No kidding.
Miss will not be able to get any PPP funding to build an at grade LRT. There is a lot of money out there from investors when it comes to PPP as they are seen as a reliable, stable investment when the stock markets and economy are in a precarious state. That, however, is not the case except in limited stop airport routes where upkeep is relatively low or when the systems are totally grade separated. Grade separation allows for automated trains which reduces the largest single operating cost of any new system....labour.
This is why Vancouver's Canada and Evergreen lines were successful in getting large chunks from the private sector for rapid transit construction. If the system were to even have one level crossing that would mean no automation and much higher operating costs. Extentions of lines are very problematic for PPP as revenue calculations are more difficult and less beneficial to the citys themselves. This is why the Boradway subway/Millenium line western expansion to UBC will not use a PPP.
Miss could get private money but would require a grade separated system.
Also..............why the hell does the city have to do an enviornmental assessment for UP Link when it is already going down a rail corridor and all they are doing is putting up electrical polls? What an obscene waste of time and money. Toronto and Metrolinx seem to use enviornmental assessments as a way to put off decision making for a few years. Vancouver's entire 18km Millenium line had only a 3 month enviornmental assessment.
This 'second phase" of the Big Move is good politics but the building of phase one only just started. It's very easy, as Metrolinx and the TTC know well, to make announcements and put pretty lines on a brand new map at a media event but they mean nothing. It's just more talk and nothing will get done until they find the money, have solid deadlines, and realistic budgets none of which is forthcoming. No one in Toronto expects these things to get done which is a good thing because they won't for atleast 30 years. It's this little thing called money that keeps getting in the way.
Ya gotta love that piece about Miss having to probably cancel their LRT because Hazel and friends don't want to push for the tax increases needed to build it. The article made them look short sighted but Toronto isn't willing to contribute one nickel for their LRT lines. Why should the people of Miss have to tolerate tax increases to fund their LRT when they can just get Queen's Park to pay for it like Toronto.
Untill the city, councillors, and citizens stop abbrogating their responsibilities of actually paying for their own infrastructure, Toronto will continue on with it's stellar rapid transit expansion of the last 30 years and much smaller Vancouver and Calgary will pass the TTC by.
