Population growth, climate change, traffic gridlock and air pollution are all driving the need for change in how we live, work and travel, not only in Waterloo Region, but in the world. The Grand River Environmental Network recognizes that public transit is an effective and efficient means of dealing with many of these pressing issues. GREN regards the LRT as the spine of a much-needed upgrade to Waterloo Region’s public transit system. No system is ideal, no system is cheap, but if the LRT meets the following criteria, GREN offers its support. The LRT should:

1.      Seamlessly integrate with other modes of transportation – GO, inner and inter-city buses, VIA, walking and biking, airport – in a timely, convenient manner;

2.      Provide a safe, clean, sustainable and affordable move away from private car use;

3.      Meet the requirements of the Provincial Places to Grow Act for urban intensification to benefit rural, as well as urban, areas of the Region. With the firm countryside line and countryside protection embedded in the Region’s Official Plan, the LRT in the urban core helps stop urban sprawl and protects farmland and water recharge areas outside the cities;

4.      Like Calgary, keep costs low by minimizing underground and elevated trackage, sharing transit malls with buses, leasing rights-of-way from freight railroads, and combining LRT construction with freeway expansion,  and

5.      NOT be built without the written commitment of both the provincial and federal governments to cover the pledged 2/3 of the cost, with every effort made to not exceed the projected cost of $790 million for the 11 km of LRT and 13 km of adapted BRT (Bus Rapid Transit - no separate bus lanes).

Cost

There have been significant objections to the high cost of installing an LRT/BRT system, but GREN believes the costs are justified to create a healthy and dynamic Region that will make it easier for people to live in a more sustainable manner. At $600,000,000 upgrading buses without an LRT is not significantly cheaper. Annual operating costs for the LRT/BRT are not expected to exceed $23 million/year while operating at rapid 15 minute intervals, a fraction of a Regional budget expected to surpass one billion dollars annually. Both Toronto and Calgary installed their first subway and LRT lines, respectively, when their populations were similar to the Region of Waterloo’s current population.

Recommendations for Success

The LRT should NOT be a license for unlimited Regional growth beyond capacity or to profit land speculators. It should be accessible by BRT to and from Conestoga College, Elmira, New Hamburg, New Dundee, Wellesley and St. Jacob’s. Perhaps an urban ring BRT similar to what Boston is currently considering might be suitable for the suburbs and smaller communities in our Region.

To support innercity ridership and increase the success of the LRT, the stations should include large employers, the universities, and major retailers. The LRT should extend to Cambridge, if not immediately, then by a specified date.

To support intercity travel, the line should include stops at the VIA train station and the proposed GO stations, extend to the Sportsworld Greyhound station and include a BRT connection to the Waterloo Regional Airport. The line should also extend to Guelph, rather than spending $300 million+ on a new Highway 7. There should be parking lots and kiss and ride at ends of line, (e.g. , similar to Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Kipling Station kiss and ride interface with TTC in Toronto)

To further contribute to what we see as a commitment to a cleaner and greener Region, the LRT should include a stop at the Iron Horse Trail with a secure bike lockup facility and be powered by clean, renewable energy (e.g., Calgary’s wind-powered C-train, City of Toronto’s commitment to clean, renewable power).

The system should have low floor trains and be wheelchair, bike and stroller-friendly.

Service should be free. Public transportation and roads are both built and maintained by tax dollars. We do not pay tolls to use our roads; we should not pay to use public transit.

Ridership can also be encouraged with attractive features such as plush, comfortable seating, WiFi connection, fold-down worktables and beverages. Service should be frequent and reliable (10 – 15 minutes) seven days a week and in the evenings with minimal wait time for connectors.

To service less busy routes, we suggest a public/private partnership to provide taxi-buses such as in Rimouski Quebec. We cannot overemphasize the need for rural and suburban feeder routes so all people in the region can benefit from the LRT – not just those living in the core.

And while we’re thinking big—why not make the LRT the first step towards a pedestrian mall on downtown King Street in Kitchener and Waterloo?

In Conclusion

The Region of Waterloo has the opportunity now, with support from both the provincial and federal governments, to raise the bar and create a world-standard setting transportation system that can do more than just move people. Indeed, without it, it is difficult to envision a healthy, sustainable future for our community.

The Grand River Environmental Network is the proactive voice for the environment in the Grand River watershed.

www.gren.ca

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