Quote:
Originally Posted by Muta
It's funny that we debate a single stretch of subway line in Calgary, like it's a life or death situation.
Here in Toronto, one of the candidates for the mayoral election is promising apprx. 2 km's of new subway track PER YEAR under his platform. And people here love the idea. People want the subway expanded, and yes, it's pricey to build, but it's an essential service. In fact, all the candidates want to expand the subway system.
I use it everyday, and it's hugely important - and EFFICIENT - for Torontonians. Especially in a northern climate like Canada's. I can go anywhere in this city without owning a vehicle, and it's a huge city.
For the record, I am all for installing subway track in Calgary. I, personally, would like to see a subway system installed in this city, with inital plans to link downtown tio all the major semi-inner city neighbourhoods. Have your downtown stations, have a station in Kensington and at SAIT, have a station at Mount Royal, have a station at Chinook Centre, have a station at the Zoo / new Science Centre location. And that's just off the top of my head.
Will it happen? Not likely in my lifetime. Atleast, until a philosophical shift in urban planning comes from some new minds down at City Hall. Fortunately, I do think that Kent Hehr, judging by some of his early comments, seems to believe in a vision for Calgary that expands beyond pulling from our own limited, municipal borders and braintrusts.
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Most of Toronto's transit expansion will happen in the form of LRT - as per the TransitCity Plan. Toronto's actually about 30 years behind in Transit Infrastructure development. I actually moved away from the Yonge Street line to a location I could walk to work because the system is so overcrowded. Delays due to "signal problems" and the like because the system is literally crumbling became way too big of an aggravation for me.
Calgary will never build heavy rail subway - Calgary made the decision to build LRT 30 years ago and that's the direction it will continue with. Calgary does have a lot of LRT expansion to undertake such as the SE line, North Central line, and 8th Ave "subway" (which is still for LRT) but for a city of its size in the north american context, it's already a highly developed network with very high ridership. Every Alderman and most citizens WANT LRT expansion - it's not a matter of planning philosophy, it's that resources are scarce (or priorities at the provincial level are not on transit) and cities do not have adequate funding to build such massive infrastructure.