Comment 110062

By Haveacow (registered) | Posted March 09, 2015 at 11:41:54 in reply to Comment 110054

Yes large infrastructure projects can go over budget. There are better ways of management that could have done. However, the $400 million over budget in the Spadina Subway extension project for example must be thought of in the context of what that project will produce for Toronto and York Region. At the least, 50,000 more commuters a day out of their cars and taking transit instead. So far no less than $200 million worth of development at York University alone just because of this subway line and it isn't even open yet. The TTC can now redirect up to 75 buses currently taking students to York University everyday to other routes to beef up service somewhere else. Vaughn's new downtown (in York Region) will receive a big development boost. This improves the commute because now companies can locate somewhere other than downtown Toronto, that has a high density of development thus making better use of the available infrastructure and not be stuck in a empty suburban office park. In fact having a series of high density ancillary downtowns in places like North York, Scarborough and Mississauga where people can work and live have relived a lot of pressure already on downtown Toronto's over stretched infrastructure.

Hamilton is blowing away a chance at a rapid transit project that will truly be transformative for a bus garage Hamilton residents should be paying for anyway. This is truly bad planning in action, the province has said by providing Rapid Transit funding, "you handle the local buses and will give you the rapid transit to propel you forward". Doing what Hamilton appears to be doing is just a real stupid way of saying, "we don't like that plan, we don't believe in rapid transit". Now Hamilton will loose in another round of infrastructure funding and probably watch many new LRT and BRT systems start around them. The hard part of this plan is that, not only are you giving away free LRT funding, it will kill off any BRT funding for Hamilton as well. As a transit guy I can tell you that, a well designed BRT system, can also be an effective form of rapid transit, that has some operating advantages over rail systems, especially when you need to building up ridership. It all depends on how you operate your system and you take advantage of the operating technology you end up choosing. Its just plain sad!

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