Even gridlock-plagued Los Angeles is kicking Toronto’s butt in transit development
If Rob Ford is right about light rail transit, then Los Angeles must be teetering on the brink of certain doom. Since 2008, the car-dependent city has used a half-cent sales tax hike and an inventive federal loan agreement to start building or planning—brace yourself, Mr. Mayor—12 light rail and bus rapid transit lines. Toronto could learn from the city’s ambitious transit overhaul, John Lorinc argues (for the second time) in today’s Globe and Mail; the city pushed through its plan using creative taxation, compromise and cooperation with higher levels of government—all three somewhat foreign at Toronto city hall of late. But hey, the article features a photo of L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa riding public transit with the common folk—at least T.O. has that one covered. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »
(Images: Los Angeles, HarshLight; Toronto, elPadawan)
 in today’s Globe and Mail; the city pushed through its plan using creative taxation, compromise and cooperation with higher levels of government—all three somewhat foreign at Toronto city hall of late. But hey, the article features a photo of L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa riding public transit with the common folk—at least T.O. has that one covered. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »
(Images: Los Angeles, HarshLight; Toronto, elPadawan)){kind=link}
driving in toronto is way worse than LA
1. toronto drivers dont know how to drive and the roads dont make sense
Why are you driving? The TTC is better thant LA’s transit, even if they are subsidized a LOT more than us, to get a cheaper transit fare than us.
Digging or subways in California with the threat of earthquake is an important criteria in deciding whether to build above or below ground.
Earthquakes are an issue in underground construction, but not one that decides to do it or not. Otherwise, LA would have NO subways at all, and that is not the case. They have subways where appropriate, and LRT where appropriate.
The big deal is that LA got a no interest long term loan from the Federal Government. This allows them to build now and to pay later with the sales tax revenue. We would need the same long term loan to build as quickly here and Harper is not going to do it.
Los Angeles is a sesmic active zone which is why their subway costs a lot more to construct than Toronto. This explains why LA is building light rail and BRT networks which wont be affected by earthquakes.