Rapid Transit

[ScreamingViking]

Surprised they didn't put an asterisk next to 2024. For example:

*subject to Hamilton city council dithering, useless motions, and delay

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Surprised they didn't put an asterisk next to 2024. For example:

*subject to Hamilton city council dithering, useless motions, and delay

At least this LRT project is unlikely to open up a series of sinkholes. . .

[SteelTown]

Mayor warns LRT at risk ‘until shovels are in the ground'

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/8...n-the-ground-/

Hamilton's $1-billion light rail transit project remains in jeopardy of being stalled if the community elects councillors opposed to the still controversial system in this fall's municipal vote, says Mayor Fred Eisenberger.

Eisenberger, who is seeking his first consecutive mayoral election win in October, said LRT remains "the community's biggest challenge no matter what year."

He said LRT will continue to be at risk until "the shovels are in the ground.

"I've said all along it will be a roller-coaster," said Eisenberger, who was also mayor from 2006 to 2010. Eisenberger lost to Bob Bratina in the 2010 mayoral race.

When asked if LRT can still be stalled or even stopped at this late stage, Eisenberger said "anything can happen."

"It happened in Ottawa. It's possible here. The next council we need to finalize LRT on a simple majority vote. It's not a reconsideration. Who the electorate picks as their councillor if they are supportive of LRT is going to matter greatly."

Ottawa politicians were surprised to discover last month the city's much anticipated $2.1-billion LRT line will be delayed for an unspecified length of time.

Hamilton politicians still have to approve the operating agreement with the province and Metrolinx with regards to the LRT. Metrolinx has already derailed plans to put out a tender call for consortiums to design, build, finance, run and maintain the project. It has left LRT proponents concerned a contract award for the project would be delayed beyond the provincial election in June. The project is scheduled to begin construction in 2019, with completion expected in 2024.

Eisenberger, who defeated anti-LRT mayoral candidate and former Stoney Creek councillor Brad Clark in the 2014 mayoral race, expects a number of candidates for mayor and council to emerge and run against LRT.

"We will have to put our case forward to be clear about the benefits of LRT and why it is important for our city," said Eisenberger.

[thistleclub]

CBC Hamilton’s Sam Craggs buttonholed the PCPO’s appointed candidate for FlamGlan over her loosey-goosey transit funding claims:

https://mobile.twitter.com/SamCraggs...56615187714048

Short version: PCs apparently willing to spend a third as much on Hamilton infrastructure if council wills it so, don’t need a business case for doing so, and would even consider conventional buses.

[durandy]

It will be an interesting 2018. Luckily for LRT supporters, two major factors: first is the turnover. The biggest LRT opponent is the one jumping to the PCs, and Partridge hasn't been an advocate either. Rumours are that Conley may not run and Pasuta likely won't either. That leaves only Brenda Johnson of the rural councillors and while no supporter she hasn't been super opposed. Second, the OMB decision. Pasutas ward is gone and the new ward may be a little more likely to support LRT or at least not as opposed as the rural ward was. The flip side is whether the new Dundas and Ancaster wards, which are very different, flip either Vanderbeek or Ferguson to different stances. Vanderbeek gas always been light on LRT but I don't see Ferguson changing his mind.

[LikeHamilton]

Last year when they had the open houses for the LRT, I attended and had some good conversations with the people and engineers that where there. I decided to put in 2 proposals for changes for the LRT A & B lines. I was disappointed when they made the change in the A line before the submissions even closed. I received a note from them saying thanks but no thanks on the A line.

I did not receive anything back for the B Line but I have since heard from other people involved in other parts of the project that they were seriously considering it. The problem seems to be the railroads not wanting to share their right of ways. As you will read it is an important part of my suggestion.

The A line part I will post in a few days.

My B Line LRT Route Change Suggestions

A route change at the 403

I am proposing that the LRT route make a southward turn off of King Street just after the CPR/TH&B bridge just behind Fortino’s. It would go through the east side of Cathedral Park and if there is room and you can get the right of way from CPR, run under the Main Street Bridge. If not, a new tunnel under Main Street can be built. Then running beside the CPR line under the Chatham Street Bridge to the tracks at the maintenance facility you are building there.

McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) has talked about building a parking garage on their property. You could partner with them to build one. If it is built close to the tracks, you could place a station inside of the building. This would not only give MIP a parking structure but would allow for people to park their cars and take the LRT and is it also close to the 403 HWY.

This part of the route is slightly shorter than the route from the CPR Bridge to Longwood, but the overall route from the CPR Bridge through MIP to Longwood Road is longer. Time could be made up by the LRT units being able to travel at a higher speed through this area as it is below grade and would not have any traffic with it or crossing the route. There would also be no pedestrians along it.

A cost benefit to this would be no long expensive bridge across HWY 403 to build. There would be less interference with the ramps to the highway as it would turn before the ramps. The second bridge or reconstruction on the Longwood Bridge is already in the plans and costing of the route.

The number 6 Aberdeen, the number 7 Locke and the number 8 York buses could be adjusted to go by the MIP LRT Station to bring in area passengers.

MIP - LRT Route by R L, on Flickr

[The Gore]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

Last year when they had the open houses for the LRT, I attended and had some good conversations with the people and engineers that where there. I decided to put in 2 proposals for changes for the LRT A & B lines. I was disappointed when they made the change in the A line before the submissions even closed. I received a note from them saying thanks but no thanks on the A line.

I did not receive anything back for the B Line but I have since heard from other people involved in other parts of the project that they were seriously considering it. The problem seems to be the railroads not wanting to share their right of ways. As you will read it is an important part of my suggestion.

The A line part I will post in a few days.

My B Line LRT Route Change Suggestions



A route change at the 403

I am proposing that the LRT route make a southward turn off of King Street just after the CPR/TH&B bridge just behind Fortino’s. It would go through the east side of Cathedral Park and if there is room and you can get the right of way from CPR, run under the Main Street Bridge. If not, a new tunnel under Main Street can be built. Then running beside the CPR line under the Chatham Street Bridge to the tracks at the maintenance facility you are building there.

McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) has talked about building a parking garage on their property. You could partner with them to build one. If it is built close to the tracks, you could place a station inside of the building. This would not only give MIP a parking structure but would allow for people to park their cars and take the LRT and is it also close to the 403 HWY.

This part of the route is slightly shorter than the route from the CPR Bridge to Longwood, but the overall route from the CPR Bridge through MIP to Longwood Road is longer. Time could be made up by the LRT units being able to travel at a higher speed through this area as it is below grade and would not have any traffic with it or crossing the route. There would also be no pedestrians along it.

A cost benefit to this would be no long expensive bridge across HWY 403 to build. There would be less interference with the ramps to the highway as it would turn before the ramps. The second bridge or reconstruction on the Longwood Bridge is already in the plans and costing of the route.

The number 6 Aberdeen, the number 7 Locke and the number 8 York buses could be adjusted to go by the MIP LRT Station to bring in area passengers.

MIP - LRT Route by R L, on Flickr

Brilliant!

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^ I like that idea but how much time would that add to a trip across town?

In my alternate universe, I can imagine a separate line running from the GO Centre along the rail line past MIP, crossing over the 403 to Cootes then down into Dundas running up King to Main and looping back on Dundas St.

Go Centre - MIP - Mac - Cdn Tire - King & Main - Main & Dundas - Cdn Tire - Mac - MIP - Go Centre

[thistleclub]

6 Aberdeen, the number 7 Locke and the number 8 York buses could be adjusted to go by the MIP LRT Station to bring in area passengers.

Exhibit 3-18: Service of the 2010 HSR Operational Review catalogued HSR ridership for the afternoon peak (3pm-7pm). For these routes…

1 King: 4,506 boardings / Average load 15.0 passengers
2 Barton: 3,461 boardings / Average load 16.4 passengers
3 Cannon: 1,056 boardings / Average load 15.1 passengers
4 Bayfront: 1,168 boardings / Average load 6.6 passengers
5 Delaware: 3,587 boardings / Average load 13.2 passengers
6 Aberdeen: 207 boardings / Average load 2.3 passengers
7 Locke: 197 boardings / Average load 3.2 passengers
8 York: 380 boardings / Average load 3.2 passengers
10 Express: 2,844 boardings / Average load 13.8 passengers

City-wide average load was 12.1 passengers. 6-8 are one route waiting to happen.

[eatboots]

Some of those routes should really be combined, why are Cannon and York not one route? The bus doesn't really need to go to the train station downtown, it should just be a city a long city wide route.

[lachlanholmes]

Originally Posted by eatboots

Some of those routes should really be combined, why are Cannon and York not one route? The bus doesn't really need to go to the train station downtown, it should just be a city a long city wide route.

As someone who used to ride the York for many years, it shouldn't be combined. The York has a high senior ridership who can't get to the GO Centre and is mostly used to get to the multiple seniors communities in Strathcona.

[mishap]

Originally Posted by eatboots

Some of those routes should really be combined, why are Cannon and York not one route? The bus doesn't really need to go to the train station downtown, it should just be a city a long city wide route.

Because there is not adequate connecting service to get the passengers in and out of the core outside of peak hours. When the 8 uses Dundurn along with full A-Line bus service and B-Line LRT, then it's a good idea .

[SteelTown]

LRT news coming Friday as city waits for bidding to start on $1-billion project
The city is waiting for bidding to begin on construction of the $1-billion light rail transit line as well as details about what guaranteed “community benefits” will flow from the project

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/8...llion-project/
NEWS 04:56 PM by Matthew Van Dongen Hamilton Spectator

Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin will make an LRT announcement Friday as the city waits for bidding to begin on Hamilton's $1-billion light rail transit project.

The city is still waiting for a delayed Request for Proposals to be released by project head Metrolinx for consortiums hoping to bid on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the 14-kilometre LRT line proposed to run from McMaster University to Eastgate Square.

The bidding process was supposed to start last fall, but was delayed several months by council's decision to debate, then abandon, the idea of the HSR running LRT rather than a private operator.

A March 22 letter from new Metrolinx president Phil Verster, formally considered by council Wednesday night, said the agency planned to release the RFP "in the coming weeks" in the hopes of being able to start construction in late 2019 and have trains rolling by 2024.

Aside from the pending RFP, other ongoing LRT work includes creating a framework for a community benefits agreement meant to emphasize local hiring, help historically disadvantaged communities and address potential affordable housing issues.

Several councillors have expressed hope the provincially-funded project will include a firm commitment to ensure affordable housing is incorporated into redevelopment along the LRT line.

Council must also sign off on an operating and maintenance agreement before the construction project can go ahead. Hamilton's new LRT project point person, Kris Jacobson, said he will report "best guess" cost estimates to the city at a meeting in July.

New provincial PC Leader Doug Ford recently spurred new speculation about the always-contentious project by suggesting Hamilton could keep the LRT money even if a new council decides to switch gears and abandon the project.

That suggestion came just days after Ford's earlier assertion that he supports the LRT project because it "will create jobs, countless new jobs, and stimulate economic development."

Regardless, the project agreement won't be signed before the May provincial election or the October city election.

[drpgq]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

[B]
The bidding process was supposed to start last fall, but was delayed several months by council's decision to debate, then abandon, the idea of the HSR running LRT rather than a private operator.

Kind of sad that if Matthew Green had not acted, the process would have been further along and perhaps harder to cancel.

[thistleclub]

The Hamilton LRT announce may be overshadowed by questions about another LRT announcement.

[thistleclub]

List of shortlisted consortiums bidding on Hamilton LRT, via Matthew van Dongen:

CityLine Transit Group
• Equity Providers: ACS, Aecon, CRH, TIAA
• Constructors: Dragados, Aecon, Dufferin
• Design Team: Parsons, HDR, Amec, RDHA
• Operations, Maintenance & Rehabilitation Team: ACS, Aecon, CRH, Serco

Ei8ht Transit
• Equity Providers: EllisDon, Fluor, Bombardier
• Constructors: Fluor Canada, EllisDon Civil, Bombardier
• Design Team: WSP/MMM, Hatch, Gh3, Bombardier
• Operations, Maintenance & Rehabilitation Team: EllisDon Facility Services, Bombardier

Mobilinx
• Equity Providers: Astaldi, John Laing, Hitachi-Ansaldo, Amic, Transdev
• Constructors: Astaldi, Hitachi-Ansaldo, Amico, Bot
• Design Team: IBI, Hitachi-Ansaldo, Daoust Lestage, Morrison Hershfield, Exp Services, Arcadis
• Operations, Maintenance & Rehabilitation Team: Transdev, Hitachi-Ansaldo, Astaldi

Mobilinx was one of the three shortlisted bidders for the Hurontario LRT as well.

It appears that these three shortlisted candidates had been identified nine and a half months ago, a week before Councillor Green's motion for an HSR-operated LRT, an ultimately toothless exercise in virtue signalling.

[Jon Dalton]

Yep, if Doug Ford scraps LRT it's on Matthew Green.

[lachlanholmes]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Yep, if Doug Ford scraps LRT it's on Matthew Green.

Exactly my thoughts.

[Jon Dalton]

Council is being given so many second chances with this. First the Liberals got another term which noone saw coming, then Patrick Brown said he would support LRT if elected. Even Doug, incredibly, said he would keep the money on the table. But between a new Council and a new government, I don't see this standing up.

[drpgq]

It would be nice if some councillors like Tom Jackson who are virtually unassailable would in the end support LRT. Also I wonder what Whitehead will do since he spearheaded getting the original plan back.