The future of Hamilton's public transit - Page 116

NortheastWind · #**2301** Posted **Jun 16, 2015, 5:22 PM**

Gondolas are becoming popular. The Gondola Project website has a lot of good information. There's a lot of articles about new gondola systems, like ones in several South America cities.

ScreamingViking · #**2302** Posted **Jun 17, 2015, 4:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

A gondola would be great from Olympic Park and down along the hydro corridor to link to McMaster. It be a great way to connect the Mountain to McMaster since there's no direct access to McMaster.

"Tourist" aspects aside, this would be the key to their success as a transit mode - connecting two areas that don't have direct road access between them where the gondola would be much faster than a bus, so long as the ridership warrants it. That particular connection would likely fit that criteria more than any other, given the fact McMaster is one of the city's biggest generators of transit users.

HillStreetBlues · #**2303** Posted **Jun 17, 2015, 12:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

A gondola would be great from Olympic Park and down along the hydro corridor to link to McMaster. It be a great way to connect the Mountain to McMaster since there's no direct access to McMaster.

I think this routing is a great idea for the reason that there are few people underneath to protest it: from Mohawk Road all the way to Cootes Drive, it is open space. I think if a gondola were ever proposed in this city, there would be outrage by a lot of people under its path. Your routing doesn’t have this issue.

oldcoote · #**2304** Posted **Jun 17, 2015, 1:40 PM**

Gondolas's are intriguing, but they may be an issue for the elderly and those with mobility issues. They don't stop, they only slow down for loading/unloading. Of course, you could always have staff able to assist I suppose.

ScreamingViking · #**2305** Posted **Jun 17, 2015, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldcoote

Gondolas's are intriguing, but they may be an issue for the elderly and those with mobility issues. They don't stop, they only slow down for loading/unloading. Of course, you could always have staff able to assist I suppose.

I thought they could detach themselves from the drive cables to make stops?

How does the Roosevelt Island tram in NYC work? That would probably be the model for a transit-type gondola system in Hamilton.

Otherwise for shorter distance connections up and down the escarpment it would probably be sufficient to have a two-car lift system where they alternate going up and down... basically the way the old incline railways worked.

LikeHamilton · #**2306** Posted **Jul 6, 2015, 12:15 AM**

Media Advisory

Minister to Make Transit Announcement

July 5, 2015 2:00 P.M.Ministry of Transportation

Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation, and Bruce McCuaig, CEO of Metrolinx, will make an announcement about transit. They will be joined by Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton.

Date: Monday, July 6, 2015
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: West Harbour GO Station
353 James Street North
Hamilton

Parking: Parking is available on MacNab Street North

Note: Media to enter via MacNab Street North

king10 · #**2307** Posted **Jul 6, 2015, 1:00 PM**

would be nice if the announcement was about additional funding to connect the LRT from the queenston traffic circle to eastgate and the Centennial GO Station.

interr0bangr · #**2308** Posted **Jul 6, 2015, 1:37 PM**

I assume it's essentially just a ribbon cutting type thing? The station is opening this week.

markbarbera · #**2309** Posted **Jul 6, 2015, 5:00 PM**

Here is the related news release

thistleclub · #**2310** Posted **Jul 13, 2015, 7:11 PM**

City newcomer wants dogs allowed on HSR transit
(Hamilton Spectator, Carmela Fragomeni, July 13 2015)

City councillors are looking into allowing large dogs on HSR Transit buses after a new Hamiltonian appealed for the same opportunity she had when living in Toronto.

Robyn Lloyd told the July 7 public works committee meeting she doesn't have a vehicle but it wasn't a problem in Toronto because she could take her dog on the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission buses and subways) at all times except during rush hour.

After urging the committee to consider allowing the same here, councillors directed staff to report back in a few weeks on what other cities do.

"I have a large dog who's very well behaved, and he came with me from Toronto," said Lloyd. "He goes everywhere possible with me."

Read it in full here.

movingtohamilton · #**2311** Posted **Jul 13, 2015, 11:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thistleclub

City newcomer wants dogs allowed on HSR transit
(Hamilton Spectator, Carmela Fragomeni, July 13 2015)

City councillors are looking into allowing large dogs on HSR Transit buses after a new Hamiltonian appealed for the same opportunity she had when living in Toronto.

Robyn Lloyd told the July 7 public works committee meeting she doesn't have a vehicle but it wasn't a problem in Toronto because she could take her dog on the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission buses and subways) at all times except during rush hour.

After urging the committee to consider allowing the same here, councillors directed staff to report back in a few weeks on what other cities do.

"I have a large dog who's very well behaved, and he came with me from Toronto," said Lloyd. "He goes everywhere possible with me."

Read it in full here.

This is the new entitlement. "I don't have a human child, but I have the 2015 version: the dog child".

matt602 · #**2312** Posted **Jul 14, 2015, 12:08 AM**

I don't see any problem with it.

thistleclub · #**2313** Posted **Jul 14, 2015, 1:18 AM**

As long as there's only one seat occupied (as is the case with the existing child policy, not Clr Merulla's 12-and-under-ride-free proposal) and people treat their animals and fellow riders (and their animals) with respect and care, it makes no difference to me. Fares will be going up annually henceforth and will catch up to peer networks in short order so there may as well be some PR-friendly perks along the way.

No free rides on the gondola, though. They don't grow on trees.

interr0bangr · #**2314** Posted **Jul 14, 2015, 2:40 AM**

I took my dog on the TTC all the time when I lived in Toronto. This is a non-issue, dogs should 100% be allowed on HSR unless they're vicious obviously.

HillStreetBlues · #**2315** Posted **Jul 14, 2015, 12:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

This is the new entitlement. "I don't have a human child, but I have the 2015 version: the dog child".

Those were my thoughts exactly when I read the article. She was quoted as saying something to the effect of "nobody is having kids any more." Uh-huh...

In Toronto, they are specifically barred at rush hours. The way many dog owners behave in Hamilton, I could see them flouting this if they were permitted at some hours of the day. If allowed, it would need to be enforced at busy times (which means there are costs), and I would expect dogs would need to be muzzled.

Beedok · #**2316** Posted **Jul 14, 2015, 1:43 PM**

As a cat owner I'm weary of letting large dogs on the bus. If I have to take my cat to the vets I keep it in a carrier on my lap. A large dog fairly free on a leash could easily cause a commotion if it caught wind of a cat.

bvbborussia · #**2317** Posted **Jul 16, 2015, 3:02 PM**

Dog owners have to be some of the most selfish people around. Just because you love your dog doesn't mean we all have to be subjected to it. Who decides if a dog is well behaved enough to ride a busy rush hour bus? The owner? From my experience they have a far higher tolerance for poor behaviour than others. I don't need your dog's fur getting all over me, I don't need it drooling on me when it's hot. Leave them at home.

Dwils01 · #**2318** Posted **Jul 16, 2015, 7:04 PM**

As someone who has a slight allergy to dogs, being stuck on a packed bus with large dogs that shed would be torture for me.

I wonder if stuff like this has been taken into account. When you are outside you can at least get away from dogs but when your stuck on a bus it's a lot more difficult.

HillStreetBlues · #**2319** Posted **Jul 17, 2015, 12:18 PM**

The City of Hamilton has a survey on their web site on improvements to transportation, in particular transit. I note that there is no question about the coming fare hike.

Beedok · #**2320** Posted **Jul 17, 2015, 3:35 PM**

So, having looked it up (because I was bored and curious) Hamilton would have been ~40th for transit use as % of commuters in the US in 2010 (for cities over 100k). That sounds bad until you find out there's nearly 300 US cities over 100k, so even if Hamilton's been bad by Canada standards it's not at the US average.