Quote:
Originally Posted by Joborule
Not picking on you in particular, and more so is a question for those that are underground or bust.
What is so wrong about elevated that it's not viable to do over elevated? Is underground really worth the additional billion compared to elevated? There has to be some really compelling negatives against elevated aside from "I'm imagining it won't look good" to go with the much more expensive option that functions the same.
To me where overstating what 10th Ave is currently where the alignment is proposed, and making it seem like it's vibrant urban corridor right now when it's not. I think the parking lots and parkades will be fine if this was built.
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Aesthetics are one thing, but that's only part of it. I don't think that overhead does any favours to the street below - shadowing, traffic, the "pedestrian realm".
The +15 and +30 bridges, and the height needed to clear the CPR tracks, would mean that the platforms will be far above the street. Or if the bridges are demo'd, that obviously impacts the indoor walkability of downtown.
So sure, I said "ugly baby", but I believe that the elevated option is subpar for more than just that.
And I think that most of all, this is just another way that the province is trying to save the city from itself. The province is exerting more power over municipalities and the their ability to make decisions. And the sad irony of it all is that the inaction and delays by the successive UCP governments is a key reason why we're at this point, and then they offer a half-baked solution as a "take it or leave it" to the city. After seemingly being OK with, and guaranteeing the funding for, the underground alignment.
So aside from being cheaper (probably), elevated doesn't really win in any other categories for me.
At this point I think that the city chose the only option available to them, otherwise the federal funding goes down the toilet. So get started on the Shepard to "Grand Central" bit because that has to be done anyway. It won't serve the majority of commuters until it gets into downtown proper, but... here we are.