(Save Transit City) He's not even in office yet...

And Mayor-Elect Rob Ford has succeeded in giving me something to rant about.  Transit City.

Sure having light-rail instead of subways is not a perfect solution.  But subways take time (which we don't have) and money (which many taxpayers and the current governments don't want to spend) and well they aren't on the public agenda except in Rob Ford's fantasy addled mind and with his fantasy money.

See here for the latest from the Toronto Star. 

Apparently Ford believes that light rail causes traffic congestion and is willing to use MY money (and YOUR money if you live in Canada) to pay penalties on cancelled contracts for work that is already started.  Then he's going to troll around looking for the unknown oodles of cash that it will take to get a subway built.  And there's the time it takes to get environmental assessments and the contracts and the building of the cars, and well, you see how there ain't gonna be no subway in suburban Toronto.

Hey Mayor-Elect Ford, try to think a little differently. Maybe spend a few days looking at the books and getting a feel for how being mayor works (you know, finding out where the stapler is, and how the coffee machine works). 

Perhaps utilize the services of those traffic engineers who went to University and learned about traffic patterning and gridlock and all kinds of "thinky" stuff about how cars and transportation work and the people at the TTC who spent time planning Transit City.  Those crazy experts we employ to tell leaders like Mayors what the FACTS ARE based on RESEARCH and EVIDENCE.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Maybe cars cause congestion. 

Maybe having 1 person in one vehicle x 1000 causes more congestion than 100 people in 10 vehicles that can cruise along unhampered by all those cars.

Maybe there are many many citizens in the suburbs who do not have cars, or free parking, or other means of transportation and DESERVE a solid public transportation infrastructure IMMEDIATELY to get to their jobs, schools, shops etc because they pay taxes too and work to keep this city running.

Maybe use the money you have now instead of promising something that you can't deliver during your time in office.

Transit City makes sense.  It is relatively inexpensive, possible, started, funded and HAPPENING.  If this is how Rob Ford is going to save me money and show me good customer service (his mantras, not mine, I have far loftier goals as a citizen), we are SCREWED.

 

Comments

[Manon]

This just confirms what I fear of the next four years under the Rob Ford banner. And why I'm leaving Toronto in the Spring, after nearly 30 years of living in this city.

[helga]

great rant!
from a commie-pinko cook.
a.k.a. helga

[danielle]

Well said and it could be applied to many cities. I really wonder if he has any ambition to build a public transport system at all. I wonder who paid for his campaign? Here in Paris, they have/are building trams. The ones that are already running have had an overwhelming success while the promised extensions of the subway system have yet to materialise.
Do you know about Transition Towns?

[Seanna Lea]

I used to work at a firm called Cambridge Systematics, and they specialize in transportation consultation. I remember that they consulted on the rail project here in Boston and, of course, the local government didn't take their advice. I would have much rather seen the commuter rail spokes around the city with light rail concentric rings (which is the impression I had from what I understood of their suggestions) than the commuter rail with either bus or no service at the end points. Now if you are on the south end of the state and want to get to a city north of Boston you need to go through the city to do it via public transit. Their method would have at least saved a lot of suburban traffic from going through the city.

[Devremülk]

i like to read your posts. thanks for this one.