[All] Fwd: A better LRT that also includes Cambridge

[Robert Milligan]

FYI
R

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Robert Milligan <mill at continuum.org>
> Date: July 8, 2010 4:59:59 PM GMT-04:00
> To: * The Editor <letters at therecord.com>, John Roe  
> <jroe at therecord.com>
> Subject: A better LRT that also includes Cambridge
>
> To the Editor,
>
> Cambridge's Regional Councillor Claudette Millar should be commended  
> for her excellent Lead Letter-to-the-Editor in today's WR Record.  
> What she wrote was so enlightening about Cambridge's long-time  
> unfair treatment by higher governments.
>
> All citizens in the Region needed to know about this unfairness so  
> that they can join with Cambridge in demanding its redress -- and  
> light rail transit (LRT) is a good place to start!
>
> The op-ed article by Peter Shawn Taylor, as would be expected from  
> him, is pushing for LRT project cancellation.
>
> In his article, Shawn is in favour of the stigmatizing, less  
> sustainable, slower and hence unattracting buses that he and his  
> supporters will never ride. And this to champion the views of some  
> of the many people who will increasingly fume in their BMW's, etc.  
> while delayed in our worsening rush-hour traffic jams!!
>
> Shawn's unintegrated thinking contrasts sharply with the well- 
> expressed analysis and great wisdom of long-serving Cambridge  
> Regional Councillor Claudette Millar. A Cambridge treasure, she does  
> not hesitate to tell it like it is
>
> She says correctly says that the LRT "... improves the health,  
> environment, economy and travel movement within the cities ...  
> (while) buses do not produce the same improvements." Further she  
> adds, "Cambridge cannot expect (these needed LRT benefits) until  
> 2033 or 2036"!
>
> Then, prior to listing the many government facilities that have been  
> removed from Cambridge, Claudette asks, "... what (is) the advantage  
> of (Cambridge) being ... within the the Region?"
>
> The WR Record should be commended for printing both Claudette and  
> Peter on the same
> editorial pages so that we can compare their viewpoints: Claudette  
> 'flies" in a balanced manner using both wings equally; but Peter  
> uses his right wing to extreme so as to fly in talent-wasting  
> circles hovering protectively over his small elitist-band of selfish  
> LRT-hating sympathizers.
>
> However, the positive common message implied by both is that we  
> should enhance and make more cost-effective the Region's LRT system  
> design so that (in Shawn's words) it provides "a practical form of  
> transit matched to local needs".
>
> To meet Shawn's above benchmark for success, the LRT must attract  
> the many new transit riders necessary to greatly lower operating  
> costs (and entice developers). This means, attract the middle class  
> from their traffic-jamming cars. But intensification corridors must  
> remain on the table to comply with Provincial "Places to Grow"  
> policies.
>
> So as to accomplish this, the LRT system design must be enhanced so  
> that it has a much lower transit time and greater capacity to meet  
> the necessary higher demand. This will involve greater use of the  
> existing rail right-of-way from a possible Northfield terminal to  
> the Ainslie Terminal. This combined with an initial exemplar LRT  
> Intensification Corridor along K-W's King St.
>
> My own consultative research suggests that outside-the-box thinking  
> -- and public/private collaborations with CP Rail and GEXR on  
> bridge, underpass and track sharing -- could lead to the innovative  
> use of proven railway technologies to design an affordable high- 
> ridership but intensifying (bus-interconnected) Cambridge-inclusive  
> LRT!
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Robert Milligan
> 128 Main St.
> New Dundee, ON
> 519-696-2288

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