ShonTron
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- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
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- Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
But Hazel wants more parking....
From the Star:
A $100M plan to ease gridlock in 2 years or less
Aug 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter
The region's new transportation authority is urging Queen's Park to put rubber to the road and fund $100 million worth of quick-start transit projects that could be implemented within two years.
Among the proposals:
Bike racks on all buses.
Installing 1,000 weatherproof bike lockers across the region.
A new transit terminal in Markham.
Creating an online trip planner service to make it easier to use transit across city borders, plus a "carbon footprint" calculator.
Expanded GO train and bus service on the Lakeshore, Milton and Georgetown lines.
With a provincial election looming, the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority wants the government to commit to seven such proposals.
Getting them off the ground signals that the GTTA understands the urgency of reducing congestion on Toronto area roads, said chair Rob MacIsaac.
"We really want to show people we're moving quickly. We want to make a difference to people travelling throughout the region," he said in Mississauga yesterday.
The priority projects would all be implemented within two years and represent only a fraction of the Liberal government's $12 billion commitment to regional transit by 2020.
Some of the proposed projects, such as the transit expansion, were already on the books. If Queen's Park funds the GTTA's recommendations, those improvements would move up the list.
Other proposals, such as the plan to install bike lockers, are new.
The lockers could be made compatible with the Presto "smartcard" the GTTA is launching, which will allow users to travel easily across the various regional transit authorities without having to pay an array of fares.
"If this $12 billion is for real, then $100 million can be for real right now," York Region Chair Bill Fisch told the board.
Although it has no capital budget of its own, the GTTA has approved spending $1.5 million out of its $8 million operating budget to design two Web-based tools it says would improve customer service.
The online trip-planner would allow riders to plan the best cross-border routes and connections when they are travelling between the region's various transit services. And a personal carbon footprint calculator would raise their awareness of the impact of their travel choices.
The projects have been designated as priorities following a meeting last month in which transit authorities from around the region presented their individual wish-lists to the GTTA.
But some board members didn't agree entirely with the rushed list.
Durham Region Chair Roger Anderson noted that none of the recommendations extended into his region, and he disagreed with cycling initiatives.
"I understand the quick-win scenario, but if you've got $1.8 million to spend I think you can find something better to spend it on than bike racks," he said.
He added that the expansion of Hamilton municipal bus service to that city's airport does not qualify as a regional initiative.
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion also argued that if the GTTA is going to expedite GO Transit expansions, then more parking at GO stations needs to be part of the plan.
But Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger told the board it was fitting that the GTTA's first outing focus on transit rather than cars.
Several projects that did not make the quick-win list include kickstarting certain bus and rail rapid transit projects that are on the agenda for the coming decade.
The include bus links to Hamilton and GO Transit for the underserved Waterdown area; and new VIVA/GO terminals at Concord and Unionville.
Meanwhile, the GTTA approved studying a proposal to move Toronto's intercity coach terminal from Bay and Dundas Sts. to a Harbour St. site south of Union Station.
Toronto Councillor Norm Kelly has replaced Councillor Brian Ashton as the city's other political representative on the GTTA.
From the Star:
A $100M plan to ease gridlock in 2 years or less
Aug 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter
The region's new transportation authority is urging Queen's Park to put rubber to the road and fund $100 million worth of quick-start transit projects that could be implemented within two years.
Among the proposals:
Bike racks on all buses.
Installing 1,000 weatherproof bike lockers across the region.
A new transit terminal in Markham.
Creating an online trip planner service to make it easier to use transit across city borders, plus a "carbon footprint" calculator.
Expanded GO train and bus service on the Lakeshore, Milton and Georgetown lines.
With a provincial election looming, the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority wants the government to commit to seven such proposals.
Getting them off the ground signals that the GTTA understands the urgency of reducing congestion on Toronto area roads, said chair Rob MacIsaac.
"We really want to show people we're moving quickly. We want to make a difference to people travelling throughout the region," he said in Mississauga yesterday.
The priority projects would all be implemented within two years and represent only a fraction of the Liberal government's $12 billion commitment to regional transit by 2020.
Some of the proposed projects, such as the transit expansion, were already on the books. If Queen's Park funds the GTTA's recommendations, those improvements would move up the list.
Other proposals, such as the plan to install bike lockers, are new.
The lockers could be made compatible with the Presto "smartcard" the GTTA is launching, which will allow users to travel easily across the various regional transit authorities without having to pay an array of fares.
"If this $12 billion is for real, then $100 million can be for real right now," York Region Chair Bill Fisch told the board.
Although it has no capital budget of its own, the GTTA has approved spending $1.5 million out of its $8 million operating budget to design two Web-based tools it says would improve customer service.
The online trip-planner would allow riders to plan the best cross-border routes and connections when they are travelling between the region's various transit services. And a personal carbon footprint calculator would raise their awareness of the impact of their travel choices.
The projects have been designated as priorities following a meeting last month in which transit authorities from around the region presented their individual wish-lists to the GTTA.
But some board members didn't agree entirely with the rushed list.
Durham Region Chair Roger Anderson noted that none of the recommendations extended into his region, and he disagreed with cycling initiatives.
"I understand the quick-win scenario, but if you've got $1.8 million to spend I think you can find something better to spend it on than bike racks," he said.
He added that the expansion of Hamilton municipal bus service to that city's airport does not qualify as a regional initiative.
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion also argued that if the GTTA is going to expedite GO Transit expansions, then more parking at GO stations needs to be part of the plan.
But Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger told the board it was fitting that the GTTA's first outing focus on transit rather than cars.
Several projects that did not make the quick-win list include kickstarting certain bus and rail rapid transit projects that are on the agenda for the coming decade.
The include bus links to Hamilton and GO Transit for the underserved Waterdown area; and new VIVA/GO terminals at Concord and Unionville.
Meanwhile, the GTTA approved studying a proposal to move Toronto's intercity coach terminal from Bay and Dundas Sts. to a Harbour St. site south of Union Station.
Toronto Councillor Norm Kelly has replaced Councillor Brian Ashton as the city's other political representative on the GTTA.