The future of Hamilton's public transit

[DC83]

I think Main Street in Hamilton is kind of a lost cause for creating a beautified street front.

Ummm... do u even come to Hamilton??
ANY street can be beautified (even Industrial ones like Ferguson North) with the proper planning, landscape architects, so on...
Main St IS beautiful as-is... however if can be even MORE beautiful once they either convert to Two-Way and/or add the LRT!

When you're riding on the L, what does one see? Into the 3rd/4th floors of offices??
If you're riding on the "Main St LRT", you would see that cute lil shop you've never noticed b4 b/c you were zooming by in your SUV, or that nice restaurant you never noticed b/c you were too busy yelling at the lights b/c they weren't timed to you exact preference...

Get the Point, Retro??

[flar]

Main St might not be a lost cause, but it doesn't have a cohesive streetscape. It's really a hodgepodge of various types of buildings. I can't think of any part of Main where both sides of the street match. And there are empty lots all over.

This is the best streetscape on Main, but mostly on the North side. The south is plazas,parking lots and gas stations, and further down, the north side is too.

[raisethehammer]

Flar, I respectfully disagree.
I really like the streetscape on Main in the Locke-Queen area. Also, once you head east past Victoria there is more cohesiveness with beautiful old homes that have been converted to mixed-use. Then, once you get over by the Delta until roughly Queenston Traffic Circle it is quite balanced with mixed-use buildings, schools, churches. Very few lots or parking.
You're right - downtown from John to Wellington is horrendous. Might have the worst streetscape in all of Hamilton.
In the future, it could be developed with highrise, high density buildings fronting the street.

[DC83]

The 2nd Phase of the Eastgate Terminal is getting closer to being done!!
They've got the REAL walkway from Phase 1 to the mall open now, and the foundations for the pillars to hold up the over-head "cover" are installed.
I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done.
Did we figure the over-head cover was going to be some sort of material? I forget.
I'm sad they didn't add heaters to the shelters or anything. It's frigging cold right there. And now that it's more open than the old terminal, there's nothing to block the wind :s

[SteelTown]

And where's a photo or photos of the terminal monsieur DC?!?!!?

[raisethehammer]

it's supposed to be a covered fabric walkway. can't wait to see it.
if it turns out nice, it could be a pre-cursor to an idea to have a covering on Hughson St from GO Station to Gore Park if they put the transit terminal on Hunter.

[SteelTown]

Whoa a covered Hughson St? Nice! Guess auto traffic will be eliminated on Hughson?

[SteelTown]

It would be great if a VIA station is built at James St North. Could link the new VIA station, Gore Park and GO station by Hughson St, perhaps a trolley bus only and a covered street.

[raisethehammer]

sorry..I meant covered sidewalk, not street.

[DC83]

Sorry Steeltown... I've been slacking in the phot-taking lately.
I'm going down to Copps to buy some concert tix (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), so maybe I'll take my cam.

However, when I leave for work at 5:45am (and it's still dark) it's hard enough for me to remember my pants nevermind a camera!! hahahaha

I'll do my best this week to remember. I'll put a post-it on my front door or something.

[SteelTown]

I hope when the city names the future East/West rapid transit line as the Tiger Line.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

I hope when the city names the future East/West rapid transit line as the Tiger Line.

That would working nicely when we get our Hamilton Tigers NHL team.

[DC83]

I like Bee-Line! It's classic HSR.

[raisethehammer]

check out this great presentation on LRT:

http://hamiltonlightrail.com/files/l...tion_draft.pdf

[DC83]

Wow... awesome report!
I like that it's full of pictures! I know most people tend to read reports if there's LOTS of visual aid, and people in this city are generally ingorant towards LRT (from my experiences anyway), so this will definately help them better understand.

[matt602]

Indeed that was an awesome report.

[SteelTown]

STRATEGY C.2 – DEVELOP BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

Short term
􀂃 Finalize corridor selection (under TMP)
􀂃 Introduce articulated buses on Beeline
􀂃 Develop off-board payment systems
􀂃 Develop image and marketing program for BRT
􀂃 Establish staff responsibility for planning, design and implementation
􀂃 Initiate Individual Environmental Assessment for E-W and N-S corridors

Medium Term
􀂃 Construct BRT system components (physical improvements to accommodate stops, terminals)
􀂃 Increase service levels in BRT corridors
􀂃 Initiate marketing and promotion
􀂃 Design and implement feeder services

Longer Term
􀂃 Increase degree of segregation between cars and buses, while ensuring
emergency vehicles.
􀂃 Continued increase in frequencies
􀂃 Investigate conversion of BRT to electric power trolley bus or LRT

[SteelTown]

You can read the Transit Service Enhancements Implementation Plan now. It's under COW and also under there is the proposal o raise bus fares to $2.40.

[SteelTown]

Initial Bus Rapid Transit Implementation

East-West Lower City (14 km @$1 M/km)) Short term $14,000,000

Central North-South Corridor (6.5 km @$10 M/km) Medium term $65,000,000

East-West Mountain (14 km @ $5 M/km) Long term $70,000,000

Other Corridors Long term $10,000,000

Sub-total $159,000,000

[raisethehammer]

great. we're raising bus fares to get new routes that will run for 6 hours a day.
awesome.
why don't we close off the on-ramps to red hill for 18 hours a day and see how effective that is for people?