Council on notice for having bad policies?

[sburns]

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They're more efficient in that they cost less to operate and maintain than buses. The biggest savings is that one driver can move 132 passengers in the smallest streetcar, while the same driver could only move 77 in the largest bus. Plus, because the streetcar runs on rails it's much easier to extend it and to electrify it, both of which pile on the savings.

It doesn't make sense to make the efficient people mover move out of the way of the inefficient people mover. Instead left turns should be banned, as they are in most city centres even without streetcars.

But that's 'war on the car' talk so we can't have that.

So 132 passengers can sit not moving while stuck behind someone. Sure it might be efficient in terms of load, but not in other ways.

What thre city did on St Clair is actually pretty good. I have been down in that area recently and it works quite well. Having the street car isolated from the other traffic is much better then trying to flow with it. Plus I am sure it helps passengers not having to cross a lane of traffic to get on board. They could have taken it a step further by removing the parking lane and building some car garages along the area.

 

[sburns]

I think Toronto's traffic problems are going to be there for a while. I have only seen one initiative that makes things better -- Tory's no parking stance.

I haven't seen this make things better. There are still lots of vehicles all over blocking places they shouldn't downtown. Maybe it was effective when he first talked about and they were gunning for people, but that seemed to have faded.

 

[nobbie48]

So 132 passengers can sit not moving while stuck behind someone. Sure it might be efficient in terms of load, but not in other ways.

What thre city did on St Clair is actually pretty good. I have been down in that area recently and it works quite well. Having the street car isolated from the other traffic is much better then trying to flow with it. Plus I am sure it helps passengers not having to cross a lane of traffic to get on board. They could have taken it a step further by removing the parking lane and building some car garages along the area.

St Clair, patron saint of double parkers.

Parking lots would help but the land cost alone would be mind boggling.

The more I think about it the more I can see car restrictions downtown. However I don't like the shove-it-in-your-face attitudes.

The U-turn, right turn to make a left turn takes a bit of getting used to. I'm not sure what happens when a car / truck stalls.

Suburbia is a different situation. Getting from one burb to another is a joke.

 

[sburns]

St Clair, patron saint of double parkers.

Parking lots would help but the land cost alone would be mind boggling.

Do what the do in Europe, build parking under city own parks etc. They own the land already just use it more effectively.


Sent from the moon!

 

[fastar1]

So 132 passengers can sit not moving while stuck behind someone. Sure it might be efficient in terms of load, but not in other ways.

What thre city did on St Clair is actually pretty good. I have been down in that area recently and it works quite well. Having the street car isolated from the other traffic is much better then trying to flow with it. Plus I am sure it helps passengers not having to cross a lane of traffic to get on board. They could have taken it a step further by removing the parking lane and building some car garages along the area.

Actually 251 passengers can sit not moving while stuck behind someone, for the new quadruple articulated streetcars. But of course the problem isn't the 251 passengers. it's the someone.

A few more not so obvious reasons streetcars are preferable to buses: For one, they draw more ridership because they're smoother and quieter. And two, they promote increased investment in a given area because their infrastructure is a long-term commitment so land owners don't have to worry that their residents or workers will suddenly have to walk a block further to catch a bus that's been re-routed on a whim.

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