Metrolinx - MoveOntario 2020

[the dude]

lots of great ideas here. too bad we're not making any of the decisions. having hunter be the hub is a great idea but as others have said, not all routes have to pass through it. the main east-west routes should stick to main and/or king. for efficiency purposes there should be as little deviation from the main route as possible. let's remember that there will be stations at both ends of the route, whatever it ends up being. they won't necessarily have to stop in at hunter. anyway, great discussion. hopefully we can get more people across the city to join in.

[hamiltonguy]

OK well Go wants to expand to Niagara so connecting in the East End to GO will not involve Hunter Street. Therefore the 2, 3, and 4 don't really need to connect to hunter street. Every other bus (other than King) already goes past the terminal or in the case of 5 Eastbound pass only a block north.

All terminating Buses at Hunter will do is make people from the Mountain walk further. Plus the routing for the LRT becomes painfull to make it link to Hunter Street. The only logically solution is McNab Street.


And Via will never come by Hunter Street as the CPR is incompetent at running a railroad and can't schedule to allow more than a few more trains than currently exist that use the Tunnel. Not to mention the connection back to the CN line would be hard to build and it would add much more travel time. Likely what i see for Hunter Street is expanded rush hour service GO service.

For James Street I see all day GO service (through to Grimsby or St. Catharines) and Via service.

Anyways regardless of this funding i still think we should push ahead quickly with a short Downtown-Waterfront Modern Streetcar route, with the funding raised from Bonds. We could then pay them back with the higher property taxes and have money left over to help convert the Aline and Bline to LRT.

[raisethehammer]

imagine a modern streetcar route connecting the west harbour with james north, gore, hess, locke, james south/ go station/ st joes, corktown, international village/ king william....that would be sweet.

[the dude]

if we're going to take on more debt then better to complete the east-west line, or at least half of it. that's the most important route. the province has to pay for this or it doesn't make sense.

[ihateittoo]

HERE WE GO:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../23/c3918.html

- Investments in Hamilton's James and King-Main transit corridors, and
a new platform to accommodate future GO and VIA rail service to James
Street North station

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by ihateittoo

... and a new platform to accommodate future GO and VIA rail service to James Street North station

GO service to James Street North station... what's the point?

[hamiltonguy]

Originally Posted by Berklon

GO service to James Street North station... what's the point?

If people would listen it is for through service to Niagara.

[SteelTown]

Great news huh!

I wonder how Liuna Station and the new GO/VIA are going to work together at the old CN Station. From the sounds of it that space next to Liuna Station will be a parking structure to satisfy VIA's demand for plenty of parking spots. I guess the city will have to fork up the cost for that part.

[SteelTown]

I wouldn't be surprised a few years from now that they'll be a tiny GO station at Centennial Parkway next to the CN line.

[raisethehammer]

sounds great to me!
I know someone who lives in the Main/Ottawa area. They drive to Burlington GO everyday to catch the train to TO. Regular trains downtown here are essential.
What's this BRT along Dundas Street? would that come right over to Waterdown I wonder??
I hope to high heaven that city hall goes for LRT on our east/west line instead of BRT.
In the report going to COW next week it shows about $160 million recommended for BRT. Yet, most of it is for mountain BRT lines, not the east/west corridor. Only 10 mil or something for the east/west line. not sure what's up with that.

[markbarbera]

As a regular commuter from Hamilton to Toronto, expanded service from James North just makes no sense to me. It is the one location where its use will be an inconvenience for both pedestrians and commuters transferring from cars. This is a case of GTTA advocating the cheaper option rather than the smarter (but costlier) option of improving Hunter to handle service expansion.

First off, the James North location is inconvenient for pedestrians and for those connecting from other forms of public transit. Currently, if someone wants to board a train at Hunter, it is a direct connection for about 80% of all city transit lines, and 100% of all intercity bus service. James North connections would require city transit users to add at least one bus transfer to their itinerary or hoof it from downtown to James and Murray, a good 15 minute walk. Adding travel time to commuters will not sell a service. This is counter-intuitive to the MoveOntario 2020's objective to make inter-regional commuting faster and easier.

Those of you who are extolling the virtues of having parking at this location should reconsider your position. Do you really want more cars driving into and out of the city centre during rush hours, adding to congestion and air pollution? The initial reaction may be yes, since this brings more people downtown, but consider that these are transitory commuters whose primary focus is getting to work on time then getting back home as early as possible. The only potential economic benefit is going to be increased morning coffee business at the station.

There seems to be a perception out there that inner city rail stations must provide a parking element to be successful. That is simply not the case. Can anyone cite an example of a urban centre with a transit system that offers complimentary parking at stations located in the downtown core? I can't think of any. It only makes sense to provide parking at feeder stations in the suburban areas of a transit line.

[SteelTown]

GTTA eyes James Street for GO and VIA rail stop

The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 24, 2007)

Councillor Bob Bratina could yet realize his dream of having rail passenger service return to James Street North.

The Greater Toronto Transportation Authority, headed by former Burlington Mayor Rob MacIsaac, is recommending the province build a new platform to accommodate future GO and Via rail service at a James Street North station. The project is one of 14 the GTTA identified yesterday for funding consideration. The GTTA also recommended Hamilton's James and King Street-Main Street transit corridors and a bus rapid transit service along Dundas Street in Halton.

GO trains into Hamilton stop at the old TH&B station on Hunter Street, but Bratina has been pushing for a Via rail stop where James Street North crosses the CN Rail tracks, near Liuna Station. The old CN station stopped serving passengers Feb. 26, 1993 and was converted into a popular banquet centre.

A platform beside it served GO passengers until the downtown GO Centre opened after a $65-million retrofit in 1996. Via trains stop in Aldershot to serve Hamilton.

[SteelTown]

So if GO/VIA moves to Liuna Station the city is gonna have to encourage a new transit route from Hunter Station, Gore Park, and Liuna Station. I think Hughson St should become a rapid transit corridor to link each Station and the downtown core.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

As a regular commuter from Hamilton to Toronto, expanded service from James North just makes no sense to me. It is the one location where its use will be an inconvenience for both pedestrians and commuters transferring from cars.

I agree.

I used to take the GO out of the James North location everyday and it was a major pain in the ass. When it switched over to Hunter street, it made my life as well as many others so much easier - right away I saw an increase in GO train riders. Most busses stop very close to the Hunter station - very convenient.

Who the hell wants to walk 15-20 minutes (especially in the winter) to catch a train at James North? Transferring to another bus to take you to James North is also a pain - especially if the bus you're on to get downtown is running behind schedule making you miss your bus transfer to James North. GO train riders have to take 2 busses just to get the priveledge of taking another form of transportation to get to work.... and then the same headache going home. Nevermind that some people have to already walk 5 to 10 minutes to get from their home to the bus stop (and vice-versa) in the first place.

Moving GO train service away from Hunter is STUPID, STUIPD, STUPID! Here's an idea... ask the people who actually use the service what they think!

[SteelTown]

As far as I know GO train will still be running at the Hunter station just rush hour service, GO transit it still going ahead with building a yard in Hamilton to increase rush hour service. The non rush hour GO train service will switch over to James St North.

Nothing changes just more convenience of an additional station.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

As far as I know GO train will still be running at the Hunter station just rush hour service, GO transit it still going ahead with building a yard in Hamilton to increase rush hour service. The non rush hour GO train service will switch over to James St North.

Nothing changes just more convenience of an additional station.

If this is the case, then I (as well as many others) will have no issues at all.

[raisethehammer]

I think we are all just guessing...GO hasn't commited to anything on James North yet.

[SteelTown]

^ Again the GTTA operates GO Transit. If GTTA wants a new platform at the James St Station then it has confirmed that GO Tranist wants to go there.

"Officially known as the Greater Toronto Transit Authority (GTTA), GO Transit provides safe, convenient, and efficient transportation to the communities of the Toronto area."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater...tion_Authority

[raisethehammer]

I realize that, but that doesn't make it a shoe-in.
Like when council directed Valeri to try to bring VIA rail to downtown. The feds own VIA, but they told him to screw off basically.
He came sauntering back to town yapping about Centre Mall and East Hamilton.
Years later, we still have no VIA service.

[hamiltonguy]

Basically James Street North will only be a stop on the GO Lakeshore Niagara Branch. Because of the limitation on full day service to Hunter (because of the tunnel) this will also be the place we can catch GO trains during the day.

Basing things on standard GO station spacings there will also probably be a:

East End Station (Ottawa Street maybe?)

Centennial Parkway Station

and

an East Stoney Creek Station.