The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Nice, that’ll make the Ellerslie Rugby Park accessible!

Still be a good 15-20 min hike from the Transit station to the park.

[jigglysquishy]

I just want to take the train from downtown to West Ed. It would mean I never have to drive again on an Edmonton vacation

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Airboy

Still be a good 15-20 min hike from the Transit station to the park.

Still better than what it was. I can remember when my ex was playing there and it took me over an hour to get there from downtown.


In news from Calgary, city council is voting next Monday on the future of the Green Line. The vote is basically if the new downtown routing will be accepted. If it is voted down, I imagine the entire project will be shelved and the SE portion will revert back to a BRT transitway similar time Winnipeg’s. This is what the the Green Line evolved from.

The portion being voted on in its current iteration...




And an alternative option...





I should note, the alternative option should only be supported if it means the SE stretch is extended to Mahogany Station, or McKenzie Station at worst.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Still better than what it was. I can remember when my ex was playing there and it took me over an hour to get there from downtown.

In news from Calgary, city council is voting next Monday on the future of the Green Line. The vote is basically if the new downtown routing will be accepted. If it is voted down, I imagine the entire project will be shelved and the SE portion will revert back to a BRT transitway similar time Winnipeg’s. This is what the the Green Line evolved from.

I should note, the alternative option should only be supported if it means the SE stretch is extended to Mahogany Station, or McKenzie Station at worst.

If the proposal is voted down and the project shelved Calgary can forget about any kind of of system including BRT. The Province will likely pull funding and that will be the end of it all.

[Chadillaccc]

I don’t think that would be the end of it. Obviously the city has a lot to answer for with the mismanagement of the Green Line, but the SE portion was never the problem, and it was shovel-ready as long ago as 2018. I can’t see the respective governments pulling funding from the revision of a project that will see a massive improvement to transit for an entire quadrant of the third largest municipality in the country. Especially considering the need for infrastructure related economic stimulus once the Covid economic disaster really rears its head.

Let’s just hope our fucking council can make a decent decision for the first time in two years.

[savevp]

Some great Bike Share Toronto news (which I believe goes in this thread?):
I just received this email, essentially doubling the footprint of Bike Share's network. There's also mention of a new e-bike programme as part of the network.

https://shifttransit.acemlnc.com/lt.php?i=8A12A2A62

We are proud to announce that Bike Share Toronto is growing to 6,850 bikes and 625 stations. Expanding by 1,850 bikes and 160 stations, Bike Share Toronto now spans 200 km2 of the city. Welcoming 30 new neighbourhoods to the system footprint, we are thrilled to have more riders join us on the roads. Follow us on social media @BikeShareTO for live announcements regarding our new station locations!

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I don’t think that would be the end of it. Obviously the city has a lot to answer for with the mismanagement of the Green Line, but the SE portion was never the problem, and it was shovel-ready as long ago as 2018. I can’t see the respective governments pulling funding from the revision of a project that will see a massive improvement to transit for an entire quadrant of the third largest municipality in the country. Especially considering the need for infrastructure related economic stimulus once the Covid economic disaster really rears its head.

Let’s just hope our fucking council can make a decent decision for the first time in two years.

It would be shocking and a huge blow to Calgary if the (entire) Green Line was outright cancelled. I can't see that happening.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[GeneralLea]

That's amazing that the Bike Share system in Toronto is growing so much....they opened a station near me a few months ago, me and my roommates are definitely interested in using it now.

[J.OT13]

Any updates on the Granville Station escalator replacement project? It was supposed to be completed in May of this year I believe.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

A new study for regional rail between Banff, Calgary, and YYC is finally in the works, and Reece is here to tell you all about it, including some predictions he has about the line! Enjoy the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce6ESXDkJYQ

Probably belongs in the regional rail thread as it is not really transit.

[Chadillaccc]

Could argue that because the study/proposal includes an express train between downtown and YYC every 20 minutes that also makes it a public transit project.

[adam-machiavelli]

Given who's supporting it, how would you react if this airport to Banff train ended up being just an express service for tourists?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

A new study for regional rail between Banff, Calgary, and YYC is finally in the works, and Reece is here to tell you all about it, including some predictions he has about the line! Enjoy the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce6ESXDkJYQ

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Could argue that because the study/proposal includes an express train between downtown and YYC every 20 minutes that also makes it a public transit project.

I wonder if they could explore the possibility of splitting the line near the airport, past the "possible yard location" to serve Calgary North and maybe as far as Aidrie with commuter rail. This would eliminate the need for the Green Line to go past Beddington Trail, or maybe 96th, saving hundreds of million.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I wonder if they could explore the possibility of splitting the line near the airport, past the "possible yard location" to serve Calgary North and maybe as far as Aidrie with commuter rail. This would eliminate the need for the Green Line to go past Beddington Trail, or maybe 96th, saving hundreds of million.

The Green Line is designed to be urban LRT. The new proposal for the airport is designed to be an express line with no urban service for surrounding neighbourhoods. They serve completely different purposes. A possible extension to Airdrie (not part of the current proposal) would be commuter rail and would not negatively affect the 'express' idea for the airport.

Some have indicated that an Airdrie extension might be the first step towards intercity service to Edmonton.

I would keep the two projects separate.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The Green Line is designed to be urban LRT. The new proposal for the airport is designed to be an express line with no urban service for surrounding neighbourhoods. They serve completely different purposes. A possible extension to Airdrie (not part of the current proposal) would be commuter rail and would not negatively affect the 'express' idea for the airport.

Some have indicated that an Airdrie extension might be the first step towards intercity service to Edmonton.

I would keep the two projects separate.

I wouldn't add any stations between downtown and the airport. The north branch to Aidrie would include a handful of stops north of the split to replace Green Line plans past Beddington or 96th. North Calgary doesn't need frequent urban service Green Line would offer. They would be well served by lower frequency commuter rail.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by adam-machiavelli

Given who's supporting it, how would you react if this airport to Banff train ended up being just an express service for tourists?

It really depends - the line will require a lot of additional capacity being added to the CPR, which if it is paid for because of a tourist train still will make experimenting with other services very economical compared to today.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by adam-machiavelli

Given who's supporting it, how would you react if this airport to Banff train ended up being just an express service for tourists?

I haven’t taken that into consideration, as it’s of course not going to happen. This train won’t circumvent the fourth largest city in the country and the leading source of tourists for the four mountain national parks by not having a station in the city. The very concept of that is ludicrous. If it ends up just being a YYC, Downtown, Cochrane, Canmore, Banff train at first, it’s infinitely better than the no train we have now. It can then be upgraded from there.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]