Quote:
Originally Posted by frinkprof
Can't argue with you there, but I would contend that adding lines to amenities and huge swaths of the city that are currently miles from a station would allow for the city to be travelled by public transit to a greater extent. Why build an airport link before hundreds of thousands in the SE, far north and east ends of the city can't get to it (nevermind downtown, university, McMahon, Saddledome, etc.) by using the existing infrastructure?
Incidentally, it's also why building HSR doesn't make as much sense until the transit systems in Edmonton and Calgary see investment. Why travel to Edmonton (or Calgary) on a train if, in a lot of instances, you just have to rent a car when you get there anyway?
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I definitely think we should build out the LRT in both Calgary and Edmonton before a high speed rail line between the two makes sense. I still think some sort of airport spur makes sense, and I don't think it would slow down the progress on the other lines appreciably, since it shouldn't be that expensive as its not that far. I really do think it could be financed and paid for by an "airport-station-surcharge" or something similar. Examples of this type of pricing include Vancouver, San Francisco, and Sydney, Australia.
The biggest users of an airport link are likely to be business travellers and convention attendees. Those arriving by air probably mostly go downtown, Stampede/Roundup Centre, and the University/Motel Village.