in Kitchener I have absolutely no doubt Hamilton will see huge benefits from it but we need to quit stalling. Things need to get moving.

[Pulkvedis Pods]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Transit in Ancaster can also benefit from all the employment land development happening around the airport (a good chunk of it within the former town borders). More HSR service will be needed there... there's no reason some of that can't be routed through Ancaster's town centre.

Europe can provide a model for Hamilton, and Brantford for that matter in that charming villages have a station to wisk travellers away to the larger urban centres or connect people to neighbouring towns. If done right, Ancaster can have an architectually appropriate and appealing station that could connect it to downtown, the airport, Brantford, branch line to Dundas and who knows where else.
Having lived in LA for a number of years, I saw the transit options increase with the building of BRT and LRT lines across the vast metro area, and more lines are being built or extended today. TOD is springing up around the new and older stations (like Kitchener) and is transforming former dead zones into something less dead.
I believe that Hamilton can experience much of the same, but yes - there seems to be something shtinky in the system, and it ain't the danish.

[ScreamingViking]

Council votes on the LRT memorandum today. Hopefully nobody is looking for "off ramps" this time!
(the MOU is at the bottom of the story, and also in PDF format here)


Decision day for Hamilton LRT as councillors vote on binding the city to the project
The city is poised to sign a memorandum with the province and Metrolinx for the $3.4B project

Samantha Craggs · CBC News · Posted: Sep 08, 2021

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/lrt-1.6167672

It's a crucial day for Hamilton light-rail transit (LRT), as city councillors vote on inking a deal that would lock them into accepting the massive $3.4-billion transit project.

All 16 council members, as the general issues committee, will decide whether to sign a memorandum of understanding with Metrolinx and the province.

That memorandum would lock Hamilton into accepting LRT, a city report says.

Council signed a memorandum of agreement in 2016, in a previous iteration of the plan, but that had an off ramp. This time, it doesn't, the report says.

There'll be more details coming around issues such as operating costs, which Hamilton will have to cover, and fare box revenue, most of which Hamilton will keep, the report says.

But "unlike the 2016 MOA, which explicitly stated that it was not binding and that a further definitive agreement would be forthcoming, the draft MOU states that it is 'binding and enforceable' on the parties, and that any further agreements would be attached to the MOU as schedules," says the report, which the committee will discuss at a 9:30 a.m. meeting.

Signing the document would be council's biggest step yet toward a project 14 years in the making.

City council first pondered LRT in 2007, when it used a Metrolinx grant to do an environmental assessment. The project, which would run alternately down King and Main streets from McMaster University to Eastgate Square, is part of the BLAST network, which would see rapid transit eventually stretch throughout the city.

In 2015, the then-Liberal provincial government announced $1 billion to build the system. A spur line along James Street North was added and then removed. At one point, the route was shortened to the Queenston traffic circle, and possibly even to Gage Park.

In late 2019, the province cancelled LRT, saying it would cost Hamilton taxpayers too much to operate. The province struck a task force to look at other ways to spend the money, and the task force recommended rapid transit.

Then in May, the project got back on track with the province and the federal government each committing $1.7 billion. Both said the money can only be used for LRT.

If councillors approve the memorandum Wednesday, it would restart a joint office between Metrolinx and the city. It would also give the city manager the authority to execute a staffing agreement with Metrolinx and the province without getting council approval — provided it doesn't impact local taxes.

Whatever the vote, city council will have to ratify it on Sept. 15.

[TheHonestMaple]

Approved 11-3! Construction to start in 2022. Exciting times!

[ScreamingViking]

Next week's council ratification should be a foregone conclusion.

Clark switched to being a supporter. No surprise that Johnson, Partridge, and Pearson did not.