Rob Ford’s newest enemy: expert transit panels
Even after all his AstroTurfing and truth bending (or whatever you want to call this), things look bad for Rob Ford’s subway scheme. The expert transit panel appointed to examine options for Sheppard Avenue will—as expected—urge city council to chose light rail, according to some early reports. The experts gave low scores to the idea of a full subway line on Sheppard, but also to the proposal of a subway-LRT hybrid—which means even a compromise that includes subways is looking more and more unlikely. At a pro-subway demonstration at Sheppard and Victoria Park, Ford gave a version of his usual, mature response to subway obstacles, dismissing the panel as irrelevant and “biased,” though he hadn’t yet seen the report. That’s some sore loser behaviour from a guy who’s had weeks to get on the winning team. Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »
I do not agree on LRT system Ford is correct on subway system .Look at the street car project on st.clair and Dufferin st no one in the area liked or agreed on that project so if no likes that street car project what makes you think LRT is going to be better ? Subway is the way to go .
@John, will you stop comparing St Clair ROW to the LRT project. Have you even been on St Clair.
The LRT project here is going to imitate light rail systems seen in Los Angeles, Portland OR, Minneapolis Hiawatha line, and Calgary C-train.
It’s true John, they really should have built a subway along St. Clair Avenue West. That’s what the residents wanted. That’s what us conservatives have been arguing for years.
And when the businesses sued to delay and protract the construction along their own street, they probably offered to invest in a brand new subway, but the city probably denied their generous offer. If they hadn’t, we could have spent 10-15 years planning and then tearing up the roadway (longer, if businesses decide to sue again) to lay and bury new track, but by 2030 or so we’d finally be able to drive vroom vroom down St. Clair West without having to look at those hideous transit-users peering through the foggy streetcar windows at my BMW as I cut them off with a quick U-ey at the light.
Hahaha no one around Dufferin & St. Clair liked it. Well thought out argument there. I’m sure they like their houses appreciating in value in excess of $100k though, right?
If an expert panel of urban planning professionals can be dismissed as biased, who exactly is going to do the urban planning? Mike the truck driver? Steve the plumber? Nancy the secretary? No thanks. I’ll take the “biased” panel who sort of does this kind of thing for a living over those chiming in from the peanut gallery because they were overwhelmingly convinced by a catchy soundbite.