Rapid Transit

[go_leafs_go02]

I'm liking your B-Line proposal for stops. I was in Gore Park less than an hour ago, and was envisioning a LRT system running through there. Honestly, that would be good (of course, the A-Line, running down Hughson) There was one service vehicle and one car driving down Hughson looking both ways north and south. the ROW would be perfect for a private LRT line with no traffic. Then have it shift over to James st somewhere around Cannon or York/Wilson heading north to Pier 4 or simply the LIUNA station.

Spacing of the stations. I believe they should become more and more spaced out the furthur away you get from downtown. The main feeds to the LRT lines should be bus transfers (much like the subway in Toronto) instead of walking. Bus is for local, LRT is for cross-city or the express. However, the closer downtown you get, the more close the stations should be, like RTH said. I'm still with full integration with the go station, having a fare zone like the GO has. Let's say this is potentially the intersection for the A-Line, and B-Line. You can transfer easy, through ANY door with a proof of purchase that must be displayed if requested by any member of the HSR. And then have a ticket machine that takes advance cash or ticket fare and gives a transfer with correct expiration time automatically. I say this because I think there will be ALOT of transferring done right there. Waiting in line to show the driver your ticket, pass, or payment is a major delay, especially if it's not the terminus of the route. Hop on, hop off in the easiest way possible.

A dream is to have VIVA like stations, but that's overkill I think. I'm proposing this only at the GO station or whatever hub is created where the A-Line and B-Line intersect.

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

"The capital costs of providing LRT are estimated at of $15 million/km for one-way streets and $25 million/km for two-way streets, plus $4 million for each LRT vehicle required."

Find how many km for B-Line and times it $15,000,000 for one way or $25,000,000 for two way.

Slight change to the formula. If its one way you'll have to include eastbound and westbound. For a rough estimate, take the km distance from Eastgate to University Plaza, multiply that by 2, then multiply by $15 million cost for a one-way track. For two way, it's straight distance times $25 million.

[markbarbera]

Another point of clarification. Redevelopment opportunites do not span the actual LRT line. The development opportunities will radiate around the stops on the LRT. Long stretches of track without a stop will see limited redevelopment oppurtunities. I am not saying to add more stops, I am just pointing out that development will be focussed around the stops and not the track.

[MsMe]

Here are some names I thought of.

Fury
Rocket
Eagle
Dragon
Phoenix
Tycoon
Condor
Demon
Zombie
Virgin...Can always tell people you're going to ride a virgin...Sorry I couldn't resist...Go ahead smack me for that one..LOL

[omro]

Could always be literal...

LRT as a word rather than an acronym.

so "lart" for example.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by omro

If you've a frequently running and frequently spaced transit system, then people will be more inclined to use it.

Agreed. Unfortunately, North Americans have a schedule mentality, not a space/frequency mentality.

i.e. there's no reason for the B-Line, 1 King and 52 Dundas to arrive at King & Sherman between 6:30am and 6:33am. Then have the 1 and 52 leapfrog one another to downtown. If you arrive at 6:34 you have about 10 minute wait for the next bus.

What inefficiency.

[omro]

Originally Posted by omro

Could always be literal...

LRT as a word rather than an acronym.

so "lart" for example.

Though, thinking about it, that's kinda awful. But then there's the San Francisco BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Could call it the HART (Hamilton Area Rapid Transit)...

"From McMaster to Eastgate Square in a HART beat."

Cheesy, but...

[omro]

Originally Posted by omro

Could always be literal...

LRT as a word rather than an acronym.

so "lart" for example.

Though, thinking about it, that's kinda awful. But then there's the San Francisco BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Could call it the HART (Hamilton Area Rapid Transit)...

"From McMaster to Eastgate Square in a HART beat."

Cheesy, but...

[LikeHamilton]

I was talking to Councillor Powers today and he appeared genuinely upbeat and positive about LRT for the city. He was pushing the fact that the city cannot afford to pay for this but and that both levels of government should pay for it all. This is the right way to go.

He was very excited with what everyone here new and has been saying all along, which is LRT is cheaper to run. This is contrary to what staff had stated at the open houses. He sighted the example of Calgary vs. Hamilton. Our bus system cost us $2.50 per passenger to run. Calgary’s LRT cost 25¢ per passenger to run! That is a tenth of the cost of bus or BRT. He was all excited about the savings and that we could increase service into the transportation node’s (he actually used that word) with savings.

[raisethehammer]

yea, Ferguson had those same stats on the radio the other day for operating costs per passenger.

[raisethehammer]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

I'm liking your B-Line proposal for stops. I was in Gore Park less than an hour ago, and was envisioning a LRT system running through there. Honestly, that would be good (of course, the A-Line, running down Hughson) There was one service vehicle and one car driving down Hughson looking both ways north and south. the ROW would be perfect for a private LRT line with no traffic. Then have it shift over to James st somewhere around Cannon or York/Wilson heading north to Pier 4 or simply the LIUNA station.

Spacing of the stations. I believe they should become more and more spaced out the furthur away you get from downtown. The main feeds to the LRT lines should be bus transfers (much like the subway in Toronto) instead of walking. Bus is for local, LRT is for cross-city or the express. However, the closer downtown you get, the more close the stations should be, like RTH said. I'm still with full integration with the go station, having a fare zone like the GO has. Let's say this is potentially the intersection for the A-Line, and B-Line. You can transfer easy, through ANY door with a proof of purchase that must be displayed if requested by any member of the HSR. And then have a ticket machine that takes advance cash or ticket fare and gives a transfer with correct expiration time automatically. I say this because I think there will be ALOT of transferring done right there. Waiting in line to show the driver your ticket, pass, or payment is a major delay, especially if it's not the terminus of the route. Hop on, hop off in the easiest way possible.

A dream is to have VIVA like stations, but that's overkill I think. I'm proposing this only at the GO station or whatever hub is created where the A-Line and B-Line intersect.

what you're describing is exactly how LRT lines operate. You don't show anything to a driver. You walk in whichever door you want.
They have employees who come around frequently once the train gets moving to check tickets.

[MsMe]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

what you're describing is exactly how LRT lines operate. You don't show anything to a driver. You walk in whichever door you want.
They have employees who come around frequently once the train gets moving to check tickets.

The San Francisco cable cars used to work like that. Probably still do, been years since I have been there.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

what you're describing is exactly how LRT lines operate. You don't show anything to a driver. You walk in whichever door you want.
They have employees who come around frequently once the train gets moving to check tickets.

Yeah, that makes sense. For some reason, I just keep imagining articulated bus length trains that work the same way, you have to enter through the front door, show the driver your fare, and voila.

[adam]

Its true, development will be done radially outward from each stop - not along the whole line. The stops have to be strategically placed.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

So, without futher ado, my suggested routing of the B-Line LRT, west to east:

University Plaza
West Village Condos
Binkley (Fortinos, St Mary's highschool)
McMaster
Longwood
Dundurn
Locke
Hess Village
Bay St (City Hall/Education Square/Copps Coliseum)
McNab Terminal
Hughson (Gore, GO Station)
Jarvis/Spring (International Village)
Emerald
Wentworth
Sherman
Gage
Delta
Ottawa
Kenilworth
Queenston Traffic Circle
Parkdale
Nash
Eastgate

Great ideas!! I especially like the Queenston Traffic Circle one. All they would have to do is cut a strip thru the middle of it (it's big), redo the surface (people can't exit onto grass) add some pedestrianization measures (that "intersection" is the WORST to walk across) and voila!

I still really hope it stays as both directions on Main!!!

Does anyone else see a pattern with our thoughts/ideas/rants and the direction City Planners are going? Fess up... which one of you works for Public Works hahaha

Whatever it is, keep it up. If you're emailing City Staff or Jill Stephen herself, don't stop. They are obviously listening to our ideas so might as well take advantage of that!

[SteelTown]

Money for transit looks to be safe
Ken Mann
10/7/2008

The chair of Metrolinx believes that the Ontario government's 11.6 billion dollar commitment to a regional transportation plan is secure.

Rob MacIsaac has told a meeting of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce members that he does not worry about the money falling victim to a tough economy.

MacIsaac also stresses that the "enthusiastic response" that the plan has recieved in Hamilton, is "encouraging".

The plan calls for light rail transit in Hamilton, along both east-west and north-south routes.

City politicians have stressed that it will only happen if the province pays the 1.1 billion dollar cost of building the system.

MacIsaac also urges the public to put some pressure on federal candidates, noting that Ottawa has been asked to put six billion dollars into the regional transportation plan.

He adds that the current cost of congestion in Hamilton and the GTA is six billion dollars a year, both in terms of lost travel time and GDP. The average local commuter spends 50 hours stuck in traffic over a 12 month period.

[SteelTown]

Think we'll ever have a model LRT vehicle in Hamilton? Perhaps one from Bombardier.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Think we'll ever have a model LRT vehicle in Hamilton? Perhaps one from Bombardier.

There should be several! One For:
-Gore Park
-Eastgate Terminal
-McMaster
-Limeridge

Then maybe a 'traveling' display for suburbs.
-Meadowlands for a cpl weeks
-Summit Park/Heritage Green for a cpl weeks

We need to market the shit out of this thing!!!

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Think we'll ever have a model LRT vehicle in Hamilton? Perhaps one from Bombardier.

Why not Siemens? They have operations in the city, a different part of Siemens mind you, but still a company with local presence.

[matt602]

More than likely Bombardier will be chosen because of their ties with the TTC (the only other transit agency in Ontario to have light rail), and because it's a Canadian company.