BURLINGTON, ON March 7, 2012 There are five parts to the vision that Doug Brown, probably the best informed citizen on transit matters the city has, which he sets out below.
Every citizen would have access to good transit service. This means that everyone would be within a short walk of a bus stop, and that Burlington’s bus routes and schedules would enable everyone to get to their destination in a reasonable amount of time and at a reasonable cost.
That transit along with walking, cycling, and other active modes of transportation become the favoured modes of travel thus reducing car traffic resulting in reduced expenditures on parking and roads, and less traffic accidents, cleaner air, and a healthier community.
While reaching this state will involve some public investment in improving our transit system, it will lead to significant savings in public expenditures on roads (Halton Region has approved over $2 Billion on road expenditures over the next 20 years); and additional parking spaces (at an average cost of $30,000 per space).
My vision is that we become a caring and inclusive city that provides good transit for those that are very dependent on the system. This includes the young and the old, the disabled, and those that cannot afford the high cost of car ownership. Currently, the City of Burlington spends considerably less on transit per capita than other communities of its size. This is true not just for conventional transit – but for handi-van service as well. Underfunding has led to lower service levels and consequently lower ridership. Burlington citizens, who are dependent on transit, or want to use transit, deserve at least the same service levels as other communities.
My vision is already largely set out in Burlington’s principle planning documents. Our Official Plan requires that Burlington quadruple its transit use by 2030 in order that we can accommodate further growth through intensification.
Our Strategic Plan calls for an “increase the number of people who cycle, walk and use public transit for recreation and transportation. What will it look like?
– There are fewer cars on the road because more people are using public transit, walking or cycling” The Strategic Plan’s expected results include “a common vision and co-ordinated plan to decrease reliance on vehicles; public awareness of, and support for, the vision; and “more people are using public transit, walking or cycling”
The Strategic Plan sets out the following expectations for the current Transit Master Plan update:
– improved transit service
– more use of Burlington Transit
– better mobility in and out of the city
We have adopted the vision in words – let’s now take the action needed to transform our city.
Editors Note: And that of course is where the rub is. The city has not and will not “walk its talk”