HSR

Wednesday November 29, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 29, 2017

Reluctant province willing to let City of Hamilton run LRT

The province’s transit agency is leaving the door open for Hamilton to run a planned new LRT line even as it urges council to abandon the idea.

October 18, 2017

Months ago city council got on board with a local union campaign to ask the province to reconsider plans to contract out operations and maintenance of a $1-billion, 14-kilometre LRT line.

The late request temporarily derailed plans by provincial transit agency Metrolinx to put out a tender call for consortiums to design, build, finance, run and maintain the project. It also left LRT supporters worried a contract award would be delayed beyond the Ontario election in June.

But the city now has its answer: a reluctant yes — with plenty of warnings and a January decision deadline.

In a Nov. 24 letter, Metrolinx president Phil Verster appeals to council to let the private tender process go ahead.

November 4, 2017

“I strongly recommend that the project continue to be delivered using the (privately run) model,” he writes. “However, if the City decides it is not willing to proceed with this model, Metrolinx is prepared to remove operations from the current procurement and work with the City.”

Verster warned the HSR would be forced to shoulder a list of onerous responsibilities and legal obligations as part of a local operations agreement. He also ruled out the idea of the city taking over responsibility for LRT maintenance.

A companion report from city staff also identifies “immediate and ongoing costs” to the taxpayer if council commits to a locally run system — including $750,000 a year for the next seven years for a new five-person team dedicated to LRT operation matters.

LRT Cartoon Gallery

Those costs would not be covered by the $1-billion in provincial funding, the report says.

Switching gears on LRT operations would also delay procurement by up to five months because Metrolinx would scrap a completed pre-qualification process for bidders and start again.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Monday he was relieved to get an answer, but added council “will have to grapple” with the cost implications of the looming decision. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

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Saturday November 4, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 4, 2017

Will Hamilton miss the bus on LRT operation?

Will unreliable HSR bus service kill the city’s bid to operate light rail transit?

October 18, 2017

It’s a popular question in the face of a dramatic spike in no-show buses — about 23 a day last month — unprecedented driver absenteeism and escalating tensions between the transit union and management.

Two months ago, city council got on board with a vocal local union campaign to ask the province to reconsider its plan to contract out operations and maintenance of a $1-billion, 14-kilometre LRT line proposed for Hamilton.

The province and transit agency Metrolinx, which had planned to solicit private bids to design, build and operate the LRT, say they are mulling the request.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Thursday he expects an answer “in the next week or so,” but added he didn’t know if AWOL buses would factor into the provincial decision.

Coun. Arlene Vanderbeek, however, publicly pointed out the especially poor timing of the no-show bus crisis. “We’ve asked the province to let us run the LRT … all of a sudden, we can’t run the HSR,” she said during a meeting on the issue at City Hall.

April 28, 2017

Residents were quick to weigh in online, too.

“Wonder how this debacle is playing down at Metrolinx HQ as they ponder council request to have @hsr operate the #LRT,” tweeted Ward 8 resident Paul Seczek.

Brad Clark, the former Ward 9 councillor and a Tory transportation minister, also pointed to a “very problematic” open letter from the transit union that labels HSR management “incompetent.” “Province could seize on this letter as a reason to reject local operation or even stall LRT,” he said on Twitter.

Hamilton Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin acknowledged in a brief message he has spoken to the mayor about the HSR. “No doubt their current situation does not reflect well. Let’s hope it’s an anomaly.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

 

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Thursday October 20, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday October 20, 2016 Voting to kill LRT would be difficult, Hamilton councillors told Council still has the power to derail LRT even with $70 million already spent on the project. But voting to kill the 100-per-cent provincially funded, $1-billion project would be procedurally difficult and fraught with legal risk, councillors were told during a 12-hour marathon meeting Tuesday. The prospect of a potential vote for or against LRT by a divided council attracted 150-plus residents to watch as well as two dozen who spoke publicly for and against the project. Enthusiasm for such a vote any time soon fizzled after lawyer George Rust-D'Eye suggested a move to delay or stop LRT would require two-thirds council support because of prior votes to move the project forward. Two councillors Ñ LRT supporter Sam Merulla and vocal critic Terry Whitehead Ñ did put forward a motion late in the meeting suggesting Metrolinx look at improving A-line transit up the Mountain alongside the funded LRT project. Metrolinx project head Andrew Hope said it was too early to say if the agency would look at such a request. "We would need to have further discussions with the city to understand what the actual intent is here," he said. Other councillors like Judi Partridge and Brenda Johnson, however, asked if council had any LRT "off-ramps" remaining, including major route changes or even a rethink to pursue bus rapid transit. City manager Chris Murray said council still has an opportunity to vote on "major milestones" including the environmental assessment submission next spring, an operating and maintenance agreement and a "master agreement" with Metrolinx. He emphasized council has already committed "in good faith" to moving LRT ahead with prior votes, including an Aug. 14, 2015 decision to create an LRT implementation office to work on the updated project that calls for a line from McMaster University to the Queenston tra

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 20, 2016

Voting to kill LRT would be difficult, Hamilton councillors told

Council still has the power to derail LRT even with $70 million already spent on the project.

But voting to kill the 100-per-cent provincially funded, $1-billion project would be procedurally difficult and fraught with legal risk, councillors were told during a 12-hour marathon meeting Tuesday.

The prospect of a potential vote for or against LRT by a divided council attracted 150-plus residents to watch as well as two dozen who spoke publicly for and against the project. Enthusiasm for such a vote any time soon fizzled after lawyer George Rust-D’Eye suggested a move to delay or stop LRT would require two-thirds council support because of prior votes to move the project forward.

Two councillors — LRT supporter Sam Merulla and vocal critic Terry Whitehead — did put forward a motion late in the meeting suggesting Metrolinx look at improving A-line transit up the Mountain alongside the funded LRT project. Metrolinx project head Andrew Hope said it was too early to say if the agency would look at such a request.

“We would need to have further discussions with the city to understand what the actual intent is here,” he said.

Other councillors like Judi Partridge and Brenda Johnson, however, asked if council had any LRT “off-ramps” remaining, including major route changes or even a rethink to pursue bus rapid transit.

City manager Chris Murray said council still has an opportunity to vote on “major milestones” including the environmental assessment submission next spring, an operating and maintenance agreement and a “master agreement” with Metrolinx.

He emphasized council has already committed “in good faith” to moving LRT ahead with prior votes, including an Aug. 14, 2015 decision to create an LRT implementation office to work on the updated project that calls for a line from McMaster University to the Queenston traffic circle. The city also signed a binding real estate protocol this fall.

But he added if council encounters a problem with the project or operating agreement that is “so significant that … we simply could not solve it, then I think that is where council would have to decide whether to keep going or not.”

Rust-D’Eye warned in his report that debate should not happen “without thorough consideration and legal advice with respect to the implications.”

City LRT point person Paul Johnson also noted Metrolinx has “spent or committed” between $60 million and $70 million on LRT planning so far, including 20 city staff and six Metrolinx officials working out of a local office as well as several consultants studying traffic, real estate and technical route issues.

He couldn’t tell frustrated councillors, however, how many buses might be available to use elsewhere in the city after LRT starts up on the busy B-line along Main and King streets because the options are still under study.(Source: Hamilton Spectator)

…It has been a loooong conversation on making LRT and enhanced GO Transit a Billion dollar reality in this city.  Here’s a gallery of transit cartoons from the past 5 years or so…

October 1, 2016
July 27, 2016
May 27, 2016
May 17, 2016
August 7, 2015
May 27, 2015
May 15, 2015
January 27, 2015
April 24 2015
March 7, 2015
February 7, 2015
February 3, 2015
January 23, 2015
December 13, 2014
2014 Mayoral Race
October 28, 2014
July 26, 2014
June 10, 2014
April 21, 2014
March 10, 2014
February 28, 2014
November 5, 2013
October 25, 2013
May 29, 2013
April 28 2013
April 20, 2013
October 24, 2012
September 27, 2011
July 22, 2011
July 20, 2011

Not to mention these from 2010 and before:

              

 

Tuesday May 17, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday May 17, 2016 Wavering on building LRT Spectator Editorial - Now that the LRT pot is on the front burner at full boil, it would be wise for everyone to take a deep breath.Ê Yes, it's disappointing that city council didn't take the opportunity to render a public display of support at last week's meeting. They should have. But as ourÊelected representatives, they have a right to express reservations and ask for more information and time. Hopefully putting it off for a week Ñ the matter isÊback before council in its general issues committee form tomorrow Ñ will give staff the time to provide the requisite information and councillors time to reflect. But if the matter is deferred again tomorrow, it will be more problematic. Quite simply, the time has come for council to send another clear, unequivocalÊmessage to the province: Thanks for the billion dollars, and yes, we will use it to build LRT. Arguments against LRT these days tend to fall into two categories. It's not something Hamilton needs now or ever, or it might be something Hamilton needs,Êbut it's premature. The first argument is the territory occupied by people who simply don't believe in modern, environmentally sound, economically catalytic public transit. ThoseÊof us who support improving and modernizing transit probably aren't going to convince this crowd. Their minds are closed. They're the ones who think theÊHSR in its current form was good enough in the '70s and '80s, so it's good enough for the future, perhaps with a few tweaks around the edges.Ê The other anti-LRT position Ñ that it's premature Ñ is more interesting and promising. You can make a solid case LRT might be a better fit eight or 10 yearsÊon, when the rest of our transit system is still not optimized to get full value from having LRT as a transit fulcrum. But here's the thing: a billion provincialÊdollars.Ê It's unlikely that any time in the foreseeable future a provi

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 17, 2016

Wavering on building LRT

Spectator Editorial – Now that the LRT pot is on the front burner at full boil, it would be wise for everyone to take a deep breath.

The LRT waiting game gallery

May 2015 – The LRT waiting game gallery

Yes, it’s disappointing that city council didn’t take the opportunity to render a public display of support at last week’s meeting. They should have. But as our elected representatives, they have a right to express reservations and ask for more information and time. Hopefully putting it off for a week — the matter is back before council in its general issues committee form tomorrow — will give staff the time to provide the requisite information and councillors time to reflect.

But if the matter is deferred again tomorrow, it will be more problematic. Quite simply, the time has come for council to send another clear, unequivocal message to the province: Thanks for the billion dollars, and yes, we will use it to build LRT.

Arguments against LRT these days tend to fall into two categories. It’s not something Hamilton needs now or ever, or it might be something Hamilton needs, but it’s premature.

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday, August 7, 2015 first phase of the LRT may also connect to waterfront The latest twist in Hamilton's long-running LRT saga leads straight to the waterfront. Two months ago, Premier Kathleen Wynne surprised city politicians with a $1-billion promise to build light rail transit along the King Street corridor Ñ with the caveat it must link to the new James Street GO station via an unplanned spur line. Now, a city report outlining the next steps for the ambitious project suggests the north-south spur line could be extended all the way to the waterfront. That's the "ideal vision," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger, who cautioned Metrolinx has yet to weigh in on the notion or cost of extending the spur beyond the west harbour GO Station. ÒI think the spur line makes all sorts of sense, given what we have in mind for the waterfront, and in my mind itÕs doable.Ó "I think it makes all sorts of sense, given what we have in mind for the waterfront, and in my mind it's doable," he said after the city released a LRT update report Wednesday. The city is working furiously to prepare for a hoped-for $500 million development boom on piers 7 and 8, including up to 1,600 housing units and new commercial space. Originally, the city asked for $811 million to build a 14-kilometre, east-west line running along the "B-line" transit corridor between McMaster University and Eastgate Square. But the province signed off on a shortened line ending at the Queenston traffic circle to cover the added cost of a link to the GO station. The section east of the traffic circle is identified as an unfunded "phase two" project. Extending the spur line to add a waterfront stop Ñ almost a kilometre beyond the GO station Ñ would fulfil part of the city's long-term vision for a north-south "A line" rapid transit route from the harbour to the airport, noted city spokesperson Mike Kirkopoulos. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thesp

August 7, 2015

The first argument is the territory occupied by people who simply don’t believe in modern, environmentally sound, economically catalytic public transit. Those of us who support improving and modernizing transit probably aren’t going to convince this crowd. Their minds are closed. They’re the ones who think the HSR in its current form was good enough in the ’70s and ’80s, so it’s good enough for the future, perhaps with a few tweaks around the edges.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday April 1, 2016 Downbound lanes of Sherman Access East closed City crews expect to reopen the downbound lane of the Sherman Access east Thursday morning that has been closed most of today because of a rock slide. Brian Hughes, manager of capital rehabilitation and technical operations with the City of Hamilton, said rocks began falling from the side of the escarpment late morning Wednesday onto the eastern portion of the downbound lane. The lane was closed as crews removed the rocks and overnight tonight they are planning to put in place concrete barriers to keep any further falling rocks from making it onto the road. No one was injured and no vehicles were damaged, he said. Most of the falling rock ended up in the ditch. The section of escarpment had been scheduled for scaling Ð the removal of loose rocks Ð later this year, said Hughes. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/6412635-downbound-lanes-of-sherman-access-east-closed/ Hamilton, mountain, niagara, escarpment, rock, slide, roads, coyote, road runner, bugs bunny

April 1, 2016

The other anti-LRT position — that it’s premature — is more interesting and promising. You can make a solid case LRT might be a better fit eight or 10 years on, when the rest of our transit system is still not optimized to get full value from having LRT as a transit fulcrum. But here’s the thing: a billion provincial dollars.

It’s unlikely that any time in the foreseeable future a provincial government is going to believe enough in the transformative potential of LRT that they’re going to put a billion on the table. That’s what we have right now. The money is earmarked for LRT in Hamilton. Not BRT. Not general transit improvements. The province agreed to fund LRT.

We know there are at least two councillors — Chad Collins, who is pushing for a referendum on the issue, and Donna Skelly — who say they will say no to that money. It’s hard to imagine a majority of council will make the same mistake.

Even if the timing isn’t perfect, it is workable. This isn’t entirely about LRT, after all. It’s about efficient, modern transit across the city, with routes, vehicles and schedules effectively integrated to use LRT as the spine of a modern public transit system. No one is asking us to choose LRT over fixing the rest of the system. With or without LRT, we’ll have to do that. This is a $1 billion opportunity Hamilton can’t afford to miss. We’re betting most councillors know that. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)