Quote:
Originally Posted by Hali87
I don't think Musquodoboit Harbour will necessarily ever be the size of Truro. Historically it hasn't been a major growth centre within the HRM and the Regional Plan would see some growth happen there but not much (25% of the pop growth in HRM over the next 2 decades or so is projected to be in rural centres, but distributed among them). Even if MH was the size of Truro, it wouldn't make much sense to me to run commuter rail out there. It would basically be a self-fulfilling prophecy of stretching infrastructure to the point of inefficiency, especially if such a system actively encouraged people to live somewhere like MH but work downtown. IMO this is pretty much exactly the opposite of what we should be doing. The only way it would make sense, to me, is if there were ~ 15 Truro-sized towns along the rail line between downtown and MH.
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Right now, I know many people that do commute from Bridgewater, Windsor and Truro.
If the line were to be built only to MH, then you would see more people moving there. They would look at is as a way to get out of the downtown area, yet not have the challenges of getting to work.
Now, once enough people do that. Some people would look at the extra distance to somewhere like SH, and they would move there.
The thing the HRM needs to do is to think. They need to think about how they will grow the city sustainably, and without creating even worse gridlock.
Part of that IS rail transit. Part of it, is, as you said, Truro sized towns.
That will happen if the HMR plans for it.