No, it wasn’t an elaborate April Fools Day joke…

On April 1st, the Government of Ontario announced funding a collection of transit projects across the GTHA. While many of the projects are in the central parts of the region, and there has been some criticism of this fact, these are the projects that are closest groundbreaking – some will see construction start next year. We can’t forget that we need to build a region-wide network, but we need to start somewhere.

Here’s what was announced: (more…)

When the budget dropped last week I began to wonder why the province hadn’t been very specific on which transit projects were going to be funded. Usually they are very specific and it made me wonder if something big was coming down the pipe…

Today the Province introduced The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Transit Implementation Act, which makes very important changes to Metrolinx, GO Transit, and potentially transit across the region. This proposed law, which has passed first reading in the legislature, has (according to the press release), a few key elements: (more…)

DRL Map by C. Livett, adapted from Network 2011 DRL plan

On Wednesday, Toronto city council voted to study the possibility of fast-tracking construction of the long-dormant Downtown Relief Line — perhaps even putting it ahead of plans for extending the Yonge line further north. Not only was the Yonge North extension approved in principle with previous conditions attached, but council also moved to study the Downtown Relief Line in detail and suggest having it moved from Metrolinx’s 25 year plan to the 15 year plan.

And they want to replace the technical name ”Downtown Relief Line” with something more imaginative and marketable. Ideas, anyone?

According to an article in the National Post, Councillor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), who proposed asking Metrolinx to review its priorities, said the downtown relief line might be a solution to the overcrowding that is expected to result from extending the Yonge line north.

“The residents of Toronto deserve better, the riders of the TTC deserve better,” said Mr. Thompson. “From a perspective of cost, the downtown relief line is cheaper, it is more efficient, it provides a utility that is needed.”

Over at Spacing Toronto, Sean Marshall wrote an article noting the opposition within the TTC to the Yonge extension and staffers’ views that the DRL should be “a last resort”. However, with the Yonge extension becoming a more likely reality, if the DRL is already in place when the Yonge extension is completed, it would relieve future overcrowding on the Yonge line as a result of the new stops. As well, the new subway line would put off or even altogether negate the need for an expensive and awkward second renovation of Bloor-Yonge station, the worst bottleneck in the subway system, and relieve crowded streetcar routes on Queen and King. (more…)

Metrolinx has posted the final version of the Regional Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy on their website. The Plan goes before the board this Friday for approval. The meeting will be held at the Metro Convention Centre, November 28 at 10:00 a.m.

Links, so you don’t have to dig through the agenda:

• Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan (Final)
• 15 Year Map
• 25 Year Map
• 2009/2010 and Five-Year Capital Investment Plan
• There is also an interesting report on the Cost of Congestion in the GTHA

Disappointed that the deadline to comment on the draft regional transportation plan on the Metrolinx website has passed? Still have a lot to say but worried your comments will fall upon deaf ears? Feel like the train has already left the station?

I’m listening!

In November of 2008, Metrolinx appointed me to sit on their Regional Transportation Plan Citizens Advisory Committee – a group of 18 community leaders tasked with analyzing the public consultation process, engaging in dialogue with the public, and providing advice to the Metrolinx Board of Directors. For the past year I’ve been faithfully fulfilling my duty by closely following the conversations on Metronauts, Urban Toronto, the Canadian Public Transportation Discussion Board and dozens of other sites and blogs for interesting ideas and opinions to bring to the people who have the power to implement them. It has shaped the Regional Transportation Plan in many ways already, and there are still opportunities for that to continue as we move towards final approval and implementation.

If you have any ideas, comments or suggestions that haven’t been brought to the attention of Metrolinx staff though open houses or on the Metrolinx site, post a comment on this post or send me an email at andrae (at) gttavisions (dot) com. The Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan consultation efforts have set a new standard for how the public can be engaged in the planning process, and we can only hope that policy-makers at other agencies take note. But, in the mean time, here’s one last kick at the can.

Get your comments in and help make the future of this place we all call home just a bit brighter!

Image credit goes to Craig James White on Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Today is the final day for official public comment on Metrolinx’ draft Regional Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy.  Metronauts blog authors are submitting their posts, along with readers comments, into the Metrolinx Limehouse public consultation portal.

You should really take the opportunity to leave your comments on the Metrolinx site. The RTP and IS documents are there and a series of questions are open for public comment. The future of $50 billion in investment and a future of sustainable transportation are up for grabs, so the time is now.

If you’re a blogger that’s been writing on these issues for some time, I encourage you to submit a summary of your posts along with links to the originals. This appears to be the most efficient way to get your thoughts and the comments of your readers onto the official public record.

Highway 407 Electronic Tolling System
[Source: C. Moy on Flickr]

The Draft Investment Strategy released by Metrolinx sets out a funding framework to deliver  $50 billion in transportation improvements over 25 years. Metrolinx is looking for your feedback. This is your region and your future. I encourage you to weigh-in on what is proposed.

Todd Litman’s recent post on planetizen discusses the costs of different modes of transportation. One conclusion is that “if a typical household shifts from driving everywhere (what we call, automobile dependency) to multi-modalism (using a combination of travel modes) and so is able shed one vehicle, the savings typically average about $5,000 annually. If these savings were invested each year over a typical 45 year working career, the household will retire about a million dollars wealthier.” There’s motivation for ya!

Research by Metrolinx finds that on average, people in the GTAH spending about $70 per week on transportation. Initially, the projects in the Regional Transportation Plan will cost about $155 per year per person in the GTHA, and reach $470 per year per person in 2033. When you break it down like this, $50 billion doesn’t sound so bad.

QUESTION: How much do you spend on transportation within the GTHA in a given week on items such as gas, parking, transit fares, cabs and tolls?  How much more would you be willing to pay per week in order to reduce your travel time, improve the reliability and predictability of your travel time, and/or improve the quality of your travel experience?

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Source: ITS America

Imagine sending a cell phone text message with your location and destination, and instantly getting back region-wide information on real-time traffic conditions, travel time, best route, and next bus or train. This could soon be a reality in the Greater Toronto Area.

Metrolinx has proposed one of the eight “Big Moves” to be the creation of a regional transportation information portal that is accessible online and by telephone, email, or PDA that provides travellers with easily accessible, standardized information on the full-range of transportation alternatives available to them.

BIG MOVE #6: Create an information system for travellers, where and when they need it.

Here are the features, in order of importance, that I think a transportation information system should have:

1. Real-time (GPS) display of next bus/train at major station stops
2. Information portal covers ALL transit systems across region
3. Information is user-friendly and accessible using a wide variety of methods
4. Portal compares all transportation alternatives
5. Amenities offered on-board transit systems (e.g. wi-fi access on buses)

What are your priorities for a traveller information system?

Do you think this is a Big Move?

Have you been to a place in the world that has a great traveller information system?

I encourage you to leave a comment. I’ll summarize the comments and pass them on to Metrolinx.

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With the Metrolinx draft RTP out, lots of improvements to GO Train services are all over the map, including extensions, new lines, and express service improvements.  Such improvements are welcome, but as important are improvements to service along existing lines.  With the exceptions of Barrie and Lincolnville, GO Transit has been focused on adding stations to their existing lines instead of expanding to new lines or extending existing lines; Rutherford, East Gwillimbury, York University, Centennial, Mount Joy, Mount Pleasant, Lisgar, and Kennedy are all recent additions to the existing GO network, without extending the lines.  This focus that GO Transit has diligently been exercising over the last decade is a practice that should not be abandoned.  Creating a denser built-up region through adding stations to existing lines to provide greater service coverage within the current network is a strong tool against sprawl and its impacts, as GO service is attractive when it’s running.  Imagine if it ran frequently throughout the day.

In the case of the TTC with the Portlands, there is an expensive investment being made for brand new TOD neighbourhoods, as new infrastructure and entire communities are built from scratch.  This is necessary in an age where we are trying to create environments that are not dependent on the automobile.

GO Transit has the advantage of holding the opportunity of accomplishing similar for a comparatively low investment, as its lines are existing.  It’s not pennies, but it’s not a fortune either, and this is the psychology behind GO Transit’s original service concept in the first place… it’s also why they don’t own the tracks on most lines, but nevermind that (with any luck, that will partially change).

Transit has a lot of catching up to do in restoring mode competitiveness, which has been monopolized by the auto through the expressway network and the decommissioning of several rail lines around the region, of which Barrie was almost a victim.  This greatly hampers the ability to compete with the door-to-door advantage held by the auto.

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Metrolinx is conducting a series of public meetings around the region from October 20th through 30th. For more details and to register:

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/event.aspx

We encourage people to sign-up and learn the details of the plans for the future of Toronto region’s transportation infrastructure.

The Metrolinx Board will be meeting October 24th and November 28th, which is expected to be focused on the approval of the RTP.

What about the Metronauts community?

We’ve been eager to do another big unconference event for a while now, and I know many have been asking about it, but we haven’t been able to schedule one with Metrolinx’ support and involvement. I still hope we’ll be able to hold another major event soon.

Into the void, the indomitable Ed Drass has stepped up and got a weekly series of community meetings setup at Metro Hall in the coming weeks. We’ll be bringing a bit of that unconference magic to these, so we hope you can join us.

METRO HALL MEETINGS
55 John St. @ King St.
Room 303
Toronto

Tue., Oct. 14  5:45 pm  “What do you want to know about the Regional Transportation Plan?”
Tue., Oct. 21  7:00 pm   Topic TBA
Tue., Oct. 28  7:00 pm   Topic TBA

To be updated on these meetings, please send an email to Ed at

Join us for the conversation. We can use the TransitCamp.org Wiki to take notes from these sessions, so we’re looking for participants who can lead the conversation, ask good questions and capture the content of the sessions for sharing with the rest of the community. Volunteers with video cameras wanted!

Photo Source: Rannie Turingan

Photo Source: Route Verte

After your first day of cycling, one dream is inevitable.  A memory of motion lingers in the muscles of your legs, and round and round they seem to go.  You ride through Dreamland on wonderful dream bicycles that change and grow.  ~H.G. Wells, The Wheels of Chance

The Route Verte is a 4,350 km network of bicycle paths linking communities across Quebec. National Geographic has selected it as one of the top ten best bicycle routes in the world.  One day this past June, I discovered the Route Verte’s charm and beauty first hand as I rode my bike on a section in the Laurentians called the Petit Train du Nord.

The Petit Train du Nord is a former train corridor that has been converted to a trail, or “linear park”.  I chose to start my ride at St. Jerome and proceeded to go north about 50km to St. Agathe and then returned in the afternoon.  Along the way, the trains stations have been refurbished into rest stations with washrooms, food, and other amenities.  The route follows rivers and lakes, beautiful countryside, B&Bs, and quaint towns ready for exploring.  In winter it serves as a cross-country skiing trail.

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(Click image above for hi-res version)

As some of you already know, I have had the honour of sitting on Metrolinx’s Regional Transportation Plan Advisory Committee – a group of community representatives committed to providing the Metrolinx board with advice on the direction of the plan and analysis of the comments received by the public. In addition, we are committed to ensuring that the regional transportation plan public consultation process reaches everyone who has something to say. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for keeping the discussion alive, and I encourage all to continue offering ideas to make this plan the best it can be. There is are plenty of ways to get your voices heard, including the online portal, formal open houses to come this fall, and, of course, Metronauts events and the blog. Keep your eyes and ears open, as we’re about to enter a very exciting phase of the process.

Before I talk about the subject of this post, please keep in mind the following:

As I write this post (on thursday night), the draft plan has not yet been approved by the Metrolinx board of directors. As we saw with the white papers, the board could decide to delay the release to make modifications. I will be sure to update this post to reflect the formal decision of the board on Friday September 26th.

So here we go:

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