<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">High All, <div><br></div><div><div>For those who might be interested as to the latest in my efforts to help enhance the Region's current LRT system design, here are some indications (I hope to complete the latest version of my LRT report soon):</div><div><br></div><div><div>1. The overall approach that I am working towards is a within-budget ($790 or possibly less <b>once staff find time to make some important specific track construction and electrification cost information available</b>) enhanced LRT systems design that a much larger number of Regional citizens (& beyond) consider will be potentially a GREAT SUCCESS in the 1st stage. Specifically it would: 1) get a majority of exclusive car-users supporting the LRT (this muting TST & their friends); 2) create an incentive for subsequent further Provincial (& Federal) funding; 3) greatly reduce the cost per km.; ... . It essentially involves: i) a slower staging of intensification (the Province gave us less funds -- <b>John Milloy</b> told me they would consider what the Region might propose in this direction), ii) significantly increasing the LRT's average speed and extending track length so as to help attract more of the middle-class who live in K-W but work in Cambridge (& vice versa); iii) greater collaboration with <b>CP & GEXR</b> on bridge, underpass and track sharing; iv) all of i) to iii) are enabled by much greater use of the rail right-of-way (Ridership Corridor) which the Intensification Corridors would interlink with as each is built (beginning with a K/W King Street exemplar for attracting developers and government funding to subsequent IC's -- <b>my single track approach (with a passing track at some stops) on Intensification Corridors will make KIng St from downtown Waterloo to WLU and Conestoga Mall a possible future additional intensification route</b>. </div><div><br></div><div>2. As I have communicated to some Regional officials, I have been interested in the IDEA of a<b> LEAN</b> approach to the LRT. They indicated that this was not new (mostly in regard to management practice I suspect). Well my intuition told me that more of this type of thinking had to be applied to the LRT system design to help make it much more cost-effective. Somehow, I discovered <b>FRUGAL ENGINEERING (FE) </b>as developed in India to which big multi-national corporations like <b>Siemens</b> and <b>GE</b> are gravitating in terms of collaborating with Indian corporations and universities. I am now exploring how to best apply FE to the LRT system design. You might want to check out the 2 websites here:</div><div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><b>A new Indian Benchmark</b><b>:</b> Innovation and Indovation (<b>frugal engineering</b>, ..) are really the key to taking us forward, says Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ... We will be able to produce more from less. <a href="http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551">http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551</a> & <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html">http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html</a></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><br></font></div></div><div><div>3. "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 16px; ">The powertrain of the <b>electric Focus </b>has been <b>designed so it can be swapped relatively easily in place of the gasoline engine</b> under the hood", see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; "><a href="http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/05/electric-ford-focus-on-sale-in-2011.html">http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/05/electric-ford-focus-on-sale-in-2011.html</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 16px; ">. This suggests that the <b>same concept+ could be used with diesel-electric LRTs</b>. To elaborate, i<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; ">n light of the Fprd Focus and other new battery-only vehicles about to be introduced, just imagine what a great leap forward it would be if we used: <b>a)</b><b> new proven battery technology</b> for normal running (as in the Calirornia-approved Proterra bus, see <a href="http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?NewsID=14391">http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?NewsID=14391</a> & <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altairnano)">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altairnano)</a> ; <b>b)</b> <b>ultra-capacitors</b> (as in some Siemens and Bombardier LRT approaches) for capturing braking energy then using it to accelerate; <b>c)</b> temporarily displace on-board electrical energy and capture braking energy by <b>installing overhead wires (or catenary) on the Shantz Hill section of track</b>; and <b>d)</b> <b>install re-charging overhead wires as the LRT terminals are approached</b> so that the current 10 minutes required for battery recharging (like the lithium titainate battery in the <b>Proterra bus</b>) does unduly delay the LRT by recharging at the terminals alone. Doing this will not only lead to <b>more efficient use of electricity</b> but also essentially remove the very ugly overhead wires, the 2 buried stray current wires, and the system of utility poles, distribution wires and transformers all needed for LRT system electrification -- <b>and much money will be saved on both capital and operating costs.</b><b></b></span></span></span></span></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Please note that various others that may have an interest in the LRT are receiving bcc's.</b></div><div><br></div><div>Best wishes,</div><div>Robert</div><div><br></div><div>PS: While it is much more complete than just this, here is the tentative new beginning my evolving LRT Report:</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3" style="font-size: 15px; "><b>IDEAS to Enhance our LRT: Towards world-class pioneering sustainable innovation </b></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "><b><br></b></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; "><b>Part of the Waterloo Benchmark</b><b>:</b> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; ">In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by <b>championing innovation and collaboration</b> to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; ">" </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; ">"About Waterloo", University of Waterloo </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; "><a href="http://uwaterloo.ca/aboutuw/">http://uwaterloo.ca/aboutuw/</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="1"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><b>A new Indian Benchmark?</b><b>:</b> “Innovation and ‘Indovation’ (<b>frugal engineering</b>, ..) are really the key to taking us forward, ” says Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “... We will be able to produce m ore from less.” <a href="http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551">http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551</a> & <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html">http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html</a></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><b>To get it right</b>: "(We need) to <b>think outside the traditional light rail box</b>. ... . (NJ's <b>River LINE</b> is) not only an alternative to the automobile, but is also helping to re-energize the historic communities it links together." Al Fazio, US <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">LRT executive and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">professor.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">(See APPENDIX 4)</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; "><br></span></font></div></span></font></div></span></font></div></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'">Relative to our size, currently Waterloo Region is probably the most innovative area in our fast-changing World. A much stronger interest in <b>sustainable innovation</b> -- enriched by mutually synergistic collaborations such as in Indian-pioneered <b>frugal engineering</b> -- would help us maintain our innovative lead. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">See</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 9px; "><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS91739036620100707">http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS91739036620100707</a> & <a href="http://www.cdl.com.sg/sustainabilityreport2009/ceftb.html">http://www.cdl.com.sg/sustainabilityreport2009/ceftb.html</a></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; ">Then our very great unique sustainable innovation abilities within our smaller-scale tri-city area would make us the ideal location to innovatively green-transform and showcase a wide range of technologies both mobile and stationary. Our Rapid Transit Initiative's proposed light rail transit (LRT) system would be a good initial focus.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">Presently, the key Rapid Transit fact is that only a well-designed (optimal speed, length, capacity, comfort, interconnectedness, intelligence, ...) LRT system would attract enough middle class car-drivers so as to de-jam our urban roads at "rush hours". Such an LRT system could be integrated with smart bus routing (and the intercity GO-Train) and incorporate a Cambridge-extended rail right-of-way.</font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; "><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">That the LRT could be viewed as a means to create a less stressful and more timely commute to and from our hi-tech, etc. jobs -- by LRT or car -- is a very good reason for us all to support an LRT, especially if the cost per km. can be drastically decreased! </font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></div></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">Further, initial leading-edge green innovative ideas in all aspects of the LRT system -- energy. materials, track-bridge-underpass use, LRT & bus route design, collaborative approaches, controls, ... -- will help create an ultra-successful green rapid transit system that we are proud to ride on or tell distant friends about. </font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; ">And the fact and the promise of continuously implemented leading-edge green innovations -- as they become available to our adaptable LRT platform -- would help generate the on-going magnetic-effect needed to be a perennial World-class LRT exemplar. (And openness to disruptive green innovations that would upgrade, complement or eventuully replace the LRT would be a requisite.)</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">Certainly, Regional Council and staff -- led by very successful long-serving Chair Ken Seiling -- should be commended for their very strong support of our truly important light rail transit (LRT) system. It has the potential to help give this area David Johnston's "smart infrastructure necessary for a future Knowledge Capital of Canada".</font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">Yes, this light rail transit LRT project is our most complex </font></span><span style="color: black; "><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">and expensive (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; "><span style="color: black; "><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">$790M)</font></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial; "> </span><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">urban infrastructure challenge ever. </font></span><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">Scarce tax money -- </font></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; ">federal, provincial, and municipal -- will be invested. As well,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial; "> </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">Waterloo</font><font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "> </span></font></font></span></st1:place></st1:city><font size="3"><font color="#0000ff"><span style="color: black; "><font color="#0000ff" size="2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; ">Region's reputation for leading-edge technological innovation will be influenced by the success -- or not -- of the LRT system design.</span></font></span></font></font></span></span></span></span></font></span></span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3">But. analysis of the current LRT system design indicates <b>some serious, </b><b>yet advantageously<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b>surmountable,</b> track-routing and other flaws. These flaws would not only affect the attainment of the project's principal goals of high middle-class <b>ridership</b> and high urban-core <b>intensification <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">but also greatly inflate the cost.</span></b></span></b></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3">With so much at stake,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">the LRT system design's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">cost-effectiveness needs to be optimized -- reducing its risk in the process. This can be largely achieved if the LRT system design is enhanced at least by proven rail transportation IDEAS. But more, the design must meet the very high "Waterloo benchmarks" for innovation and collaboration set by the University of Waterloo and our hi-tech businesses.</span></span></span></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3">Such IDEAS will be found, created and used to great advantage only if politicians and staff are willing and able to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">"think outside the traditional light rail box". </span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">But the Region's current approach to the LRT system design is just the opposite. Despite our World crises demanding very innovative World class design -- especially in all large projects -- their approach remains the conventional "stovepipe" where past LRT designs are repeated despite the uniqueness of our urban transportation infrastructure.</span></span></font></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><br></div></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><br></div></span></font></div></span></font></div></span></b></span></font></div></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Goal achievement problems</span></b></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="'Times New Roman'" size="3"><br></font></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; "><span style="font-family: '', 'Times New Roman', ''; "><font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3">At the foundation of the Region's proposed LRT system design are the <b>two principal goals</b>. High middle-class <b>ridership:</b> reduces car use thereby decreasing traffic congestion. High urban-core <b>intensification:</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">helps lessen urban sprawl while increasing the tax base along and near the tri-city route.</span></span></font></span></div></span></b></span></font></div></span></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b></div></div></div></div></body></html>