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- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
innsertnamehere
Superstar
The article discusses the same concerns I have in terms of how the final cost is unlikely to actually come to $12 billion..
denfromoakvillemilton
Senior Member
rbt
Senior Member
It wont do anything for congestion.
What it will do is support growth for an additional 2 million to move into the Toronto Economy (GTA+) and be productive tax paying households.
ehlow
Senior Member
denfromoakvillemilton
Senior Member
sixrings
Senior Member
My main problem with GO travel is that the majority of its riders get to the stations driving them selves or being dropped off by others. As a result cars are still on the roads. This is why I think a supporting network of LRTs make sense. LRT to the GOREX train and leave the car at home or better yet at the dealership.
ehlow
Senior Member
Well firstly, driving to the closest GO station, then taking the train, is probably driving much less than driving downtown, so that is an improvement.
Secondly, when GO increases frequency, they can route bus lines into bus bays in the stations like they do with subway stations now. It doesn't make sense to do so at current frequencies, but with 15 min AD2W it makes more sense to integrate local transit.
I agree LRT or bus, local service to frequent GO service is ideal.
TOareaFan
Superstar
The local system I am most familiar with is BT and it is very well integrated with GO.....not many of our routes don't touch/cross GO service and many of them either start or end (or both) at GO stations. That said, in offpeak hours if we get 15 minute GO service then the frequency of the trains will exceed the frequency of much of the local transit service......but I guess there will always be some bus pulling in when a train is...just maybe not the right one.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
Only around 60% of GOs ridership comes to the station by driving, and GO wants to drop that to below 50% over the next few years.
With 15 minute RER I would expect it to drop even further.
With 15 minute RER I would expect it to drop even further.
drum118
Superstar
If you drive to a GO station, you are creating gridlock and traffic issues in the first place "IF" there is transit to it as well quality service in your area. This is the "NEXT BIG STEP" Metrolinx needs to do is funding quality service to GO stations so people don't drive and stop building these ridiculous parking structures.
They need to build more stations that are walk-in with no drop off or pickup areas
ehlow
Senior Member
All I'm saying is that driving to the GO station and taking GO downtown is less driving than driving all the way downtown.
MrsNesbitt
Active Member
As was said above, if the $12 billion is the true total (which I too doubt), then so be it. Turning GO into a regional electrified frequent rail network is well worth it and a far better use of money than, say, subways.
Now I also agree about LRTs to the GO REX. That's the way you get your suburbanites out of their cars. Maybe a little strong-arming from Metrolinx to get TTC to actually have their buses properly stop at GO station bus loops (not across the street, for example), and you'll even get people out of driving to the GO.
Out in my neck of the woods in Durham we may never convince people to fully leave the car at home, but at least we can push less of them to do so.
And I also agree that driving to the GO, although not perfect, is still better than driving the whole way downtown.
Now I also agree about LRTs to the GO REX. That's the way you get your suburbanites out of their cars. Maybe a little strong-arming from Metrolinx to get TTC to actually have their buses properly stop at GO station bus loops (not across the street, for example), and you'll even get people out of driving to the GO.
Out in my neck of the woods in Durham we may never convince people to fully leave the car at home, but at least we can push less of them to do so.
And I also agree that driving to the GO, although not perfect, is still better than driving the whole way downtown.
rbt
Senior Member
Sure, and they'll be replaced by new people driving.
Congestion in Toronto isn't going anywhere. Perhaps a 3 or 4 year reprieve as immigration ramps up again, but long term this plan is strictly about economic growth.
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ehlow
Senior Member
I asked Metrolinx about this (having bus routes go to bus bays in GO stations). They basically said that it doesn't make sense until you have frequent all day go service, which I agree with.
The frequent bus to subway model has been used to successfully get high ridership from suburbs in Toronto. We can use the same model with GO instead of the subway for even longer distances.
Congestion isn't going anywhere, but if you have frequent regional rail + good local service, it makes it more viable for more people to take transit long distances, which a lot of people would choose to due to insane traffic & costly or unavailable parking, and the fact that you can read or do work on the train.