The upcoming Durham Region Transit Executive Meeting agenda has been posted with
an update on the DSBRT. The PDBC is still in progress and imagine is scheduled for completion this year given other information:
It looks like the first construction of section is now going to be in Ajax (I believe Pickering was slated first before) starting hopefully the end of this calendar pending first nations consultations (the last thing to hold it up?):
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It's quite a slow moving project, but maybe this is only the infra-canada funded segments? I'll guess I'll wait to see the presentation on the 8th...
The update also has information about studying the Simcoe St rapid transit in Oshawa...and this stood out for me:
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Cable cars in Oshawa? Or are they just trying to force the BRT over LRT discussion?
Following up from the
May 8th meeting: Sadly this project is going to take well over 10 years...for a BRT. My understanding is that funding is the main issue, yet we are still at least 5 years away from any construction for segments not mentioned above. Here are some segments I thought merit discussion:
45 min:
Anyone have any insight as to why the indigenous consultations is a new process (as claimed in the meeting) and this is the first time we've done this? Because this is federally funded, I'm guessing somehow Metrolinx (or is it Durham Region?) was unaware of some federal requirement to engage indigenous population? Would that make sense?
50 minute:
They utilize the above bullet point (as it relates to existing DRT Pulse service/bus lanes) to promote the benefits of using a BRT service along Simcoe St in Oshawa, and at the same time, give an update to a BRT project that probably won't start construction for another decade (in Oshawa). One hand is saying look at all the great things we've got once we've got it...and the other is saying we aren't in a rush to build anything anytime soon. For a transit agency that has shown great latent demand this is frustrating to hear.
A bit further along, I found it funny they referenced the Portland Aerial transit system, which had
cost overruns (over 4 times initial costs), at the same time they promote cost savings from using this method (over BRT). I cannot fathom that they are actively moving forward to study this method. Another example of them looking for excuses to not move projects forward with any sense of urgency.
1hr 6 minutes:
The team shared the small sections of the DSBRT (mentioned in previous posts) are indeed the only ones funded (via Infrastructure Canada). Metrolinx is working through the PDBC which will be completed by the summer, and will need to seek funding for other sections...which at the earliest would take 5 years once it goes through treasury. This means starting construction 2029-2030 (again, best case scenario - basically unlikely as I read).
So....yes, what an incredibly slow project. Again, we're not looking at anything partially complete for another 6 years at this point...ridiculous for something that has been going on for 5 years already and that they promised portions would already be complete next year. I embarrassingly had to lookup the Eglinton crosstown dates to compare how long things take...
