“We’ve got to make sure that we’re using our planning, to co-locate our employment lands and where people live with the right kind of services that make those attractive choices more available; so that there’s less demand for transportation infrastructure. So while we’ll probably focus and the need will probably focus on the ideas of what’s the right revenue choice that has the right qualities, that gives people the choice, hopefully that’s avoidable. You can buy a fuel-efficient car. You can travel less.”
“We want to develop that conversation further, but what we shouldn’t forget in all of this that this really largely and primarily has to first be about good planning. Getting very good value, and getting the economic capacity and benefits that go along with it, because simply in this new economy, transportation and transit infrastructure is one of the most important tools in the government’s economic development toolkit to retain and attract jobs and investment dollars that in the coming decades will be an increasingly competitive world economy.”
If what the Minister of Transportation said comes true – Taylor just might consider retiring – his work would be done.
This would have been sweet music to the SEHC people and should resonate with the progressive mayors in the province who realize that the transportation and transit system we have in place now isn’t giving us what we need – this Minister, Glenn Murray appears to be telling us a major re-think is necessary and that a Niagara GTA highway across the Escarpment just doesn’t make economic sense.
Burlington’s Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor will smile at that thought.
Glenn Murray’s comparison of Hamilton to Pittsburgh is somewhat ludicrous. Yes, both were once steel towns, but it ends there. While the population of Hamilton has grown, much of it is attributed to expanding it’s boundaries. Pittsburgh has not changed it’s city limits for over half a century. In fact, parts of Pittsburgh have been razed when expanding their street and highways. Although the city population has been dropping since 1950, the suburban area has been growing and the area has a population over two million. Pittsburgh has 3 major league teams, Hamilton has the Ti-Cats. Pittsburgh has a multitude of universities and colleges, while Hamilton has two. Pittsburgh has re-invented itself and is a phoenix rising above the smoke. This is not a slam against Hamilton, rather it is admiration as to how the arts, business and educational institutions rallied together to form a new path.
Also Murray stated that Pittsburgh is producing more steel than they ever did before. We must be referencing different data, as this is not the information that I have studied.
I just wish that politicians would be more thorough in their research.
Here’s a good read on the idea in general:
https://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2013/04/problem-calling-cities-post-industrial/5283/
GO transit works for congestion in the the 905 zone. The BIG Move mentions high speed rail but does not follow up. If people are going to have fewer cars (and trucks), then high speed tranport over longer distances also becomes important. If there is a new or better rail line across Niagara region, it should/must tie in with any American line through Buffalo and on to ther other states.
Two under used rail lines already exist across the Niagara region. With a slight addition one of them could even service Hamilton’s Airport.
The width of the existing rail corridors is enough to accommodate 4 lines which now have 1. This would completely eliminate the need for any more highways.
The only thing lacking is the political will.