The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

Has transit ridership in Toronto gotten poorer or do people just not care about how they dress anymore?

I always find historic photos of the subway and TTC interesting, because everyone is usually dressed very well, and it does not seem like anyone is on the TTC because they have to take it.
Things just look so much more perfect

You see nice, I see boring. All the guys have the same haircut, same couple of outfits... (though those suits are pretty damn nice)

And yeah, if only things could be like they used to, back when, you know, no one drove a car because they all loved the TTC so much and would never choose anything else.

[miketoronto]

A lot of people look like slobs on the TTC now. The only system that has well dressed people yet, is GO Transit.

[niwell]

There are plenty of poorly dressed people on GO as well. You know, judging from my twice a day commute on the Lakeshore West line, and occasional forays East. And I for one am pretty glad it's not the 1950s anymore. Nothing's worse than waxing poetic on a golden age that never really was.

In any event I'm interested to hear the announcement tomorrow. Pretty much what I've expected for a while, though I hope Eglinton goes farther west than Black Creek.

[miketoronto]

I have always thought a subway(or LRT fully grade separated) from STC to Yonge-Eglinton made total sense.

[ue]

So is there any info or maps I could look at of plans that have a chance for light rail in Ottawa? Yes, I know there's the O-Train, but it either needs to be desperately expanded upon or replaced. I thought I had seen plans before. Is there any plans close to fruition? Something from Hull to the ByWard Market to Downtown and down Bank Street to the Airport seems easy and logical (just bury the Downtown/ByWard portions). Winnipeg's another city where a route choice would be easy (to me). University down Pembina Hwy to Osborne Village and Downtown 'Peg, then down Portage Ave. past Polo Park then up to the Airport.

[haljackey]

• Video Link



To be honest, it saddens me to know that Canada has 0 electrified lines! We gotta catch up with the world!

[Boris2k7]

Toronto must pay at least $49M to cancel LRT plan

March 31, 2011
CBC News


Toronto is currently on the hook for at least $49 million for cancelling the Transit City light rail plan, says the head the regional transportation agency tasked with implementing Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's new transit plan.

That outlay is likely to rise, said Bruce McQuaig, the CEO of Metrolinx. The city would have to pay for any penalties incurred for breaking or altering contracts secured in the previous Transit City plan, he confirmed.

...

Full Article

[manrush]

Originally Posted by Boris2k7

Full Article

So much for Ford's crusade to save money.

[niwell]

In theory (and legally) this should bring the whole thing to council. Interesting what the outcome of that will be.

[The_Architect]

I smell gravy.

This is the definition of wasteful spending.. Pay taxpayer dollars to cut something that was already designed and funded.

[caltrane74]

Could have been worst, everyday I am liking Rob Ford more and more. He is Uncouth, but he has guts and drive, and thats better than waffles.

[niwell]

Originally Posted by caltrane74

Could have been worst, everyday I am liking Rob Ford more and more. He is Uncouth, but he has guts and drive, and thats better than waffles.

That's funny. Because if anything this was the Province telling Ford to go screw himself and continue with their prerogative.

It's incredibly depressing that people seem convinced this is Ford's doing, or actually assume the Sheppard subway will happen. I guess such a base misunderstanding of municipal affairs (particularly finance) is what led people to vote for him in the first place. Who cares if the numbers don't make sense as long as they look good!

[SFUVancouver]

Planning is under way for the "UBC Line" rapid transit corridor in Vancouver that will see the enormous UBC campus linked up to the region's rapid transit network. Not only that, the Central Broadway area, which is second only to downtown Vancouver in its concentration of jobs, will be connected too.

Currently in excess of 115,000 people take transit along this route daily using local serving electric trolley buses and the 99 B-Line express bus service which functions as a pseudo bus rapid transit route. The buses are always full and having to wait for multiple buses to pass before being able to find space to board is the norm throughout much of the morning and afternoons, and the demand simply doesn't wane in the evenings or on weekends. Absolutely packed buses at midnight on a weekday or throughout the weekends are simply the reality.

There certainly are not the required resources to proceed with construction of the UBC Line, in whatever form it takes, until near the end of the decade when construction of the delayed Evergreen Line is complete. In the mean time Translink, our public transit and regional transportation agency, is doing quite a comprehensive public consultation process to help determine what the best mode and alignment will be.

There is ongoing tension between the people who see the UBC Line as integral to the region's rapid transit network and the university and the Central Broadway area as entirely deserving of rapid transit, and those who see local bus service and less commuting as being preferable.


Here are the revised Phase 2 Public Consultation transit options for the UBC Line:

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) | Centre of street, dedicated lanes with barrier, in-street stations, some signal priority.

Source

Light Rail Transit (LRT) #1 | Centre of Street, dedicated corridor with barrier, in-street stations, some signal priority.

Source

Light Rail Transit (LRT) #2 | Centre of Street, dedicated corridor with barrier, in-street stations, some signal priority.

Source

Rail Rapid Transit (RRT/SkyTrain branding) | Bored tunnel, full grade separation

Source

Combo 1 - RRT and LRT | SkyTrain Millennium SkyTrain Line extended from VCC-Clark to Arbutus in a bored tunnel, LRT from Main Street Science World to UBC in centre of street, dedicated corridor with barrier, in-street stations, some signal priority

Source

Combo 2 - RRT and BRT | SkyTrain Millennium SkyTrain extended from VCC-Clark to Arbutus in a bored tunnel, BRT from Commercial Drive to UBC, centre of street, dedicated lanes with barrier, in-street stations, some signal priority.

Source

Best Bus | Significantly enhanced level of local bus service and enhanced 99 B-Line (BRT-light)

Source


Street integration of LRT and BRT.

Standard four-lane section of Broadway or 10th Avenue.

Source

Standard six-lane section of Central Broadway (Commercial Drive to Arbutus)

Source


Intersection integration of LRT or BRT.

No turn restrictions at major intersections. LRT and BRT would stop and wait for the lights to change and the intersection to clear before proceeding.

Source

Left turn restrictions would be in place for moderately busy intersections. LRT and BRT would stop and wait for the lights to change and the intersection to clear before proceeding.

Source

"Right in and right out" intersections would be closed to through traffic perpendicular to Broadway/10th Avenue. LRT or BRT would continue through intersection without stopping.

Source


Representative street cross sections for each section of the corridor for LRT and BRT.

University Boulevard in UBC (everything west from Blanca)

Source

Blanca to Alma ("Point Grey Village")

Source

Alma to Arbutus

Source

Arbutus to Commercial Drive (Central Broadway, city's second downtown)

Source

False Creek segment for LRT Option 1 and Combo Option 1 (Main Street-Science World station to Arbutus and Broadway)

Source

Great Northern Way segment from sub-options in LRT option 1 and LRT option 2.

Source


UBC Line Rapid Transit Study homepage:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-th...d-Transit-Study/Alternative-Designs.aspx

Online Questionnaire
http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-th...it-Study/Get-Involved/Questionnaire.aspx

[someone123]

The underground tunnel is clearly worth it.

Suppose we just look at travel times. The next-best option is 5 minutes slower. About 135,000 people would take the line every day, which works out to 11,250 hours a day spent waiting. That's around 4 million hours a year. Assuming an hour is worth $10, which is probably a low estimate, the cost of the slower system therefore works out to about $40M per year. This would cover the increased capital costs in 20 years.

On top of this we have the desirability of an underground line from the perspective of other traffic and locals along Broadway and W 10.

[whiteford]

awsome for calgary and toronto. the west lrt looks great and is really coming along fast. i cant wait to ride it.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton First to Receive Alberta’s Green TRIP Grant for LRT


April 05, 2011

The Province of Alberta will award its first funding in the Green Transit Incentives Program (GreenTRIP) to Edmonton, with $497 million in capital funding for the North LRT line connecting the downtown Churchill Station to Grant MacEwan University and then on to NAIT.

Mayor Stephen Mandel announced the news during his annual State of the City Address, noting the provincial funding makes an important contribution as Edmonton moves towards its vision of being an increasingly vibrant, innovative, inclusive and sustainable city.

“Transportation plays a vital role in enhancing the high quality of life in our community,” Mayor Mandel said. “This funding demonstrates our shared priorities with the province, a key partner in helping us shift to increasingly more environmentally responsible modes of transportation. It truly is an investment in the economic, social and environmental future of our capital region.”

The Province’s contribution to the North LRT to NAIT line represents two thirds of eligible project costs of $745 million.

http://edmonton.ca/city_government/news/...e-albertas-green-trip-grant-for-lrt.aspx

[caltrane74]

Even though Toronto got the 8.5 billion dollars for the Eglinton line, I am somewhat Jealous of Edmonton and Vancouver in how they will in the end do far much more to advance Transit in their communities with far less dollars than we have here in Toronto.

For 1 Billion dollars, Vancouver is basically getting 1/3 to 1/2 of an Eglinton Line. Same thing for Edmonton.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton is often criticized at how much it costs per km of track relative to other cities.

[caltrane74]

How Long is the NAIT Line going to be?

The Eglinton Line as it stands now is 8 billion dollars for 20 km of track.

[Boris2k7]

@cal - According to the site, it's a 3.3Km extension, which is mostly at-grade.