Rapid Transit

[NortheastWind]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Rapid Ready – Expanding Mobility Choices in Hamilton

http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/76D3.../0/Feb25EDRMS_n414203_v1_5_1_PW13014.pdf

The city's transportation director, Don Hull was on with Bill Kelly today discussing future transportation and mobility in Hamilton: http://www.900chml.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocalGeneral/Story.aspx?ID=1892249

[SteelTown]

Hamilton light rail transit plan presented

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/892923--hamilton-light-rail-transit-plan-presented

CIty councillors will grapple with the future of Light Rail Transit this morning as city staff present a blueprint for the future of transportation in Hamilton.

City staff are asking council’s approval to send a package of information to the province that would allow the city to plan for light-rail transit (LRT), increased city bus ridership or advancing on both fronts.

“If council chooses to go forward on LT, we’re good to go. If we want to increase ridership, we’re good to go, or we can do both,” city transportation director Don Hull told the Spectator last week.

The report clearly lays out both the benefits and costs of LRT. Staff say the city would see a spike of between $2.9 million and $3.5 million in the city’s transit costs, as well as additional costs like loss of parking revenue and increased snow clearing and street lighting pegged at $8.7 million.

However, staff also say that the city could expect three times the amount of development along an LRT corridor than without it. This would generate new tax assessment valued at $22 million, while building permit fees and development charges would bring in $30 million.

There’s also the potential to for 6,000 provincial construction jobs, 3,500 of which would be in Hamilton, as well as 300 permanent jobs in Hamilton for LRT maintenance and delivery.

[SteelTown]

Council approved the staff report. Now staff will present it to Metrolinx for capital funding.

[CaptainKirk]

Premier Kathleen Wynne used her first meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to push for a national transit strategy and for the federal government to take a greater role in infrastructure funding.

The half-hour sit-down took place last Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Mr. Harper’s Langevin Block office on Parliament Hill, but it wasn’t made public until Monday.

“Infrastructure is one of the issues that I’ve said very clearly that I’m going to be raising with the federal government – particularly infrastructure and transit funding. I think that it’s extremely important that those two go hand in hand,” she said. “It was a very short meeting and it was a very positive meeting and I hope that there will be more to come.”

Ms. Wynne was in Ottawa for a round table with business leaders and a photo opportunity with Mayor Jim Watson that involved signing the contract to start digging the city’s new light rail line. Ms. Wynne squeezed in her tête-à-tête with the Prime Minister before rushing back to Toronto when word broke that the province’s public secondary school teachers had voted to resume extracurricular activities.

The province has an ambitious plan to build new subways and LRTs, and improve service on the GO regional rail network, but little money to pay for it. Ms. Wynne maintains the nation should have a comprehensive plan to build economically vital transit infrastructure.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...ational-transit-strategy/article9051572/

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Stranger things have happened right? Hmmm...it's worth a shot anyway.

[coalminecanary]

Maybe we can build a network of casinos linked with high speed rail and use the casino "revenues" to fund the trains. Perpetual motion machines totally work!

[SteelTown]

Metrolinx spokesperson Malon Edwards clarified that it is Metrolinx's intention to fund the capital costs for rapid transit in Hamilton.

“One of Metrolinx’s priorities for the 'next wave' of projects is rapid transit in Hamilton,” Edwards told CBC Hamilton in an email. “The 'next wave' of projects requires a funding source, which is part of the focus of the big conversation in which we are currently engaging GTHA residents.

“It is our intention that funding for the Hamilton project, like other projects across the GTHA, would be provided through Metrolinx’s upcoming investment strategy, which we will be delivering to municipalities and the province by June 1.”

When asked if that meant Metrolinx intends to fund 100 per cent of the capital costs of Hamilton’s rapid transit plan, Edwards said yes.

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/02/25/hamilton-council-public-transit.html

[ryan_mcgreal]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

When asked if that meant Metrolinx intends to fund 100 per cent of the capital costs of Hamilton’s rapid transit plan, Edwards said yes.

I'm not as reassured by this as I'd like to be. In email responses to Raise the Hammer, Edwards has repeatedly stated, "while planning is still in progress for LRT technology, no final decisions have been made on technology."

http://raisethehammer.org/article/1784/billions_at_stake_in_lrt_project

Metrolinx has left itself an escape clause to decide that it will only fund bus rapid transit, which would be grossly inferior to the LRT that is planned in terms of economic development and ridership uptake. We need to make sure the City and the Province know that we will not accept any less than the LRT that Hamilton was first promised back in 2007 and 2008.

[thistleclub]

$34 billion with an asterisk or two.

Metrolinx says local funding counts
(Hamilton Spectator, Andrew Dreschel, Mar 3 2013)

Like it or not, Hamilton’s ability to help pay for LRT may determine where it ends up in the Metrolinx pecking order.

Leslie Woo, vice-president of policy, planning and innovation for Metrolinx, says municipalities that chip in will earn extra marks on the transit planning agency’s priority scorecard. “If a municipality has an ability to present a financial contribution to the projects, that gets bonus points,” Woo said in an interview.

That could be significant because city council has stipulated it expects the province to fully fund the proposed $811 million light rail system running between McMaster University and Eastgate Square. It also underscores why city staff is taking such pains to argue Hamilton deserves special treatment from Metrolinx because it has less fiscal capacity than other municipalities in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area.

Make no mistake, Hamilton is already on Metrolinx’s priority list for the next wave of projects. But going forward — whether with LRT or bus rapid transit — it has to compete for staging timelines with nine other GTA projects on the same list. The total cost of the 10 projects is pegged at $34 billion. Metrolinx will decide which goes to the front of the queue once the province, which no longer plans to foot the full bill, decides how it’s going to pay for all of them over the next 15 years or so — new taxes, tolls, user fees, public-private partnerships?

“Obviously we can’t build all 10 at once,” says Woo.

To sort through them, Metrolinx has established a prioritization framework, which includes benefit-cost measures and was developed in consultation with municipalities. The framework will ultimately arrange the projects in groupings of A, B, and C in descending order of priority.

Getting into Group A is Hamilton’s next hurdle. To clear it, the city needs to excel at the three criteria that encompass Metrolinx’s goals of increasing and improving transportation options. The criteria are: a high quality of life, a thriving, sustainable and protected environment, and a strong and competitive economy.

The scorecard check list includes: reducing travel time, increasing land values, connections to post-secondary schools and hospitals, emission tonnes reduced, current ridership, projected new riders, capital cost per new rider, direct and indirect wages over the first 30 operating years, and net new operating revenue.

According to Metrolinx documents, scoring is on a 1 to 4 scale. After the projects are placed in group A, B and C, an “implementation screen” that looks at “deliverability, constructability and strategic fit” is applied. Deliverability includes whether “local funding is in place.”

“Priority Group A will be the highest performers, the most ready, best able to be implemented and therefore we should pay the most immediate attention to them,” says Woo. She says those that end up in Group B may need more work before shovels hit the ground, “They may have challenges as far as municipal partnership readiness. Some municipalities are far more ready and willing in terms of capacity to come to the table to be a solid partner in a project.” Group C projects obviously need a lot more work.

Woo says it’s hard to say when the groupings will be decided. The focus right now is on an investment strategy to pay for the projects. Metrolinx expects to deliver its funding advice to the province May 27. Woo hopes the province accepts the recommendations, but notes the government may have ideas of its own.

What is clear, though, is among the 10 unfunded projects Hamilton is stacked with, there appears to be at least one fair-haired child.

Woo says new technical analysis shows that many of the projects on the list have a strong reliance on the Downtown Relief Line, a proposed new subway line for taking the pressure off the Toronto transit system. The projected cost, according to the Toronto Star, is $6.2 billion.

[Innsertnamehere]

I hope we see the DRL, Hurontario LRT, and Hamilton LRT in the first phase. Phase 2 should be the electrification of the planned 3 GO corridors, along with the Queen street BRT in Brampton,the first 10 or so km of the Dundas BRT, the Durham Region BRT, and all day 2 way service on the Barrie and Milton lines. Phase 3 should be the remaining GO line's all day 2 way service, the remainder of the Dundas BRT, and the Yonge Subway. This is likely not what will happen though.

As for politics, certain municipalities will get pissed off no matter what you do. The activism Hazel has been putting behind the Hurontario LRT tells me we will likely get that in phase 1, especially since there are some hotly contested Liberal ridings in Mississauga. The DRL Is sort of key to the whole plan, so I expect that to be in phase 1. I hope the Hamilton LRT will be in phase 1, but I truthfully find it unlikely. Things like the Durham BRT, the Hamilton LRT, and the Queen street BRT are minor projects that the municipalities haven't been pushing that much so I expect them to be delayed to at least the second phase. The Kitchener corridor will likely be electrified quite quickly because of pressure from local residence groups, with the Lakeshore lines relegated to phase 3. And of course the Yonge subway extension will likely be in phase 2 because of sheer cost restrictions of not being able to be include in phase 1.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Mississauga's entering an interesting phase of its young life; I never thought I'd see the day that Hazel championed LRT. People do listen to her, though, so as you said, you'll probably be in phase 1. I'm not sure yet what Hamilton's going to get from Metrolinx. Council's stance being what it is, I'm not very hopeful.

[durandy]

the one thing we have is Andrea Horwath, who is currently holding the govt's lifeline. If she would now start talking about Hamilton instead of lowering car insurance rates, which is an anti-transit policy, then we'd get LRT.

[thistleclub]

Solving the problem of governance gridlock in the GTA
(Toronto Star, Anne Golden, Mar 4 2013)

The challenges facing the Toronto region are well known and well documented. In many respects, they are similar to the challenges affecting almost all city-regions in North America: infrastructure deterioration and deficits, traffic congestion, urban sprawl, economic development, environmental stewardship, growing economic inequality, and insufficient affordable housing.

Addressing these issues is increasingly important as city-regions are the central, if not the dominant, players in our economy. Most innovation occurs in major cities and the majority of global investment activity flows through them. The GTA is home to 40 per cent of Canada’s head offices, including financial services, telecommunications and IT, media and entertainment, the biomedical and automotive sectors.

Nearly one in five Canadians lives in the GTA and it is three times bigger than any other city-region in Canada. Moreover, it is the No. 1 settlement destination for new Canadians and its current population of more than 6 million is predicted to swell to 7.5 million by 2025, putting additional demands on the already overburdened regional infrastructure.

To continue to prosper, the Toronto region requires four elements: a strong vision, the will to act, sufficient resources, and the appropriate governance. The absence of any one of these elements makes overcoming the challenges facing the Toronto region difficult, if not impossible.

Unfortunately, the reality today is that in the Toronto region all of these elements are missing.

[thistleclub]

Toronto and surrounding regions need new tolls and taxes for transit
(Toronto Star, Editorial, Mar 4 2013)

Circle Monday, May 27. That’s when the governing board of Metrolinx is to consider a long-awaited “investment strategy” to massively expand public transit and transportation throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

Translation: new tolls and taxes.

It would be nice if everyone, even Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, endorsed the coming package of fees necessary to avoid ever-worsening gridlock. Ford will do no such thing, of course, even though the alternative is seeing our streets and highways resemble parking lots for much of each day. And there’s been some hand-wringing about his refusal from Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, among others, concerned that Toronto will somehow dodge paying its fair share.

They needn’t worry as long as Queen’s Park does the right thing. Ford can fulminate, but in the end this isn’t his decision. And it isn’t necessarily that of Toronto City Council, either. It’s up to Premier Kathleen Wynne to push ahead with the vast majority of big-ticket money-raising options that would pay for The Big Move.

That’s what Metrolinx calls its $50-billion plan to keep traffic and public transit flowingits $50-billion plan to keep traffic and public transit flowing in coming decades. Ontario has managed to cover only a fraction of that bill and has no hope of paying the rest without tapping new sources of money. Hence, tolls and taxes.

Again, it would be nice if elected councils in every region and municipality in the GTA and Hamilton accepted the need for such fundraising tools, along with every mayor and regional chair. Nice — but not necessary.

“There’s nothing in the legislation that would suggest any particular municipality has a veto,” Metrolinx CEO Bruce McCuaig noted in an interview. He added his agency’s recommended “investment strategy” will go to municipalities and the province, and it will be up to them to figure out how to proceed.

While cities should, of course, be consulted, they cannot have the final say. Most of the high-revenue fees now being given a final evaluation by Metrolinx planners fall under provincial jurisdiction, including tolls on 400-series highways, a GTA-wide sales tax, a special fuel tax and payroll taxes.

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by durandy

the one thing we have is Andrea Horwath, who is currently holding the govt's lifeline. If she would now start talking about Hamilton instead of lowering car insurance rates, which is an anti-transit policy, then we'd get LRT.

She voted against Metrolinx and during the last election she wanted to scrap MoveOntario 2020 plan. Instead she wanted to help compensate the operations of transit service to all municipalities. BUT! I will give her credit she has brought up Hamilton's LRT demand in the legislature in the past.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^I'm not sure what the point of the NDP is anymore, and I've voted in that direction on more than a few occasions - it's embarrassing, really.

[SteelTown]

DRESCHEL: City doesn’t have to help pay LRT capital cost
By Andrew Dreschel

http://www.thespec.com/opinion/article/8...oesn-t-have-to-help-pay-lrt-capital-cost


It looks as if city council’s transit wish has come true.

Transport Minister Glen Murray says Hamilton won’t have to make a direct capital contribution to build the proposed $800-million LRT system.

“They’re not going to be expected to, in the sense that we’re not asking them to make a financial contribution with a very specific tax,” Murray said in an interview.

Murray’s comment is the clearest indication yet that the province intends to live up to its 2008 commitment to provide 100 per cent capital funding for the 14-km light rail system running between McMaster University and Eastgate Square.

Murray says the cash-strapped province will evaluate various revenue-raising tools to be recommended by Metrolinx in order to fund the next wave of transit projects.

And he says a logical part of the strategy for Hamilton is using new transit infrastructure to grow the commercial tax assessment base, which will in turn subsidize the projects.

“That is not to be confused with asking Hamilton to raise the levy or charge fees or make a contribution.”

“It is really to give Hamilton the tool to actually grow its tax base and build more revenue by a growing tax base.”

RELATED: Gridlock to thicken if left unchecked: Metrolinx president

Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, a member of Hamilton’s LRT task force, is “thrilled” the province is living up to its promise.

“It’s quite frankly what we deserve,” says Ferguson. “Toronto got $11 billion. Why shouldn’t we get our $800 million?”

Ferguson notes Murray’s comments dovetail with a conversation he had last week with Premier Kathleen Wynne at a Hamilton Health Sciences fundraising gala.

“She chose her words carefully, as she should. But I sensed they’re still on for the 100 per cent funding.”

However, the Ancaster councillor will stay guarded until Metrolinx’s funding options are released, which is expected in June.

“The devil is in the details,” said Ferguson.

“Do we have to take that new tax assessment increase and turn it over to the province in order to get approval?”

[thistleclub]

Province won’t play favourites with transit funds, minister says
(KW Record, Paige Desmond, Mar 8 2013)

The Region of Waterloo wants to be treated fairly by the province when it comes to rapid transit funding and Transportation Minister Glen Murray says it will.

Eyebrows were raised this week when Murray was quoted by a media outlet saying Hamilton wouldn’t be expected to tax residents to pay for its rapid transit project.

Some read it to mean Hamilton would get complete provincial funding — while this region would be on the hook for hundreds of millions to pay for its own project.

But that isn’t the case.

“I was not clear enough in my comments,” Murray told The Record. “We’re looking at many new, innovative funding (tools.) I will certainly work with Kitchener-Waterloo and Hamilton to bring these innovative tools and will treat everybody fairly.”

Hamilton and other Greater Toronto Area cities have plans for transit projects.

They’re in partnership with crown corporation Metrolinx, which has been tasked by the province with finding new ways of funding transit.

Options are expected to be announced in June and could include tolls, development charges or gas taxes.

Murray said that’s what he was referring to — that cities would soon have more options to fund transit beyond taxing residents.

“We will not be giving special treatment to Hamilton.”

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Just keep your mouths shut!

[Beedok]

Hamilton needs LRT. The HSR needs it's name to make sense again.