Articles from January, 2015

Vancouver's Extraordinary Transportation Statistics
Vancouver's traffic outcome is the predictable result of a deliberate policy to change the context in which people make transportation choices.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 30, 2015 in Special Report: Walkable Streets (50 comments)

City Councillors: Think Like a Mayor
I would hope every city councillor has at least an inkling of ambition to be mayor of the whole city. With that ambition in mind, now is the time to practice having a city-wide focus.
by Frances Murray
Published January 30, 2015 in Commentary (23 comments)

Unraveling the Question of Who Subsidizes Whom
The opportunity for councillors like Whitehead, who persist in driving a wedge between the downtown and the suburbs, is to recognize that a thriving downtown serves the best interests of his constituents.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 30, 2015 in Downtown Bureau (36 comments)

Merulla to Introduce Motion to End Area Rating for Transit
Councillor Sam Merulla is challenging his Council colleagues to address a long-standing failure of amalgamation by ending area rating for transit.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 28, 2015 in Special Report: Transit (15 comments)

Throw Council on the Bus
A cheeky new campaign is collecting pledges to encourage Councillors to commute by transit for a week.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 28, 2015 in Special Report: Transit (34 comments)

Protecting Pollinator Health in Ontario: Neonicotinoids and Bee Deaths
Ontarians have good reason to be concerned over the increasing number of bee deaths and the overall decrease in numbers of our native pollinators - deaths linked to the use of neonicotinoids (NNI), a relatively new class of systemic pesticides.
by Beatrice Ekwa Ekoko
Published January 28, 2015 in Commentary (16 comments)

New Video: Downtown Hamilton, The Revival
The City of Hamilton's Department of Planning and Economic Development has produced a sylish new video, the first in a series promoting the city's downtown revival by sharing the stories of its champions.
by RTH Staff
Published January 28, 2015 in Downtown Bureau (8 comments)

Mayor, Premier Out of Sync on Rapid Transit Funding Commitment
I really want to believe the Province is acting in good faith on the LRT file. However, if they are just being prudent there seem to be less confusing ways to go about it.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 27, 2015 in Special Report: Light Rail (27 comments)

Let's Go Dutch Part IV: Ontvlechting
An important but problematic cycling connection in Hamilton could be fixed easily with wayfaring signage at each end and a curb cut.
by Kevin Love
Published January 26, 2015 in Special Report: Cycling (6 comments)

Mayor Fred's 'Ransom' Video: A Small Example of a Bigger Problem
It's time to raise the bar for our leaders since too many of them seem unwilling to raise the bar for themselves. We need to sweat the small stuff.
by Graham Crawford
Published January 26, 2015 in Special Report: Creative City (31 comments)

Road Rage and Inclusive Streets
As a driver I would find traffic calming measures inconvenient. As a parent I say bring on the speed bumps, the bump-outs, the pedestrian-activated signals.
by Michelle Martin
Published January 26, 2015 in Belonging (26 comments)

How Area Rating Transit Taxation Affects Decisions on Transit
If we take the stand that paying for a service gets you a vote and rebalance the votes to suit that notion, we come to a very interesting point of view.
by James Arlen
Published January 26, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (11 comments)

Salvage Something from Bus Lane Removal
We can't go back to a five-lane highway west of Locke. It is simply too dangerous.
by Jason Leach
Published January 24, 2015 in Special Report: Walkable Streets (30 comments)

Making Transit Free Could Unite Hamilton
Free transit could be the ticket to community building, contributing to economic equality, and benefiting both the economy and ecology.
by Sean Hurley
Published January 24, 2015 in Special Report: Transit (17 comments)

Sooner or Later, Council Will Have to Confront Reality
Better days are still ahead for Hamilton. I just wish it didn't feel like a majority of Council was a millstone for us to drag there.
by Rob Fiedler
Published January 23, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (28 comments)

Hand to Mouth: Stark Poverty Memoir Challenges Middle-Class Sensibilities
While I was fairly familiar with the research into the causes and effects of poverty, Linda Tirado's narrative brought the day to day reality into stark relief.
by Jason Allen
Published January 23, 2015 in Reviews (4 comments)

Council Answers Civic Engagement with Hypocrisy and Contempt
Such flagrant disrespect for civic engagement makes it almost impossible to figure out how to organize a campaign that would effectively get Council's attention on an important issue.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published January 23, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (28 comments)

Councillors Must Move Beyond Divisive Self-Interest
Division breeds fear, contempt, and stagnation. Collaboration engenders progress, a sense of collective well-being and community.
by Myra Leyden
Published January 23, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (3 comments)

Struggling to Understand Councillor VanderBeek's Bus Lane Vote
VanderBeek argued correctly that precipitous decisions should be avoided. Yet by voting to dismantle the current lane, she helped foreclose a number of options that might have been chosen after the kind of careful consideration she was calling for.
by Andrew Muller
Published January 22, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (14 comments)

Movies that Foster Gender Equity, Part 2
Women have a wealth of knowledge and life experience. Telling their stories through movies is one way to help foster positive attitudes of gender equality.
by Doreen Nicoll
Published January 22, 2015 in Healing Gaia (2 comments)

Hamilton Has an Auto-Immune Disorder
We need leaders who can lead. Last night, Council chose not to lead.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 22, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (76 comments)

Bus Lane is Dead, But Hamilton is Alive
The bus lane decision should have deflated me. But it only solidified my belief in the character and passion of the people living in Hamilton.
by Sean Meister
Published January 22, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (11 comments)

Great Public Transit a Win for Everyone
Let's increase our tax base, attract new residents, and provide great public transit to all our citizens.
by Myra Leyden
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (13 comments)

Bus Lane Cheat Sheet
To help provide clarity to people who are still confused or unsure about it, here is a boiled-down list of facts about the bus lane.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (7 comments)

Abandoning Bus Lane Sends Poor Message About City Priorities
The bus lane debate has come to represent something more fundamental: a question over vision and whether we want to move towards a more sustainable community and livable downtown or whether downtown Hamilton's streets will remain prioritized for automobil
by Kieran C. Dickson
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (0 comments)

Collins Explains Opposition to Bus Lane
In an email to a resident, Councillor Chad Collins says he opposes the 2-kilometre bus lane because he doesn't know how it would be extended farther east.
by RTH Staff
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (11 comments)

Most Hamiltonians Support Keeping, Improving Bus Lane: Independent Survey
A new survey found 53 percent of Hamiltonians support keeping the bus lane and 67 percent support keeping the bus lane and making the staff-recommended modifications to mitigate problems with the lane.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (2 comments)

Let Us Not Step Backwards on Transit
There will always be growing pains, but changes such as the bus lane are necessary steps to giving Hamilton a better, bigger, and brighter future.
by Hollie Pocsai
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (1 comment)

Debating the Bus Lane with Councillor Whitehead
We've had the goal of doubling per capita transit use for years and have done nothing about it.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (9 comments)

The Choice Our Leaders Face
Why spend money to move backward when the same amount spent to move us forward will accomplish much, much more?
by Sean Burak
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (12 comments)

Make Your Voice Heard: Support Hamilton Transit and the Bus Lane
None of the claims of bus lane opponents stand up to scrutiny.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 21, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (3 comments)

On Transit, Hamilton Feels Like the Dark Ages
We need to build infrastructure for the city we want to be, not the one we think we are now.
by Sean Meister
Published January 20, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (4 comments)

Whitehead's Bus Lane Survey is a Methodological Swamp
When you combine bad data with misrepresentation of the sort that Whitehead has been engaging in, it becomes more difficult for our elected leaders to make well-informed decisions.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 20, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (6 comments)

Downtown Parking and Our Vision for Hamilton
The real paradox to parking in a downtown core is that there can never be enough desirable spots.
by Chris Higgins
Published January 20, 2015 in Downtown Bureau (6 comments)

Sherman Cut: A Survival Kit for Motorist and Pedestrian
If this preamble is menacing, that may be because it's the first of a planned series on the more extreme motoring challenges to be found in the Hamilton area.
by Mark Fenton
Published January 20, 2015 in Photo Essay (5 comments)

Support Bus Lane to Reduce Premature Death
The King Street Transit Lane is an important step toward saving the lives of 112 of Hamilton's citizens every year.
by Kevin Love
Published January 20, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (7 comments)

Both King and Main Had High Collision Totals in 2014
The fact that both Main and King had higher collision totals in 2014 than in previous years strongly suggests that the bump had more to do with our long, hard winter than with the bus lane.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 19, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (6 comments)

My First Experience Using Hamilton Bike Share
All in all, my first experience using Hamilton Bike Share was fantastic: convenient access, easy operation and a very comfortable ride.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 19, 2015 in Special Report: Cycling (20 comments)

Let City Council Hear Your Support for the Bus Lane
Please sign this petition in support of the bus lane and let City Council hear you loud and clear!
by Meg Smith
Published January 17, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (33 comments)

The Person On The Bus: A Call to Organize Transit Riders and Supporters
I hope the users and riders and supporters of transit in Hamilton can band together, and organize, so that our voice can be better heard.
by Craig Burley
Published January 17, 2015 in Events (12 comments)

King Street Business Owner: Bus Lane First Step to a Brighter Future
We believe that a more fully integrated and efficient transit system is a priority for Hamilton, and that the bus lane is a positive first step towards realizing that.
by Christopher Godwaldt
Published January 17, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (3 comments)

Bus Lane Benefits Outweigh Inconveniences
I support a city where non-vehicle transit becomes an increasingly significant portion of this city.
by Steve Dykstra
Published January 16, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (14 comments)

Recorded Votes for Bus Lane Motions
The text and standing recorded vote for each bus lane motion brought forward at the Wednesday, January 14, 2015 General Issues Committee meeting.
by RTH Staff
Published January 16, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (8 comments)

A Pedestrian's View of King Street in the International Village
Thanks to the effect of 'platooning', people have very different experiences on our lower city one-way arterials depending on whether they are inside or outside a car.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 16, 2015 in Special Report: Walkable Streets (28 comments)

Some Good News in Business on King Street
While some long-time business owners are fingering the bus lane for lost sales, new businesses are opening along the route and developers are investing in renovations.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 16, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (27 comments)

We Now Have a Transit Director Who Supports Transit
Without overstepping his bounds, David Dixon modeled precisely the kind of leadership on transit that Council needs to adopt if Hamilton is to achieve prosperity.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 15, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (31 comments)

Think of the Next 100 Years, Not the Next Four
We can't achieve the increased tax revenue that comes from intensification without supplying the services required by these new taxpayers.
by Frances Murray
Published January 15, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (7 comments)

Movies that Foster Gender Equity
These movies help move us closer to breaking down female stereotypes while creating a much more equitable image of women.
by Doreen Nicoll
Published January 15, 2015 in Healing Gaia (4 comments)

Freelton Antique Mall: Eccentric, Exquisite and Eclectic Canadiana
This market is a kind of clearing house for a broad assortment of material cultural debris that makes up our shared Canadian history and identity. What was once marginal or mundane has become magnificent and coveted.
by Margaret Lindsay Holton
Published January 15, 2015 in Arts and Music (2 comments)

Bus Lane Question Should Be: How Do We Fix It?
We need a solution that works for everyone. We can't just ignore the needs of transit riders just like we can't ignore the needs of drivers or businesses.
by Martin Zarate
Published January 14, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (29 comments)

If a Change is Gonna Come, We Have to Work For It
The struggles of the civil rights movement epitomized by Selma, the treatment of Indigenous women in Canada, and the plight of millions of women worldwide are intersecting at the point of inherent patriarchal power and control.
by Doreen Nicoll
Published January 13, 2015 in Healing Gaia (3 comments)

Theatre Review: Romeo + Juliet
Stark, minimalist sets, strong acting, effective choreography and entertaining production combine to make this a performance definitely worth seeing.
by Mackenzie Kristjon Jenkyns
Published January 13, 2015 in Reviews (3 comments)

Council's Bus Lane Choice: Fear or Vision
Council's choice is between retreating into a status quo we know we cannot afford to sustain or taking a small but meaningful step toward achieving its own vision for the city.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 13, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (7 comments)

No Strong Case Against Bus Lane
It seems some councillors would rather plug their ears and ignore the facts presented to them than recognize the real benefits of the transit-only lane.
by Ian Reynolds
Published January 13, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (3 comments)

Bus Lane a Small Step Toward the City's Vision
Council's role is to represent everyone's needs, plan for the future and carry out its approved vision.
by Jason Leach
Published January 13, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (0 comments)

City Hall Needs 'Compensation' for Making a Downtown Street Vibrant: The Latest in Red Tape
It's time for Council to send a strong message that cubicle thinking is no longer City Hall thinkingby removing these absurd "compensation" fees.
by Joey Coleman
Published January 12, 2015 in Commentary (2 comments)

Double Standard at Play in Transportation Outrage
The convenience of middle-class car commuters on King is being prioritized above the mobility of an equal number of bus commuters.
by Matthew Sweet
Published January 12, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (3 comments)

Bus Lanes Supports Cleaner Air
I'm grateful for the opportunity to use a transportation option that is better for the environment in which my family and I live.
by Joshua Weresch
Published January 12, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (1 comment)

Standing Up to the Power of Power: A Demonstration Against Bill Cosby
Anne Bokma is organizing a demonstration tonight against Bill Cosby on behalf of the 30 women who say he has sexually assaulted them.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 09, 2015 in Events (29 comments)

Approve and Improve the Bus Lane
Killing the bus lane would be deeply unfair to the thousands of Hamiltonians who rely on it and demonstrate that Hamilton is not serious about improving transit or planning for the effective transportation our city needs.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published January 09, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (5 comments)

James North Road Reconstruction a Missed Opportunity to Add Bike Lanes
Every time we reconstruct a road, we need to challenge the unspoken assumption that the default status-quo allocation of scarce right-of-way is the best way to use that public space.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 09, 2015 in Special Report: Cycling (12 comments)

Council Should Support Bus Lane
I fear a future with much greater than five-minute delays to commutes along our downtown corridors (and elsewhere) if we don't support and improve the bus lane.
by Andrew Pettit
Published January 08, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (23 comments)

Bus Lane Foes Double Down on Decline
Collins and Whitehead want to sacrifice the enormous promise of high-quality rapid transit just so that drivers can roar through a ghostly downtown core a few minutes faster.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 08, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (22 comments)

More on the Infamous Hamilton Tobogganing Bylaw
Despite the public outrage at City policymakers, this is an uphill battle for them no matter which way they turn.
by Zachary Strong
Published January 08, 2015 in Commentary (11 comments)

Staff Report Recommends Keeping Bus Lane, Addressing Concerns
The report recommends keeping the lane and making changes to improve overall traffic flow, provide transit signal priority and restore curbside parking on the north curb west of Bay Street.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 07, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (18 comments)

Planting Trees to Deter Tobogganing Makes the Hill More Dangerous
Would it not be preferable to address liability issues by seeking to prevent injuries, rather than create situations where they are more likely to happen?
by Zachary Strong
Published January 07, 2015 in Opinion (0 comments)

A Pedestrian's View of Main Street West
As long as Main Street continues to be five lanes of roaring high-speed automobile traffic, none of the elements of a pleasant, human-friendly environment will be possible to achieve.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 07, 2015 in Special Report: Walkable Streets (20 comments)

Five Years Later, HSR Operational Review Transit Recommendations Mostly Ignored
Here we are five years later, when the recommendations should have already been implemented. Instead, this fantastic report that was paid for with our tax dollars has been almost completely ignored.
by Jason Leach
Published January 07, 2015 in Special Report: Bus Lane (20 comments)

Light Rail and Citywide Transit Improvement Support Each Other
We can - and should - be ramping up the discussion about LRT while also pursuing the city-wide transit improvements that staff already identified and Council approved (in principle) when it approved the Rapid Ready plan.
by Ryan McGreal
Published January 05, 2015 in Special Report: Light Rail (94 comments)

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