The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[caltrane74]

Tunnel Boring Machine launched in Toronto - for the Spadina Subway Extention.




Thread here:

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2011/06/first-tunnel-boring-machine-launched-spadina-subway-extension

[Boris2k7]

Just in case anyone wanted to know how using transit can be painful to a regular rider like myself (when it's available) I present you with Kings Transit.

http://www.kingstransit.ns.ca/


Fares:

Adult Fare: $3.50
Month Pass: $90.00


The route is very linear... a set of connecting buses from Digby to Wolfville.




Schedules for my portion of the route:

Eastbound:


Westbound:



Now, by no means am I trying to cast an overly harsh light on the service here. If anything, I'm impressed that it's able to run at all, given that the combined population in this leg (Bridgetown to Greenwood) is only around 8,000, spread out over 30+ kilometres.

Still, painful to an urbanite who has no other means of transportation other than his own two feet. Want to go anywhere during the week? Okay, but only until 7ish. Saturday you only go out until 5ish. Sunday or holiday? You're shit out of luck.

[Alexcaban]

Sociètè de transport de Montréal to add 300 to 400 bus departures

Public-transit ridership booming, up 1.5% in 2010 over 2009

By Andy Riga, Gazette Transportation reporter

MONTREAL - Public-transit ridership is booming and the Société de transport de Montréal will add 300 to 400 new weekday bus departures in September to attract even more riders, The Gazette has learned.

In 2010, combined bus and métro ridership hit 388.6 million, surpassing 2009, said Marvin Rotrand, vice-chairman of the transit authority.

On Sept. 6, the STM will make more “major improvements” to bus service, adding departures on about 40 of its heaviest-travelled lines.

“In some cases it will be rush hour but in many cases it’s off-peak to ensure that there isn’t crowding on buses, and people have a better chance of getting a seat,” Rotrand said. “Some lines will see a significant number of additional departures.”

By the end of 2011, the STM will have boosted bus service across its network by 16 per cent compared with Jan. 1, 2007. The STM target was to increase bus and métro ridership by eight per cent over that period. “We are on track to significantly surpass that,” Rotrand said.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Sociètè+transport+Montréal+departures/4775539/story.html

[caltrane74]

Montreal transit use is taking off, and the system is making plans to accommodate the additional ridership.

Wonderful.

Meanwhile, back in Toronto, ridership is increasing, and we are cutting routes here. - At least on the surface bus routes.

[caltrane74]

Wary business owners cool to Eglinton transit plans
The Toronto Star
Published On Tue Jun 21 2011
Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter



http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1012770--wary-business-owners-cool-to-eglinton-transit-plans



Story from the star, stating business owners want above ground improvements to coincide with the construction of the underground LRT for Eglinton.
The article also mentions that construction will start this summer. So not too long after the York Subway boring machines have been launched, we'll have another set of 4 tunnel boring machines going in under Eglinton. Not bad, eh?

[Nouvellecosse]

Why is the TTC cutting routes if there is growing ridership? They trying to nip the extra ridership in the bud?

[caltrane74]

They are cutting due to budget issues.

[goodthings]

Originally Posted by Boris2k7

Fares:

Adult Fare: $3.50
Month Pass: $90.00

I thought that Brampton and York Region have the most expensive cash fares! But at least they really really want customers to go with the monthly pass.

[caltrane74]

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/cityhall/article/1033044--metrolinx-issues-eglinton-lrt-update



The name of the new LRT Underground line on Eglinton is:

Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown.

DAVID NICKLE|Jun 23, 2011 - 3:33 PM

Metrolinx issues Eglinton LRT update

The shape of the new light-rail subway along Eglinton Avenue got a little clearer Thursday, June 22, as members of the board of Metrolinx got a look at general station layouts, plans for hub stations - and a new branding of the line stretching from Black Creek Drive to Kennedy Road, that is to be known as the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown.

According to Metrolinx staff presenting at the June board meeting of the provincial agency, the line - which crosses the old municipalities of Etobicoke, York, Toronto, North York as well as Scarborough - needed to have a geographical underpinning in its name.

The decision to brand the $8-billion transit line with only Scarborough raised some eyebrows at the board.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Why is the TTC cutting routes if there is growing ridership? They trying to nip the extra ridership in the bud?

The proposal was to cut routes (or cut back route times) with ridership of 12 people per hour or less, which I don't think is too unreasonable. Other cities are often forced to do a cost-benefit analysis when it comes to providing surface routes, and it's about time Toronto did the same.

Although honestly, I'm really quite surprised that people are getting their pants in a knot over these inconsequential bus routes, but when Miller was thinking about mothballing the Sheppard Subway, the same crowd of transit advocates were largely either indiffirent or outright supportive.

[goodthings]

I totally agree with that. I don't get the complaining even if their neighbour next door, Mississauga, actually has a quota of 20 passengers per hour for cutting service. Less than 20 and you're cut.

[Alexcaban]

Some shots I'm very happy with. STM buses

[armorand93]

Winnipeg Transit D40 #694 (1994, refurbished)

[caltrane74]

Selling Naming rights emerges for subway stations in Toronto - First up: Dundas / Ryerson

Read the story here:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...didate-for-a-name-change/article2087734/

[SFUVancouver]

Gas tax increase recommended to fund long-awaited Evergreen Line
By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun July 6, 2011 1:43 PM


Metro Vancouver mayors are asking for a two cents-a-litre increase in the gas tax to start building the Evergreen Line, and a graduated vehicle levy, road pricing transportation improvement fee and road levies for future transportation projects.


West Vancouver Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, who is vice-chairwoman of the mayors' council, said the provincial government is committed to a new funding formula that will raise $70 million in additional annual revenue.


This included introducing legislation this fall to increase the fuel levy, which would take effect next spring, as well as graduated vehicle levy in 2012.


A supplemental funding plan by TransLink will go to the mayors' council this fall and will be subject to public consultation. TransLink collects 15 cents a litre right now.


"We think there's a real spirit to work together," Goldsmith-Jones said. "Our expectation is the two cents-a-litre gas tax will be able to fund (the Evergreen Line)."


Goldsmith-Jones said the proposed "moving forward" plan has allowed the mayors to buy themselves some time as they look toward long-term funding solutions while go ahead with the Evergreen Line.


"We really feel a strong entire package has to be done ... And we don't want that to be through property taxes."


Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom said last week he was optimistic that ground can be broken on the long-awaited Evergreen Line this year.


But he noted short-term funding alternatives for imminent projects was limited to such things as property taxes and gas levies, as longer term funding would likely require legislative changes. This could include a second carbon tax or vehicle levies to raise funds.


The Evergreen Line, which has been in the works since 1989, was supposed to be operational by 2014 but has been stalled because TransLink doesn’t have its $400-million share of the funding for the $1.4-billion project.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/increas...en+Line/5059933/story.html#ixzz1RMoMxNiI

Well it's about time. This is a pretty no-brainer expansion of the SkyTrain network and will connect the existing system to the fast-growing northeastern part of Metro Vancouver which is home to the TriCities; Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody. The line will run through the latter two only but the third will benefit from improved bus service and more direct access to the network. The Evergreen Line will use the same trainsets and automation as the existing Expo and Millennium Lines and will interline with the Millennium Line from Lougheed Station to VCC-Clark Station, and eventually to the ultimate terminus of the Millennium Line, whether that is Cambie, Arbutus, or UBC. That's a whole other matter entirely, and if we're struggling to find $400 million locally for our share of the Evergreen Line, good luck finding our share of a $3 billion dollar subway extension of the Millennium Line to UBC, no matter how much it is needed.

[caltrane74]

Wow mayors that actually care about transit and realize how important it is in building a great city.

Meanwhile back in Toronto....

[Travis007]

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1020...naming-rights-and-giant-ads-on-all-buses

TTC approves selling naming rights and giant ads on all buses

Published On Wed Jul 06 2011
Paul Moloney
Urban Affairs Reporter

Subway station naming rights, advertisements on vehicle ceilings and more buses and streetcars wrapped with vinyl ads are all possible under a new advertising contract approved by the TTC Wednesday.

The possible sale of station naming rights was a new element in the $27-million-per-year advertising deal with Pattison Outdoor Advertising, which won the bid to sell advertising on the transit system for the next 12 years, to the end of 2023.

In addition to naming rights Pattison will also be able to:

• Sell vinyl ads that cover the entire back of a bus on all of the TTC’s 1,800 buses. Previously, the limit was 50 buses.

• Increase the number of buses and streetcars that can be completely wrapped in vinyl advertising increases to 50 from 35. The number of subway cars that can be wrapped doubles to 24.

Ryerson University has already expressed interest in having its name placed on the Dundas subway station, but at this point no talks have been held with either the TTC or Pattison.

And any decision to sell naming rights will be made by the nine city councillors who sit on the TTC commission, said Vince Rodo, general secretary of the transit system.

Corporate demand for subway naming rights is unclear, although the city has been able to sell rights for other civic facilities such as BMO Field, Direct Energy Centre and the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.

Naming rights is just one of several new revenue generating ideas the TTC wants to exploit. Others include subway car video-screens, and changeable ad messages on the sides of buses.

Under the deal, Pattison is to pay the TTC a minimum of $324 million over 12 years, or $27 million a year. The contract runs from Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2023.

[caltrane74]

Pickering GO Bridge from UT









Photo Images by Frank R at UT

Thread here:

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2011/07/pickering-go-bridge-progressing

[yaletown_fella]

Strange, I thought there were plans to expand that section of the 401

[caltrane74]

Isn't that section already 14 lanes?

Plus the 407 has another 6-8 lanes..

Any further expansion will happen at the 407 and not the 401, JMO.