Everyone, from Steve Munro and Stephen Rees to the community at the Urban Toronto Forum, seems to be talking about a very interesting article that appeared in the Globe and Mail today. Referencing the work of Professor Patrick Condon, senior researcher at the Design Centre for Sustainability, University of British Columbia, David Beers discusses some very interesting findings in the sustainability of different modes of travel.

Vancouver has a plan to extend one of their Sky Train lines from the downtown core to the University of British Columbia campus at a cost of $2.8 billion, and while this is a missing link in their network, there have been many calls to consider other technologies, such as the same European-style trams being considered for use in the City of Toronto. There’s no question that more lines could be built for the same price tag if trams are used, but the Sky Train (the next evolution of our Scarborough RT) has a speed advantage that is very difficult to ignore in today’s fast-paced society. (more…)

Are subways better for Toronto, or is light rail the way to go?

This question has polarized the community more than any other in recent memory.

Subways offer a speed and a capacity advantage, and have traditionally been the preferred choice for rapid transit construction in the city. But, modern subway lines are usually built with stations greater than 1 km apart to keep speeds up. This makes mid-block access a bit more difficult. Light Rail Transit, which proposes to run sleek, modern streetcars in transit-only lanes on the surface, offers a cost advantage and, indirectly related, a advantage in the placement of stations. Since they are less expensive and since speeds are lower anyway, LRT stations can be placed closer together. This means that it won’t be a long trek to a destination which isn’t at a main intersection.

Your ability to walk, how you rank speed and ease of access, and your opinion about how much capacity is needed will define where you stand on the endless waltz that is the LRT vs Subway debate, but one difference between the two still has the jury deliberating.

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