[GREN-Exec] CREW Aerobus/Caterina position

Fri Apr 29 10:28:13 EDT 2011

I think we just have to stick with our motion as it is worded, and people
vote yes or no. As I see it, point 4 in the motion includes the option of
all or any kind of innovative technologies, such as CREW and Robert Milligan
suggest, but we'll never get agreement on those kinds of details now. 

Susan B.

From: executive-bounces at gren.ca [mailto:executive-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf
Of Kevin Thomason
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 9:57 AM
To: John Jackson
Cc: GREN Executive
Subject: Re: [GREN-Exec] CREW Aerobus/Caterina position

John,

I'm not sure how you are planning to follow-up with Caterina but Aerobus
certainly isn't compatible with LRT and certainly isn't any sort of system
or new technology that I would be comfortable advocating for in any way.  I
certainly don't think it is what was intended by the item 4) in our motion.

While I appreciate the effort Derek Satnik is trying to put into flogging
the Aerobus system on behalf of the manufacturer, it is a glorified ski-lift
cable car system that has never been implemented as a public transit system
anywhere successfully in the world despite decades of trying to sell it to
whoever they can get to listen.

Frankly, it looks scary to me to be hung up high like that swinging from
cables.  I know many people who can't ride cable cars at ski resorts or
tourist attractions (mountaintop restaurants) because of their fear of
heights.  

I'm not sure what they are thinking proposing a test system going from
Laurier to U of W for $50 million -  few people need to travel between
universities - you either attend one or the other (even Catherine expresses
concerns about lack of ridership below) and I have no idea how they state if
it fails the trial Aerobus system (running east-west) could be integrated
into the LRT (running north-south) in the future.

As for manufacturing it here - it could take years and millions of dollars
just to set-up a factory and start to build prototypes, train and hire all
the staff, etc. - let alone getting around to actually building the transit
system we need and getting it running successfully  We need proven
technology and face it - Waterloo will never be a global transit-vehicle
manufacturing mecca - other global cities already specialize in this
intensely competitive industry.  We are best to stick to high tech,
financial services, education and other things we already excel at.

Let me know your thoughts, if you are planning any sort of response, etc.  I
appreciate the effort CREW as put into things and their recognition that we
need improved public rapid transit in our Region if we are to succeed in the
future.   I don't want to get into a shouting war between local community
groups though and I wouldn't want to see too many distractions from the LRT
that needs to be the focus for our community.  

We need proven, cost effective, reliable rapid transit solutions that have
been so successful in so many cities around the world be it North America,
Europe, South America or Asia - not pie-in-the-sky dreaming of things that
for many good reasons have never been done to date.

Kevin.

--------------------------

On 2011-04-28, at 9:53 PM, Caterina Lindman wrote:

Hi everyone.  I'm sorry I missed the meeting on Wednesday.  It sounds like
you had an interesting discussion about the transit proposals that the
Region is considering.  CREW (Community Renewable Energy of Waterloo) have
issued a press release
<http://www.crewzone.ca/pubs/release_CREW_transit_study_2011-03-10.pdf>  and
a research paper
<http://www.crewzone.ca/pubs/rpt_CREW_Transit_Options_2011-03-10.pdf>  that
I found helpful and inspiring.  The research paper is an easy-to-read
comparison of different transit options.  The conclusion of their study is
that Aerorail would be the best option because it can be implemented at a
relatively low cost, without having to disrupt as much of the current
infrastructure.

I can support the motion you have presented, if in item 4), by new
technologies, we include above-grade suspension rails, ie Aerobus or
Aerorail.  

CREW's recommendation is to build an Aerorail pilot project from Laurier to
University of Waterloo to R&T Park, at the cost of approximately $50 M.  My
experience with the I-express is that hardly anyone gets on or off at R&T
park, so the pilot should perhaps include McCormick arena as well to serve a
lot of student transportation needs.    

On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:41 AM, John Jackson <jjackson at web.ca> wrote:

Last night at the GREN meeting we discussed what position GREN should take
on the current light rail transit proposal before Waterloo Regional Council.
The Council will be making a decision on June 15 and will be holding public
input sessions to hear from delegations prior to that.

After an hour of discussion, the following motion was made as a position
that we should take to Regional Council:
GREN Motion: 1) Urge Region to adopt a combination of L9 & L3 (the
administration's recommendation to council). [this means that they commit
now to having a light rail train system all the way from St. Jacob's farmers
market to the Ainslie Street bus terminal in Cambridge (L9), but that they
begin by having rail only from St. Jacob's farmers market to Fairview Mall
and Bus rapid transit to Cambridge (L3); 2) Urge Region to now commit to and
immediately begin rapidly implementing a reformed bus system throughout the
three communities, with new Express Bus Routes and new local bus route
system as shown on page 10 of their "Connecting to the Future" document; 3)
integrate this with a reassessment of the road system needs given that the
bus and rail system is dramatically improved; 4) while the details of the
LRT system are being developed over the next two years, that they continue
to explore new technologies; and 5) ensure that planning policies are
implemented (as described in the Region's new official plan) that will
support the transit system.

This motion was passed, but was not passed unanimously. Therefore, we
decided to ask our paid-up GREN members who were not present last night to
vote on the motion to bring us to a decision.

Please send me your vote by Sunday May 1. I have also attached the Region's
information handout that explains L9, L3 and has the page 10 map referred to
in the motion.

Thanks for your immediate attention to this matter.

John
-- 
John Jackson
17 Major Street
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4R1
519-744-7503

_______________________________________________
All mailing list
All at gren.ca
http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/executive_gren.ca/attachments/20110429/cf6373c5/attachment.html>