I have been following the plans in Waterloo Region to improve the public transit and am encouraged and discouraged by its residents.
I am in support of the plans to include Light Rail Transit in the region, although I feel that their initial idea of running it from Conestoga Mall to Fairview Mall is not the ideal choice. If I were on the transit council my plan would be for the Light Rail to run from St.Jacobs(or the Farmers Market, with buses to St.Jacobs) to the Ainslie St terminal in Cambridge. This is one of the plans the the region has, but it comes with the highest cost for local taxpayers. I understand the frustration from Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig at not being included with the current semi-approved Light Rail plan, as rapid buses are to be in place from Fairview Mall to the Ainslie St terminal, with plans in the future to expand the rail line.
I am opposed to increasing transit only using buses as this comes with higher costs by having to increase the amount of roads we have. I feel the biggest issue is vehicles with one occupant, and in this situation that requires households to own more than one vehicle. If it is possible for residents to remove one vehicle it could save them thousands of dollars over the year through maintenance, fuel, and insurance. With this extra income they have the option to treat themselves to anything they want, holidays, house renovations, and have the monetary funds available when an emergency occurs.
The first step that needs to be taken in the Region is a central hub that connects buses, Light Rail, VIA Rail and GO Transit, which is currently in the works in Kitchener. Once this hub is built we will have the option to take VIA Rail to several cities on Southwestern Ontario and as far East as Montreal, which can then connect to other cities. By having this option we can hop on a bus at a stop, hopefully only a short distance from our doorstep, to the central hub, and if anyone works in the GTA they can transfer to the GO Train. From this hub I would also like to see the GO Train or VIA Rail have a link to Pearson International Airport, Waterloo Regional International Airport and London Airport. Currently the only transportation options residents of Waterloo have to airports are from a family member, friend and Airways Transit/Taxi. When a friend or family drives you it is convenient but it can become tiresome after a while if you fly frequently, and the cost from Airways Transit/Taxis is too high in my personal opinion, so I would like to have a cost effective option with convenience.
While the Region works on improving the public transit they need to improve the other methods of moving about the city, by this I mean better maintained sidewalks and increased bicycle lanes. Obviously with these improvements safety comes into question, and I feel confident that Waterloo will do a good job. Having read a few statements from people concerned about taking the small town charm from the cities that make up Waterloo Region I understand their concern when it comes to improving transit by installing Light Rail, but we also need to look at the major employers currently operating here. Of the three highest employers two are involved with investing and insurance, while the third is in the Information Technology business and is known around the world for its innovation, and with these three companies operating here I feel that the small town charm has gone, so why not move forward and embrace what the Region can offer its future residents without harming the current ones. I am looking forward to what the Region implements, but it is up the its residents, and if you disappoint the residents they will move from the Region and advise others to do the same or convince people to not move here.
This will be my first full year living in Waterloo Region with my partner, and I am looking forward to it even if it comes across in some of my posts and potentially not enjoying it. I shall participate in the events hosted by each city throughout the year and am looking forward to new events coming to the area. If you would like anymore info here are a few websites to better inform you:
Pro LRT - Tri-Cities Transport Action Group
Opposed to LRT - Taxpayers for Sensible Transit
Region of Waterloo - Rapid Transit Info
What are your thoughts on the future plans the Region has in store, and what is something you would like to see come to the Region or for councilors to change or implement?
I'm in favour of better public transportation in the area and definitely to airports. But, as a commuter to the GTA, the length of time it would take me to use light rail and the GO Train doesn't make it more convenient. I think aside from the tax money it will cost, many people are adverse to it because they've gotten used to driving their own vehicles at their own leisure... and I am definitely one of them. If I had to choose, I'd choose lower taxes and my own car. I would like to see more public parking lots, particularly in communities where we aren't able to park on the road in the evening and at all in the winter. Incurring fines isn't making people want to drink and drive less.
ReplyDeleteIf you choose lower taxes and your own car, you would be contributing to the problem that is trying to be solved. I find too many people have this mentality and it needs to be curbed, and unfortunately the only way to do that is for the Region to give incentives to people. If everyone chose to have lower taxes and drive their own vehicle there would be far more traffic jams(already more than enough vehicles on regional roads) and your travel time to destinations would be even longer. I understand for people that work more than 50km from their residence, it makes sense for them to drive, but others need to evaluate if they really need to drive to work. I agree that is has become the norm and people being comfortable with their cars, but something needs to change soon, or we will be paying even higher taxes for increased roadworks and public transit as we will be forced to use it.
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