Rob Ford inspires local citizens—to try to bring Transit City back
The push to resurrect Transit City is picking up a modest amount of steam, courtesy of activist Joe Drew and the website SaveTransitCity.com. Speaking on the CBC’s Metro Morning last week, Drew made a case for reviving the plan Rob Ford killed on his first day in office. He argued that much of the legwork on Transit City is already done; he invoked the suburbs and their need for rapid transit (bonus Ford point) and said there’s room for compromise between Transit City and the mayor’s plan. Meanwhile, another website, CodeRedTO, is also pushing local citizens into the fight for what it calls “a rational, affordable and achievable rapid transit strategy.” As Torontoist notes, it seems Ford has managed to spark a wave of activism and community engagement the city hasn’t seen in years—though we suspect he doesn’t consider it one of his greatest accomplishments. Listen to the entire segment [Metro Morning] »
I voted for Rob Ford specifically to cancel Transfer Chitty. He was the only candidate I trusted would actually do it and he did from day one. Sorry losers but that ship has sailed.
Only subways can transport large volumes of commuters across the City within an hour. Light Rail Transit/tram/streetcar cannot compete with subways on a speed, frequency, carrying capacity nor reliability standpoint. And if 51 kms of TC LRT for $8.2 billion can fetch us instead 30 kms of new subway lines, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that in this case LESS IS MORE.
All your obfusications are doing is indicating to McGuinty that Toronto doesn’t know what it wants to prioritize and thus Queen’s Park ought to redirect the funding to other Ontarian cities whom have got their act together. Maybe this is why Network 2011 fell through all those years ago, too many cooks spoiling the broth i.e. too many idiots trying to interfere where their input’s not warranted.
@Fresh_Start: The minute you call people losers and idiots is when your argument loses any credibility. I don’t necessarily disagree about the transit system, but it’s hard for people to want to consider the concept when they’re being insulted.
Real numbers are not the domain of the right wing, seems to still be the case. The disparity between the amount of coverage between Transit City and Mayor Ford’s Gravy Train is far greater than your figures suggest. Do your research.
The areas covered by transit city do not need subways. They will, in fact, cost the city more to operate at a loss simply because there isn’t the density to support them. I’ll invoke Mayor Ford’s “things we need/things that are nice to have” argument. Subways are very nice to have, they move a lot of people very fast a long way. But, they are expensive to install and expensive to operate, requiring a minimum density to prevent operating at a loss. So, no, we don’t need them when LRT’s would service more people for less cost over a wider area.
Essentially what you told us is that you decided your vote based on screwing as many people out of reliable, cost-effective transit as possible?
“They will, in fact, cost the city more to operate at a loss simply because there isn’t the density to support them”
As a conservative, I can say that this is an acceptable loss as it will damage transit’s reputation among voters, allowing for more service cutbacks, which is better for the bottom line. Anyone who disagrees with us conservatives is a dunce and should be sent to live in Norway.
“Subways are very nice to have, they move a lot of people very fast a long way. But, they are expensive to install and expensive to operate, requiring a minimum density to prevent operating at a loss.”
PLease….you are just spewing NDP talking points…..they move a lot of people very fast a long way….the population of this city is going to explode in 10-15 years, subways cost more in the short term but it will save soo much in the long term (10-15 years) As far as the title “inspires local citizens—to try to bring Transit City back”. An activist is not a local citizen…..he is puppet for others….
@Fresh_Start:
Don’t lie. You didn’t vote for Ford. Only residents of Toronto are allowed to vote.
@Ford: good job selling the farm for some magic beans.
I hate to admit, but above made a good point with ‘obfuscations’. However Transit City is bought n paid for sooo we just want our money back or to stop being taken out of our flipping pockets! R.F. is costing us more than he’s worth!
I think part of the problem is that people think that Transit City was going to put in streetcars (and in fact, Ford said that). That’s not true, they’re essentially above ground subways.
Start with buses. When they are inadequate, put in light rail. When that’s inadequate, build subways. – David Gunn, former Chief General Manager of New York City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Toronto.
transit city is not above ground subways……
You know Fresh start and Joe, when you start calling people “dunces” and “idiots” it suggests two sad things – you get your joys out of picking fights with stranger on the internet (must not have a satisfying life, eh?) or you don’t have anything better to say than grade shool insults.
Well Genius, the FACT is that Ford hasn’t canceled anything yet and can’t without going to a Council vote, which he has not yet done. remember how that Waterfront thing went for him and his idiot brother? Now, just imagine, how that Transit City vote is going to shape up. It’s going to be a pleasure watching Council shove the original transit City plan right up his fat ass and there’s nothing that can be done about it.
Steve: The Provincial Government already has changed its funding to reflect Ford’s preferences. Of course, we still have a mess, since a fully-buried Eglinton line should be a full subway and not an LRT: subway tunnels are smaller, anyway (not so stations, however). Mike Harris killed the Eglinton subway sixteen years ago …