Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunk
I would say centre street is the most likely alignment based on what I observed at the various open houses.
I think the most likely outcome in terms of its grade is an at grade urban lrt. A dedicated ROW like these examples below:
It's obvious trade off is operational speed vs. cost. This would be by far the least costliest and would turn centre street into a transit-focused street. But it does present the opportunity to really use the LRT as a catalyst for intensification along the corridor. I could however see the first station in Crescent Heights be underground, because if it's an extention on the SELRT it would exit downtown underground, under the river and then up the hill toward Centre.
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There are certainly good examples of urban LRT, however, I have a few problems with it being used on the North Central route.
- The capacity and operational speed limitations presented by urban at-grade LRT would make it so that the flexibility in those departments that are provided by the downtown tunnel aren't leveraged.
- If grade separation is needed from downtown to somewhere around 16th Avenue, that portion is also not leveraged. I.E., if you're going underground (and pretty far underground at that) for this portion - you may as well maximize the benefits provided by that up until Beddington
- There's still plenty of development and transit orientation to be achieved though a grade-separated route. 16th/Centre could be a several-square-blocks-large hub, as would other stations along the line. Centre Street already has half the battle won anyway - it and its surrounding streets are on a grid.
- With an urban LRT format, block lengths can limit train lengths and capacity. That's all well and good if the north central route wouldn't be twinned with the SELRT line (and really, that assumption has to be made because no other option makes sense), thus limiting that line's capacity as well. The SE line is projected to grow into one of the busier lines, rivaling the south line and need 5 car trains eventually.
- The thing that's best about a subway route is that a more local, lower capacity option for the surface (BRT or streetcar) is still possible to implement along Centre Street if you want to achieve the urban form offered by urban at-grade LRT.