[All] FW: Minutes of GREN Joint Meeting with TRITAG, January 2011

[Susan Bryant]

From: Susan Bryant [mailto:shbryant at mailservices.uwaterloo.ca] 
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 1:01 PM
To: GREN (all at gren.ca)
Subject: Minutes of GREN Joint Meeting with TRITAG, January 2011

 

Hi GREN-

 

Here are the minutes of the January GREN meeting on LRT (also attached).

 

Cheers,

 

Susan Bryant

 

Minutes of Joint GREN/TRITAG Meeting on Light Rail Transit (LRT)

January 18, 2011 at Whole-Lotta-Gelatta, Waterloo 

 

GREN Chair John Jackson and TRITAG Chair Tim Mollison opened the meeting by
summarizing the aims of each group. TRITAG (Tri-city Transit Action Group)
aims to promote public transit, walking and cycling in Waterloo Region. 

 

U of W transit expert Jeff Casello was the guest speaker, presenting his
reasons why LRT is the right option for Waterloo Region.  Here are his main
points:

 

LRT versus expanded bus system:

·         The Region is growing even faster than expected: will be ½ more
persons for every person in the Region within the next 15-20 years

·         Many will live and work along the main corridor---partly because
the province’s Places to Grow initiative requires that 40% of the new growth
must be along the corridor.  

·         Development/intensification along the corridor (a virtue of LRT
but not bus) is cheaper and more efficient than subdivision development on
the edges because infrastructure is already in place (hydro, water).

·         Higher density in the core will also mean more walking, biking and
shorter car trips, which means lower living expenses for people in the core.

·         LRT is a better option than buses because it’s faster (has a
dedicated lane), more energy efficient (uses 100th the energy of buses, as
the energy produced in braking feeds back), and has easier scalability (can
expand by adding cars but no additional drivers needed, a big savings in
labour costs), and rail cars last much longer than buses. Thus LRT operating
costs will grow more slowly than that of an expanding bus system. 

·         The LRT is not in a vacuum but part of a comprehensive transit
plan —the Region is planning 8 new I-Express bus routes to link to the core 

Money issues:

·         Of the $800 million projected capital cost, the province has
pledged 300 million and the feds 1/3 of the total. That leaves $225 million
for the Region to make up. 

·         Some campaigners during the municipal used an estimated 9%-10%
property tax hike to pay for LRT as an argument against it. But with growth,
these taxes will go up anyway to pay for roads and other infrastructure.  

·         30% of the $800 million is the cost of relocating utilities from
under the tracks—and we will soon need to pay for new utilities anyway, even
without LRT.

·         Without LRT, we will need many more roads and wider ones. Building
and maintaining roads is very expensive too. But roads don’t “scale.” More
and wider roads attract more traffic, and make biking and walking more
difficult.

·          Ballpark average for LRT is $25-30 million per kilometer, and
buses are $20 million.

·         Note that this proposal is a design/build/operate contract, so any
cost overruns will  be the contractor’s problem—not the taxpayer’s.

·         Jeff expects Region will soon announce a scaled-down plan at cost
of about $500 million.

LRT a good fit for this Region:

·         The Region’s Official Plan forces development inward rather than
outward.

·         Our housing inventory is enough for another 20 years—so no big
pressure to expand.

·         ROP land use planning protects moraine and water.

·         The demographics are right—large population of young people who
walk, bike, don’t own cars, want to live in core. Also seniors who want to
retire to core.

·         People are environmentally aware here.

His comments in response to questions:

·         What type of LRT is planned? Electrical, with overhead power
lines; tracks can be laid in the pavement or on concrete ties above road,
lowering cost of replacing utilities; Bombardier cars; off-the-shelf
technology; wheelchair ramps/elevators/low floors will make cars accessible.


·         What’s the power source? Won’t be gas or oil, since these are used
generally only for peak demand; LRT does not have a huge energy demand; LRT
in Calgary is mostly wind powered.

·         Reliability and predictability are more important to most people
than pure speed---people want a predictable commute. LRT prevents
unpredictability of traffic jams.

·         Connecting K-W and Cambridge by rail adds huge costs of crossing
the river and the 401. Not worth it, especially since this part of corridor
not an area for intensification. Cambridge could have its own LRT, though. 

·         Biking is much safer next to trains, which can’t veer off course
like cars.

·         LRT good for the suburbs, since people move further out when road
traffic increases and then clog suburban roads to commute in. 

·         Agrees that the Region hasn’t done a good job of messaging—lacks
resources to do it. Region needs to cost the LRT alternatives so people can
see the efficiencies of LRT.

 

Strategy to get the pro-LRT message out:

·         Speak at all Council meeting where it’s discussed.

·         Go to Regional open houses and express support. Many people go
with closed minds, with idea of huge tax increases coming with LRT. 

·         Tritag has a flyer with tax-related math and a map.

·         Remove issue of social justice from the discussion so transit idea
resonates with middle class (Will be transit discounts for those who need
them.)

·         Write letters to the editor/call in to local radio and TV shows.

·         Call all Regional councilors and express support for LRT. 

·         Meet with transit committees. 

Further information:

·         Region’s website is full of information on LRT.

·         Jeff’s power point will be on GREN and TRITAG websites.

·         Jeff happy to respond to emails. 

 

 

 

Minutes by Susan Bryant

 

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