[DC83]

Higher use than in similar cities

January 23, 2008
Rob Faulkner
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 23, 2008)

When it comes to car travel, Hamilton's a medium city that acts like a car-happy small town.

A new Statistics Canada study looked at the prevalence of car travel in cities across Canada, for trips such as commuting and running errands.

The study, Dependence on Cars in Urban Neighbourhoods, revealed the percentage of adults who used a car for all of their trips on a survey day in 2005 varied widely by city.

In Toronto (66 per cent), Montreal (65 per cent) and Vancouver (69 per cent) rates were low. In medium-size census metropolitan areas, like Hamilton, it averaged 75 per cent. In smaller CMAs, the rate was 81 per cent.

But the Hamilton rate was 80 per cent -- well above big cities, above cities our size, and just shy of smaller burgs such as Sudbury, Kingston and Thunder Bay.

"We're not acting like a grown-up city," said sustainable transportation activist Randy Kay of Transportation for Liveable Communities.

We're not alone. "What's going on in Hamilton, the relationship between neighbourhood density and use of cars, is going on everywhere," study author Martin Turcotte said.

He said the rise of suburbs is one reason we see a contradiction: Canadians are increasingly living in cities, but they also drive more. The percentage of adults going everywhere by car rose from 68 per cent in 1992 to 74 per cent in 2005.

Of big cities, Calgary and Edmonton relied more on their cars, and Montreal, a city with denser neighbourhoods and a layout designed before the car arrived, drove least.

The big city-small town divide in car use, the study says, is due to factors such as big cities' having better transit, less parking and a higher density that makes walking or cycling attractive.

Conversely, people who lived far from a city centre, who tended to live in low-density single-family homes are more likely to make all trips by car.

Kay said it's "depressingly accurate" to depict Hamilton as a city of car drivers. The city's design focuses on moving cars efficiently, with little attention to pedestrians and cyclists, he said.

"In Hamilton we have to do politically scary things. You have to take things away from cars and give it to cyclists and pedestrians. You can't just have huge roadways funnelling cars around, like a hangover from the 1930s road-building craze."

Bill Jannsen, acting director of strategic services in the city's planning department, said Hamilton's size and the escarpment can make it hard to get around without a car.

Hamilton has large low-density suburban areas but "the whole planning philosophy is changing toward increasing density and more mixed use neighbourhoods," he said.

[DC83]

Anyone else as shocked as me?? ;)

80%, eh? That's actually worse than I thought. So do you think the City will read this article and decide something NEEDS to be done about this problem?

[Jon Dalton]

I'm not surprised. I can believe that 20% of Hamilton is either homeless or disabled and therefore can't drive.

[raisethehammer]

Anyone else as shocked as me?? ;)

80%, eh? That's actually worse than I thought. So do you think the City will read this article and decide something NEEDS to be done about this problem?


yea, they'll probably draw up plans to widen Main St, remove some stoplights and work hard at attracting that other 20%.
What a hicktown we are.

[flar]

Anyone else as shocked as me?? ;)

80%, eh? That's actually worse than I thought. So do you think the City will read this article and decide something NEEDS to be done about this problem?

They'll read it and think we shouldn't build light rail because no one would use it.

[SteelTown]

I'm not surprised.

Every single worker that I know at McMaster all drives to work, expect one that cycles from Dundas. If public transit isn't an alternative option to McMaster than your producing results like these. McMaster probably has the largest concentration of jobs yet crappy routes. It's great for the students as majority of all the students I know at McMaster lives in Hamilton and can reply on public transit. But every worker that I've met at McMaster either lives on the Mountain, Ancaster, Dundas or Burlington and there's no rapid transit from those areas to McMaster.

[DC83]

They'll read it and think we shouldn't build light rail because no one would use it.

HAHAHA Sadly, I think you're spot-on :s

[flar]

I know some people working at Mac that use public transit or carpool, but they live in Toronto.

[SteelTown]

^ That's the funny part GTA has better access to McMaster than HSR. You only need to hop on one GO bus and it's usually direct.

[markbarbera]

Getting form the mountain to Mac isn't that bad. I used to do it all the time a while back. I could do Upper Sherman and Stone Church to Mac Medical within a half hour. Ride the bus downtown, then transfer to B-Line. What's so hard about that?

[DC83]

^^ Or Mohawk/Stonechurch to Meadowlands, then 16 Ancaster right to Mac!

Try getting there from Upper Stoney Creek :s My brother had to do it all the time!

[LikeHamilton]

This why the elected officials build roads, maintain roads and you will never see tolls! 80% of the votes use cars and they are catering to them. The easy way out!

[SteelTown]

Getting form the mountain to Mac isn't that bad. I used to do it all the time a while back. I could do Upper Sherman and Stone Church to Mac Medical within a half hour. Ride the bus downtown, then transfer to B-Line. What's so hard about that?

It takes too long especially for my 35 College which comes every 30 minutes. I have to do 30 hrs of work and 10 hrs of school work a week and with an extremely tight shcedule for me. GO bus from the GTA is quick and fast with limited stops. There's nothing like that on the Mountain. I take the Linc/403 and I'm at Mac anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes. Try getting that with HSR.

Majority of Hamilton's population is up on the Mountain and you have to take at least 2 transfers to get anywhere in the City.

[go_leafs_go02]

I really think it would be a good idea to limit most buses from going down the mountain. Set up a rapid transit terminal around Mohawk College, have most mountain buses terminate there, and have an express rail line down the mountain connecting to the GO station, where all buses below the mountain would connect.

I agree, service needs to be improved. I have to deal with using the 34A route every day. Otherwise, I'm forced to walk well over 20 min to either the 34, or the 43. And I have to walk 10-15 min to Mohawk from Garth/Fennell every day. It annoys me that only 2 bus routes actually service Mohawk Directly, and even one is just on an adjacent street.

[matt602]

I think people are just too damned lazy. If you plan out your route and check the timetable for the bus, you won't be waiting for anything. It's not hard to get to Mac from anywhere on the mountain. You take whatever mountain route you require, then switch to the Beeline, the 1A or one of the other handful of buses that go to or past Mac. People just suddenly think disastrous thoughts when the word "transfer" is mentioned. You've got like 5 routes to choose from going out of downtown, Westbound. I can't imagine waiting more than 5 minutes. I use bus check like it's an extremity of my body, same goes for the HSR's website. Maps? Check. Schedules for EVERY stop along the route? Check. What more do you want?

[DC83]

I really think it would be a good idea to limit most buses from going down the mountain. Set up a rapid transit terminal around Mohawk College, have most mountain buses terminate there, and have an express rail line down the mountain connecting to the GO station, where all buses below the mountain would connect.

That will most likely never happen. LikeHamilton is 100% right. Politicians in this city care about one thing: re-election. They will cater to their constituants before thinking of what's morally correct. Of course, they're ELECTED officials, so that's their job.

What needs to be done is to 1st change the attitudes of Hamiltonians from one that "Public Transportation is for Losers" to "Public Transportation is the best form of Environmental Renewal".

But this is Hamilton... good effin luck!

[SteelTown]

I think people are just too damned lazy. If you plan out your route and check the timetable for the bus, you won't be waiting for anything. It's not hard to get to Mac from anywhere on the mountain. You take whatever mountain route you require, then switch to the Beeline, the 1A or one of the other handful of buses that go to or past Mac. People just suddenly think disastrous thoughts when the word "transfer" is mentioned. You've got like 5 routes to choose from going out of downtown, Westbound. I can't imagine waiting more than 5 minutes. I use bus check like it's an extremity of my body, same goes for the HSR's website. Maps? Check. Schedules for EVERY stop along the route? Check. What more do you want?

You mention there are 5 buses taking you to McMaster well there's none on the Mountain that takes you to McMaster. Majority of McMaster workers don't live in the lower end of Hamilton expect student does, a good chunk live up on the Mountain. The current set up of forcing all Mountain HSR passengers to get out of Gore and transfer to another bus is not attractive.

Instead place a HOV lane on the 403 and put a bus route along it from Meadowlands to McMaster. Park your car at Meadowlands. Now you’re talking about serious attraction from Mountain HSR passengers to McMaster. In fact you don't even need a HOV lane.

[matt602]

Well I do agree there should be a route that connects all areas of the city to the University. I remember someone suggested an almost "belt line" type route that basically went around the entire city creating a giant loop, servicing the University. It used pretty much all of the Expressways and highways in the city to get around.

I do keep forgetting that not everyone is as committed to public transit as myself though. Looking at it from a "Yah I take my car, why should I take the bus?" view, transferring downtown isn't too pleasant. A car user is probably gonna want a smooth, quick ride that doesn't require them standing around anywhere. Every moment they spend standing around waiting is one where they'll be thinking "I could be driving to work right now".

[raisethehammer]

Well I do agree there should be a route that connects all areas of the city to the University. I remember someone suggested an almost "belt line" type route that basically went around the entire city creating a giant loop, servicing the University. It used pretty much all of the Expressways and highways in the city to get around.

I do keep forgetting that not everyone is as committed to public transit as myself though. Looking at it from a "Yah I take my car, why should I take the bus?" view, transferring downtown isn't too pleasant. A car user is probably gonna want a smooth, quick ride that doesn't require them standing around anywhere. Every moment they spend standing around waiting is one where they'll be thinking "I could be driving to work right now".


allow me to finish your sentence:

...hence, the need for our lower city main roads to have their traffic lanes cut in half and given to bike lanes and transit lanes with signal priority, pre-boarding ticket systems, rapid transit lines using Main/Cannon and Barton etc..... then, people will know full well that they are getting to work just as quickly or quicker than if they used their car. right now people think that because they know every street in hamilton is devoid of traffic jams and they could just be flying if they were in their car.
simple changes would revolutionize this city. start by kicking the bums out at city hall.

(by the way, if you don't like how i "finished your sentence" I apologize..lol)

[go_leafs_go02]

problem:

buses = transportation for the poor.

that stigma is there, and always will be.

LRT = sexy, buses = cheap, gritty, etc.

[markbarbera]

It takes too long especially for my 35 College which comes every 30 minutes. I have to do 30 hrs of work and 10 hrs of school work a week and with an extremely tight shcedule for me. GO bus from the GTA is quick and fast with limited stops. There's nothing like that on the Mountain. I take the Linc/403 and I'm at Mac anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes. Try getting that with HSR.

Majority of Hamilton's population is up on the Mountain and you have to take at least 2 transfers to get anywhere in the City.

What GO bus are you talking about? The 407 that serves Mac takes 1.5 hours to get from York to Mac, with five stops en route. The bus connecting Lakeshore from Burlington station to Mac is a direct route, but a twenty minute ride, and if you are connecting from Lakeshore train from Union, you add another hour and eight stops. Regardless, comparing intra-city and inter-city transit system is really like comparing apples to oranges.

As far as driving goes, it doesn't matter what kind of transit service you introduce, you will never get a public transit service that will deliver you to Mac faster than your current driving route (unless it's a direct non-stop express LRT route from your doorstep to Mac - and that won't do anyone else in the city much good;) )

Why do you say you need at least two transfers to get anywhere from the mountain? I used to live on the mountain. You only need to do one transfer for most destinations since every north/south mountain bus route takes you right downtown.

Don't get me wrong, I agree the service could definitely do with more frequency, but we really have a chicken-and-egg thing going on.

[markbarbera]

allow me to finish your sentence:



Bit of a run-on sentence ;)

[DC83]

problem:

buses = transportation for the poor.

that stigma is there, and always will be.

LRT = sexy, buses = cheap, gritty, etc.

Yep! This is the famous Golden Horseshoe Attitude.
When I was living in Mtl for school, every day people would talk about how "important the STM (System de Transport de Montréal) was to every day life in the city". Everyday... everybody! I wish people in this region would have the same attitude.

[miketoronto]

Time for Miketoronto's newest HSR idea. Then all you guys have no excuses for not taking HSR :)
-----------

THE UPPER CITY B-LINE
Providing direct express service between Hamilton Mountain and McMaster University.

The Upper City B-LINE will stop at the following locations, and will operate express between stops, via area highways and local arterial roads.

-McMaster University Transit Centre
-McMaster Medical Centre
-Limridge Mall

NEW 41B MCMASTER FLYER
A new branch of the bus route 41, would operate from Upper Ottawa and Mohawk, to McMaster University. Buses would only stop at Upper Ottawa, Upper Gage, Upper Sherman, Upper Wentworth, Upper Wellington, Upper James, West 5th Street, Upper Paradise, and Sanatorium Road. Buses would then operate non stop to McMaster University and McMaster Medical Centre.

NEW 43B MCMASTER FLYER
A new branch of the 43 bus route, would operate from Upper Stoney Creek to McMaster University. Buses would operate local from Upper Stoney Creek to Upper Ottawa, then express to McMaster University, stopping only at Upper Ottawa, Upper Gage, Upper Sherman, then non stop to McMaster.

[raisethehammer]

I'd love to see a cross-mountain streetcar line on Mohawk.
Along with the E/W LRT downtown and N/S BRT from the harbour to airport.
Another streetcar route worth doing would be from Barton Village up James to St Joes and through Durand, Kirkendall via Herkimer and then down Aberdeen to the Innovation Park, finally along Main West to Columbia and McMaster.
Another BRT line should follow York/Plains (say, from IKEA area in Burlington) along Cannon then up to Barton, down Centennial to Eastgate. HOV lanes on that eastern stretch of Barton and on Centennial would work great.

[markbarbera]

I'd love to see a cross-mountain streetcar line on Mohawk.
Along with the E/W LRT downtown and N/S BRT from the harbour to airport.
Another streetcar route worth doing would be from Barton Village up James to St Joes and through Durand, Kirkendall via Herkimer and then down Aberdeen to the Innovation Park, finally along Main West to Columbia and McMaster.
Another BRT line should follow York/Plains (say, from IKEA area in Burlington) along Cannon then up to Barton, down Centennial to Eastgate. HOV lanes on that eastern stretch of Barton and on Centennial would work great.

I believe there is planning afoot for a BRT along the Linc, but I don't know the details over east-west terminals. I could see one starting at Eastgate, travelling up RHVP and along the Linc to Meadowlands, then down the 403 to Main West and into Mac.

BRT idea for Barton a good one but real estate is too tight between Parkdale and James to allow for dedicated HOV lanes. It should keep going past IKEA and terminate at Aldershot Station, which would tie into all-day Lakeshore GO and VIA service.

[the dude]

here's a little map of some potential streetcar lines through the city...humour me.

the barton route [yellow] would run from eastgate and terminate downtown.

the main st. route [blue] would run from eastgate straight through to highways 2&8.

the upper james route [red] would connect rymal [or perhaps the airport] to downtown. this is dependent on streetcars being able to climb the claremont access.

the mohawk route [purple] would run along mohawk from upper kenilworth to the meadowlands.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/hsrroutemap.jpg

[flar]

For the record, I do take the bus most days. The secret is the cost of parking compared to the cost of transit.

[go_leafs_go02]

FACT:

It is cheaper to drive and pay for parking than to take the bus at Mohawk College.

One semester (4 months) of parking = $165.00
One semester (4 months) of adult bus passes = $79.00 X 4 = 316.00.

That is nearly 50% savings over one semester (of course gas and insurance on top of that, but still)
Oh, bonus. It is cheaper to get an annual parking pass at Mohawk College for $275.00 than to pay for transit for a semester

Isn't that ridiculous?

[drpgq]

When I went to Mac, I always wished there was a route that went down
Fennell or Mohawk and continued on directly to Mac. I guess the fact
that a bus probably couldn't get down the Queen street hill would squelch
that idea.

I think one issue with car use in Hamilton is the massive percentage of
people that have jobs outside of Hamilton. One could increase public
transit in Hamilton, put it would not appeal to those people. Increase
the number of jobs in Hamilton (easier said than done) and the car
use percentage would go down.

[go_leafs_go02]

When I went to Mac, I always wished there was a route that went down
Fennell or Mohawk and continued on directly to Mac. I guess the fact
that a bus probably couldn't get down the Queen street hill would squelch
that idea.


The #34 takes that route every day. I'd say it is the least steep mountain access in the city (besides the RHVP) James to W5th and the Clairmont accesses are much much steeper IMHO.

[raisethehammer]

here's a little map of some potential streetcar lines through the city...humour me.

the barton route [yellow] would run from eastgate and terminate downtown.

the main st. route [blue] would run from eastgate straight through to highways 2&8.

the upper james route [red] would connect rymal [or perhaps the airport] to downtown. this is dependent on streetcars being able to climb the claremont access.

the mohawk route [purple] would run along mohawk from upper kenilworth to the meadowlands.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/hsrroutemap.jpg


you should send this to your councillor and the HSR. Awesome.
Most of it can be rapid transit too...the only part that can't is the stretch of Barton from James to Ottawa.

[markbarbera]

FACT:

It is cheaper to drive and pay for parking than to take the bus at Mohawk College.

One semester (4 months) of parking = $165.00
One semester (4 months) of adult bus passes = $79.00 X 4 = 316.00.

That is nearly 50% savings over one semester (of course gas and insurance on top of that, but still)
Oh, bonus. It is cheaper to get an annual parking pass at Mohawk College for $275.00 than to pay for transit for a semester

Isn't that ridiculous?


It is - Mohawk should increase the parking fees to at least match transit costs and/or enter an arrangement similar to Mac and provide bus passes as part of student enrollment fees.

[highwater]

I think one issue with car use in Hamilton is the massive percentage of
people that have jobs outside of Hamilton. One could increase public
transit in Hamilton, put it would not appeal to those people. Increase
the number of jobs in Hamilton (easier said than done) and the car
use percentage would go down.

Luckily Trinity and Walmart are on the case, increasing the number of jobs that pay so badly people can't afford cars!

[the dude]

you should send this to your councillor and the HSR. Awesome.
Most of it can be rapid transit too...the only part that can't is the stretch of Barton from James to Ottawa.

ya, the barton line would be difficult. you'd have to remove most or perhaps all the on-street parking to make it 'rapid.' i don't think people would like that, though it's not entirely beyond the realm of possibility.

[matt602]

Isn't that part of Barton the same as it was back when streetcars used it 70 years ago?

[raisethehammer]

I don't think there's a problem with having part of a route run in mixed traffic, assuming we give it priority at intersections and traffic signals etc... the rest of the route would be 'rapid'.