If you could name one ridiculous thing.....

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Amen to that. Cities like London, Sydney, Frankfurt, New York, and Barcelona have fare gates that work with magnetic swipe card, or smart cards. Why doesn't city council try to be more like the great cities of the world, and spend less time trying to compare ourselves to Edmonton.

I've taken it downtown for 3 years in a row, and never had my ticket checked during rush hour. I'm pretty sure half the people on it aren't paying, its too packed for them to check tickets anyway. You'd easily make the cost of the system back.

They say 90+% of people are paying, but that's when they're checking outside of rush hour (at least on the NW line)

Michael

More than half of LRT riders access it by using the feeder buses, where fares are checked.

Also, fare gates are likely not in the offing due to impracticality given designs of stations, but fare payment systems will be upgraded in the next couple years, almost certainly using some form of smart card.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

More than half of LRT riders access it by using the feeder buses, where fares are checked.

Also, fare gates are likely not in the offing due to impracticality given designs of stations, but fare payment systems will be upgraded in the next couple years, almost certainly using some form of smart card.

Even machines that give change would be a start. IMO

Or take bills....

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Even machines that give change would be a start. IMO

Or take bills....

I'd imagine that the upgrades will include those functions. No system has been selected yet as far as I know, but funding for the upgrades is in place.

[bizaro86]

Alright, time for clearing up some transit-related things

Interesting! Thanks for the history lesson. I still think going to the Airport would be a good idea, if only for the international competitiveness factor. There is no reason a spur off the NE line couldn't be built. Build off the line by 36th street NE along the south side of the Silverwing golf course, it wouldn't be that expensive, and every 2nd or 3rd NE train could go to the airport instead of further north. There's no reason the airport and commuters has to be an either/or situation.

Michael

[_Q_]

Just a minor issue, but I always wondered why the two LRT lines don't have actual names. Nobody knows what the 201 or 202 lines are, why not give them names like they have in Vancouver (Millennium, Canada, Expo) or even colours like in Montreal (Green, Orange, Blue).

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Interesting! Thanks for the history lesson. I still think going to the Airport would be a good idea, if only for the international competitiveness factor. There is no reason a spur off the NE line couldn't be built. Build off the line by 36th street NE along the south side of the Silverwing golf course, it wouldn't be that expensive, and every 2nd or 3rd NE train could go to the airport instead of further north. There's no reason the airport and commuters has to be an either/or situation.

Michael

I would rather have current lines extended to the edge of the city, as well as West and SE legs of the LRT complete before even considering a Airport route. Way more people affected for my tax and transit fare dollars.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Just a minor issue, but I always wondered why the two LRT lines don't have actual names. Nobody knows what the 201 or 202 lines are, why not give them names like they have in Vancouver (Millennium, Canada, Expo) or even colours like in Montreal (Green, Orange, Blue).

We used to called them the whitehorn and brentwood lines.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Interesting! Thanks for the history lesson. I still think going to the Airport would be a good idea, if only for the international competitiveness factor. There is no reason a spur off the NE line couldn't be built. Build off the line by 36th street NE along the south side of the Silverwing golf course, it wouldn't be that expensive, and every 2nd or 3rd NE train could go to the airport instead of further north. There's no reason the airport and commuters has to be an either/or situation.

Michael

If I recall correctly, it's the idea that there would be a spur off of the future North Central line (Just west of Deerfoot/Airport Trail interchange) that would connect to the airport via a people mover. The whole station would also connect to the future Calgary-Edmonton High Speed Train as well. Making it a regional station.

In the distant future if I were to imagine, a Nothern East-West cross LRT route would be built, connecting the NE Line to North Central and the NW Line. The airport would then be served directly, as the line could use Airport Trail and spur off the NE line just north of the new Saddleridge Station being built. Since it would be a station on the middle of the line rather then the end, usage issues wouldn't be a problem.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Table 5

It's not one thing, but the complete disregard for the long-term always baffled me. Every major decision in this city seems to be done with a myopic short-term viewpoint....you know, like always choosing the cheapo construction option, and then having to go back 5 years later to upgrade and pay twice what it would've cost to do it right in the first place.

It's like this city is being run by an accountant who is replaced every couple of years, thus only cares that the numbers make sense during his watch.

Came back to reply to this. Perfect example is the 16th Ave/68 Street intersection in the NE. They're upgrading the intersection to accomdate 3 lanes of traffic both ways on 16th Ave from 52 Street to Stoney Trail. The problem is, that intersection is ultimately going to be a interchange, and should be getting done in a couple years, or at least should be. I don't understand why they just don't get it done now and over with so 16th can be freeflow all the way to 19th street by Deerfoot. All the work they've done the past year to make new left turning ramps will be useless farily quickly. This makes it look like they don't intend to upgrade anytime soon, which would be just dumb.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by SeoulFire

I guess I lied about last post (not that there was ever any doubt).

Think small remain small and that about sums up my feelings on this. The Seoul subway was initiated in the 70s (above ground line) and expanded in the late 70's to 80's. The three expansion lines were either elevated or underground. At the time S. Korean economy was 1/10 the size of Canada. And yes, Seoul was about 10 times as big as Calgary when it began. There are now 9 lines with 5 spinoff lines - all constructed under existing roadways without shutting down traffic at a very very high cost. They considered that the investment in the infrastructure and the non-disruptive nature was well worth it in the long term.

If the city/province/country was serious about getting things done while thinking for the future the money would be allocated. Sadly we are left faced with bureaucrats who are not willing to make the difficult calls (to maintain their popularity and job security) while selling out the future. People continue to make comparisons to Edmonton but I prefer to choose a more successful model.

For the record, I was not referring to the downtown core for the traffic disruptions - it was in regards to the NE line and the S line mostly.Any more above ground and not over/underpassed is just laying the foundation for future traffic problems which the "fix" could cost more than doing it right in the first place.

If you are happy with glorified cable cars so be it. I am just happy that my job does not require that I have to use the pathetic excuse for public transit in this city. vote Nenshi It is overpriced (rider and parking) and under-serviced using 1980s technology in fare collection/management.

So after all of this I will concede that you are correct - it was not a ridiculous decision. It was merely a decision lacking in vision and ambition rationalized by budgetary constraints.

Rant over.

Thanks for the honest reply.

I do agree. The NE part of the line is absurd. I suppose if I lived over there I would be ranting more about the lrt. I live in the NW. I think the LRT is pretty good up here. Considering I live about 5 block from the Crowfoot station.

[Joborule]

The NE line is very frustrating to deal with. Why couldn't 36 Street be done just like Crowfoot was? That's just taking the cheapest route and creating issues in the long term.

I would hope they fix the problem in the long term by putting it underground. Perhaps set up a urban corridor like 16th Ave and 17th Ave SW and SE in the future.

[Mad Mel]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Came back to reply to this. Perfect example is the 16th Ave/68 Street intersection in the NE. They're upgrading the intersection to accomdate 3 lanes of traffic both ways on 16th Ave from 52 Street to Stoney Trail. The problem is...

You post reminded me of the ######ation that is the Sarcee / Bow Trail intersection. They've spent lots of time and presumably money upgrading that in recent history, grandly resulting in little change to the significant part of your day spent waiting for the lights. It's an obvious place for an interchange.

[JustAnotherGuy]

It the line was in place. How many people here would actually take the LRT to the airport? I doubt I would. Take my luggage and stuff on the train etc etc... Nope.

Besides most of the time my flight would leave early in the morning. Too early to spend the extra time on the train.

[surferguy]

i'd use the airport link. But people coming to the city would use it more than you think

[WilsonFourTwo]

The worst thing that City Council has done up to now.....allowing the city to expand outwards at a ridiculous pace. It is the reason that infrastructure spending is high, snow removal is a pipe dream and transit service sucks......the city is just too large for the tax base.

The worst thing that City Council will do in the future......allow the city to continue expanding outwards at a ridiculous pace.

[username]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

It the line was in place. How many people here would actually take the LRT to the airport? I doubt I would. Take my luggage and stuff on the train etc etc... Nope.

Besides most of the time my flight would leave early in the morning. Too early to spend the extra time on the train.

You might not take the train to the airport, but there are probably several thousands people that work there everyday that would.....

Remember not everyone going to the airport is taking a trip, many people actually work there.

Edit: I'm not saying that justifies the cost b/c I don't think it does, just that the train wouldn't really be for people taking flights as much as the people who work out there and have to pay to park every day.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Mad Mel

You post reminded me of the ######ation that is the Sarcee / Bow Trail intersection.

Maybe it's just me but that intersection seems like it's been constantly tinkered with for the last 10 years. I'm not sure if a year's gone by when you haven't seen something being built, added, bulldozed etc.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by username

You might not take the train to the airport, but there are probably several thousands people that work there everyday that would.....

Remember not everyone going to the airport is taking a trip, many people actually work there.

Edit: I'm not saying that justifies the cost b/c I don't think it does, just that the train wouldn't really be for people taking flights as much as the people who work out there and have to pay to park every day.

Except that there's more folks working in the SE industrial parks that would use the train.

[North East Goon]

Cutting off 90% of the airports workforce with simple access to the airport via no new tunnel.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Came back to reply to this. Perfect example is the 16th Ave/68 Street intersection in the NE. They're upgrading the intersection to accomdate 3 lanes of traffic both ways on 16th Ave from 52 Street to Stoney Trail. The problem is, that intersection is ultimately going to be a interchange, and should be getting done in a couple years, or at least should be. I don't understand why they just don't get it done now and over with so 16th can be freeflow all the way to 19th street by Deerfoot. All the work they've done the past year to make new left turning ramps will be useless farily quickly. This makes it look like they don't intend to upgrade anytime soon, which would be just dumb.

The majority of the work being done there is to make 16th ave 3 lanes each way, work that is not wasted even when an interchange will be done.

One of the biggest complaints I often hear about the city "redoing" work is with paving, i.e. Why did they pave and then come back and repave a year or two later?

Repaying is done like that out of necessity, they wait until the ground beneath has settled before putting the final layer on.

A good example of waste would be the province spending money widening the interchange in Airdrie, then, like 2 or 3 years later, demolishing everything to build a new interchange.