News   Apr 26, 2024
Sustainability Month: ReHousing — A Multiplex How-To Guide Explores What’s Possible in the Yellowbelt
 1.7K     4 
News   Apr 26, 2024
Mattamy's Soleil and Mile & Creek Condos in Milton’s Flourishing Landscape
 392     0 
News   Apr 26, 2024
Galleria on the Park Soon to Welcome First Residents of Masterplanned Community
 984     1 

Metrolinx $55 Billion Plan

President-elect Obama responds to Transportation For America

President-elect Barack Obama letter outlining his thoughts on transportation and infrastructure (for equivalent Canadian dollars, divide by 10):

Dear Friends,

I appreciate the opportunity to share a few thoughts with the members of Transportation for America about our nation’s transportation future. Thank you for sending me your petition, and for supporting investment in infrastructure.

You’ve hit on one of the central challenges facing America now – how to convert this moment of crisis into a moment of opportunity. And I think you’ve identified an important part of the answer as well. Our economy is slowing down, we need to stimulate it. Jobs are disappearing; we need to create new ones. At the same time, our infrastructure is crumbling and we need to rebuild it.

Now is the time to invest in our future and strengthen our core infrastructure. You said we must build to compete in the global economy and fix what’s broken, and I agree. I’ll put two million more Americans to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges and transit systems – because it is time to build an American infrastructure for the 21st century. Early in this campaign, I had already proposed creating a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank, funded with $60 billion over 10 years, to expand and enhance, not replace, existing federal transportation investments. Now, with unemployment rising, these investments are even more important.

You said we need to invest in green technology, and I agree. I will invest $150 billion over the next decade in renewable sources of energy to create five million new, green jobs – jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and fuel- efficient cars; jobs that will help us end our dependence on oil from Middle East dictators.

I support Amtrak funding and the development of high-speed freight and passenger rail networks across the country. As you may know, I cosponsored the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act in the U.S. Senate, and supported the successful effort to get this important legislation to the President’s desk this year. And I’m pleased that the President signed this bill into law just last week. I will also re-commit federal resources to public mass transportation projects across the country. I’ve worked to improve transportation access to jobs for people with lower incomes since my time in the Illinois State Senate, and I will continue this work as President. And I will further promote transit by creating incentives for transit usage that are equal to the current incentives for driving.

As you know, all of these measures will have significant environmental and metropolitan planning advantages and help diversify our nation’s transportation infrastructure. Everyone benefits if we can leave our cars, walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives. I agree that we can stop wasteful spending and save Americans money, and as president, I will re- evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account.

I will build upon my efforts in the Senate to ensure that more Metropolitan Planning Organizations create policies to incentivize greater bicycle and pedestrian usage of roads and sidewalks. And as president, I will work to provide states and local governments with the resources they need to address sprawl and create more livable communities.

I encourage you to look at my positions and record versus those of Senator McCain. He has consistently fought federal support for Amtrak, including a vote against the package containing the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act that even President Bush was willing to sign this week. For decades in the Senate and as Chairman of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee, McCain opposed capital funding for Amtrak time and time again and wanted to dismantle Amtrak entirely.

My running mate Joe Biden and I will provide better leadership that supports the priorities of your members, and we hope to have your votes on November 4th. Thank you again for the opportunity to share these thoughts with the members of Transportation for America. Together, we can create the changes we seek.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
Click to expand...
 
Edward said:
Joe Biden commutes to Washington by train. He gets it.
Click to expand...

I have often thought that it would be great PR for all GTA MPPs to proclaim that they would commute by GO or TTC to Queen's Park at least, say, 50% of the time. Not only would that resonate well with the "common man commuter" (ie. he does get it because he lives what we live) but it would also give them a real opportunity to converse with their constituents.

I know that if anyone made that small promise in my riding...they would get my vote!

Good for Joe!
 
W. K. Lis said:
President-elect Barack Obama letter outlining his thoughts on transportation and infrastructure (for equivalent Canadian dollars, divide by 10):
Click to expand...

60 billion over 10 years for infrastructure. The Conservative government here has budgeted 33 billion over 7 years (till 2014). And our infrastructure is in better shape than theirs.

http://www.buildingcanada-chantierscanada.gc.ca/plandocs/booklet-livret/booklet-livret02-eng.html

Arguably, we could do better on developing alternate sources of energy. 150 billion over 10 years under the Obama plan would translate to 1.5 billion a year in Canada. But given our well developed Hydro and Nuclear power sectors, we are already ahead with a larger share of our energy mix coming from non-hydrocarbon sources.
 
kEiThZ said:
60 billion over 10 years for infrastructure. The Conservative government here has budgeted 33 billion over 7 years (till 2014). And our infrastructure is in better shape than theirs.
Click to expand...
Only in Canada would NOT charging other levels of government (i.e. municipalities) a sales tax (the GST) be considered an infrastructure funding program.
 
DavidH said:
Only in Canada would NOT charging other levels of government (i.e. municipalities) a sales tax (the GST) be considered an infrastructure funding program.
Click to expand...

But that money is being spent on infrastructure. Like or not, our governments at all levels are getting more done on this file than the US president-elect wishes to do. We should at least proud of that.
 
Media Advisory - Metrolinx announces Big Bus Purchase

TORONTO, Dec. 11 /CNW/ - Metrolinx will announce the largest cooperative bus purchase in Ontario history. Please join Rob MacIsaac, Chair of Metrolinx at an event awarding three bus procurement contracts that promise to stimulate jobs in the Canadian the manufacturing, operations and maintenance sectors.

DATE Wednesday, December 17, 2008
TIME 10 a.m.
LOCATION Parks Canada Discovery Centre
57 Guise Street, East
Hamilton, ON
 
Kiwi said:
Media Advisory - Metrolinx announces Big Bus Purchase
Click to expand...
Specifically, this is the awarding of contracts for this year's round of the provincial Joint Procurement Initiative, which was an MTO program but transitioned to Metrolinx earlier this year. It's a program that allows local agencies to combine their orders together in order to get a better price than they would otherwise get. Nobody is forced to use this program, and the list of agencies below shows that some big hitters (TTC, Mississauga, Brampton, OC Transpo, etc) are not participants. This year will be the third year that it has been available to agencies.

Here's some details on what was in the RFPs issued earlier this year. Of course, we don't know whether any of the numbers have changed since that time, given that agencies do have the right to drop out and numbers may have changed through discussions.

>30 foot low floor Urban Diesel Transit Busses

For approx. 6 Ontario communities* for purchase in 2009 with an option to extend into 2010

*Barrie, Cobourg, Durham Region, London, Sarnia, and York Region

Projected Purchases of 30 foot in 2009: 41
Projected Purchases of 30 foot in 2010: 24

>40 foot low floor Urban Diesel Transit Busses

For approx. 7 Ontario communities* for purchase in 2009 with an option to extend into 2010

*Barrie, Burlington, Durham Region, Elliot Lake, Hamilton, North Bay and York Region

Projected Purchases of 40 foot in 2009: 108 - 118
Projected Purchases of 40 foot in 2010: 83 - 93

I'm not sure that this is as significant as the press release claims - these buses would have been ordered anyway whether or not this program existed. The agencies are simply getting a better price and arguably, a betters spot in the production queue, than they would have gotten by ordering independently. The comment about "stimulating jobs" seems to be spin more than anything.

Now, if economic stimulus is a serious concern, the federal government may want to consider providing funding to allow agencies to accelerate retirement of older buses. That would move purchases up into the near term and - provided that the manufacturers have capacity - help out on the job front. Rationally, this would have to come from the feds because the manufacturers are located across Canada.
 
Last edited:
It'll include 18 hybrid 60-foot buses as well for Hamilton's A and B-Line. This will let the B-Line consist entirely of the long 60-foot buses, instead of the current mix of long and regular buses.
 
I wonder why the TTC, MT and BT didn't participate? I know at least MT buys buses nearly every year, so why not take advantage of this program?
 
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/554335

Metrolinx to fast-track airport link

GO Transit relinquishes control of transit project
Dec 16, 2008 04:30 AM

Metrolinx is taking control of the proposed rail link between Union Station and Pearson International Airport, removing the controversial project from GO Transit's jurisdiction.

The project has been stalled for years, stuck between downtown policy planners and opposition from Weston residents on the Georgetown GO line, who would see increased rail traffic that they fear would split the neighbourhood.

"We're going to be meeting with the communities all along the corridor and we're going to be looking at the preliminary studies that have been done on the previous project, so we will not be starting from scratch," said Colleen Bell, Metrolinx's manager of community relations.

Ontario's Ministry of Transportation ordered the move.

It permits Metrolinx – the provincial agency charged with integrating regional transportation – to utilize a faster environmental assessment process designed for transit projects.

A "Transit Environmental Assessment" would begin next spring and take six months – much less than the original process.

But Mike Sullivan, chair of the Weston Community Coalition, a group founded to oppose the project, still has reservations.

He said Metrolinx should use electric trains instead of diesel, bury the tracks in tunnels through residential neighbourhoods, and make local stops instead of running express to the airport.
 
Coruscanti Cognoscente said:
I wonder why the TTC, MT and BT didn't participate? I know at least MT buys buses nearly every year, so why not take advantage of this program?
Click to expand...

MT Gets a better deal as well delivery time since they buy 40+ for 40' per year as well 60'.

TTC IS Marry to Orion and don't want a divorce considering they have a bad partner who is taking they for a ride.

BT just place a 3 year order to NFI
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top