Transit City Plan

[Rainforest]

The only way is if the eastern portion of the LRT on Eglinton that is to be above grade does not get built till the underground portion does so come election time Ford can make that an issue. I think the lRT at grade should be built at the same time since the above grade will get built sooner so at least those residents can see the advantages of the LRT and Ford does not hold that card in the next election - trying to bribe those residents as a vote for him means they will get subways

There is no LRT yard near Eglinton East, therefore the above grade portion cannot start operating before the tunnel portion. The yard will be near Black Creek.

 

[nfitz]

There is no LRT yard near Eglinton East, therefore the above grade portion cannot start operating before the tunnel portion. The yard will be near Black Creek.

The LRT for the SRT section at least, is fed from the yard on Sheppard East that Infrastructure Ontario had already issued an RFP for. No reason it could not feed vehicles to Eglinton East ... though that seems very unlikely given how late in the day the SRT rebuild will be.

 

[rbt]

So I had an idea today, I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, or if it's even possible, but it may be worth some discussion: Ontario Transit Bonds. Would work the same as Canada Savings Bonds, but the money would go specifically to transit infrastructure funding. Maybe make taking money from RRSPs tax free if they're being put into OTBs.

You can save several million in advertising OTBs by simply issuing a few additional standard Ontario Savings Bonds instead.

Take note that this is additional debt and will impact Ontario's credit rating.

 

[Solid Snake]

a very good article from the National Post

Http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...k-now-from-rash-decision-over-transit-future/

 

[k10ery]

Http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...k-now-from-rash-decision-over-transit-future/

That's funny I thought it was a terrible piece of "journalism". It's full of one sided evidence out of context and "some people say" and "we all know that" kind of attributions.

It's has no arguments in favour of subways by the way, just arguments against LRTs. This is no surprise. An anti-tax ideologue like Corcoran doesn't want transit investment at all. He doesn't even really want a GOVERNMENT. But that's the play we're seeing from the right wing: argue for subways because it's the best way to block doable, economically sensible transit plans.

It's a recipe for gridlock, both political and traffical.

 

[rbt]

Http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...k-now-from-rash-decision-over-transit-future/

It starts out okay but completely falls apart with this:

The same applies to the Finch line — another LRT that would, if built, remain in place as a slow-moving traffic staller for 50 years, likely longer. Subways are forever, and so are LRTs. Once in place, there will be not going back.

What a ridiculous statement to make in Toronto. We have quite a bit of experience at replacing tram lines with subway lines after 50 years of ridership growth took place.

Using that as an argument against LRT on Finch is just dumb. Sheppard has been in progress for 25 years. Finch subway isn't coming during my lifetime (I'm 30) unless there is a ton of ridership and you can't build that ridership with the current bus setup.

 

[Electrify]

Maybe one of the reasons why we've had a hard time selling LRT to some of these places is because we are using Euro-centric examples when much of the territory covered comes from Asia and Africa. Rather than point to examples in France and Germany, we should use LRT examples from Tunis, Tunisia; Antalya, Turkey; and Changchun, China.

 

[BMO]

It starts out okay but completely falls apart with this:



What a ridiculous statement to make in Toronto. We have quite a bit of experience at replacing tram lines with subway lines after 50 years of ridership growth took place.

Using that as an argument against LRT on Finch is just dumb. Sheppard has been in progress for 25 years. Finch subway isn't coming during my lifetime (I'm 30) unless there is a ton of ridership and you can't build that ridership with the current bus setup.

I think he refers to the logic of "we already paid to build it, why are we going to waste money to replace it" That's the reason why people don't want to convert the existing Sheppard subway to LRT.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

I would buy some ... even at zero interest, provided that the principal is guaranteed.

Guaranteed by whom? That's always the REAL question. Every debt repayment obligation is "guaranteed" by the issuer.

 

[Dan416]

I can't see a scenario whereby the province will want to issue a competing product to what they already offer on the market. A regional transit authority, on the other hand...well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

AoD

If only we had some kind of regional transit authority that could somehow link the metro Toronto area...

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

And so the end game of Ford's transit city is revealed, build my way (knowing none will) or I'll make sure nothing gets built at all. Brilliant!!! I wondered for a long time why the Right had taken such an interest in transit recently, I think the Sun wrote more articles on transit in the last year than it has in the past 10. He's killing transit in this city just like Harris did but going at it in a way so that he can blame his opponents for not playing by his rules...

Re. Gweed's proposal of transit bonds. I think these are brilliant and have suggested them years ago

 

[Palma]

The National post article states "A 2009 report by the consulting firm Steer Davies Gleave said it would take the Sheppard LRT 40 minutes to make its way from Morningside to the first Sheppard subway stop at Don Mills. But it might be a lot longer, it warned. “The operational reliability of the route will vary. Even with significant signal priority there will be delays in road intersections from cross-traffic, congestion and accidents"

Is this true? i do not know the east end at all so would it really take 40 min?

 

[jje1000]

The Sun is definitely pushing the propaganda now. Three articles, all within the last ten minute.

Majority of Toronto residents want Sheppard subway: Poll

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/20/majority-of-toronto-residents-want-sheppard-subway-poll

Tory support grows if Harper funds transit: Poll

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/20/tory-support-grows-if-harper-funds-transit-poll

Political risk to councillors' subway vote: Poll

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/20/political-risk-to-councillors-subway-vote-poll


Meanwhile, how do you pay for the thing?

Councillors look for way to fund subway plan

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...k-for-way-to-fund-subway-plan/article2376033/

Rob Ford allies to propose transit tax, with or without the Mayor’s support

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...ansit-tax-with-or-without-the-mayors-support/

Mayor Rob Ford’s allies suggest tax hike for subways

http://www.thestar.com/news/cityhal...rd-s-allies-suggest-tax-hike-for-subways?bn=1

 

[Palma]

And if their assumption is correct and they can raise 100million a year in taxes - that is nothing. If it costs 200-300m to get 1 station built it will take 2-3 years for 1 stop of subway.

 

[blacktrojan3921]

So jje? Both sides are guilty they're propaganda, that's what politics has always been about.