B
billonlogan
Guest
National Post
Published: Thursday, November 30, 2006
As you assume your new role as chair of the province's largest transit organization, you have an incredible opportunity to find new ways of doing business that will enable the TTC to regain its status as a transit leader.
You will need to determine how Toronto will share revenue and infrastructure with neighbouring municipalities and identify ways to work with the private sector. Your success will depend upon your ability to set a strategic direction for the TTC, work with other levels of government and municipalities and trust the managers to manage the system effectively.
The expansion of the Spadina subway line is vital. It has the support of the provincial and federal governments and will be partially financed using public-private partnerships, or P3s. These have been proven to work well in transit and transportation infrastructure projects in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. As incoming chair, you must implement P3s to achieve the TTC's goals.
The new Spadina line is the first subway line that will cross Steeles Avenue, Toronto's northern boundary. This gives the TTC the opportunity to share revenues and transit lines with adjacent municipalities.
Once the intricacies of revenue and infrastructure sharing within P3s have been established, there will be new opportunities to expand the rail lines, potentially north on Yonge Street, west to the airport and east past Scarborough.
The concept of fare-by-distance needs to be revisited. The TTC's historical position that a flat fare is the most equitable form of payment is outdated.
Effective transit lines support commuting patterns. While the TTC accounts for 80% of all transit trips in the Greater Toronto Area, gridlock will be reduced when people are better able to use transit to cross municipal borders. Studies show there are just as many people who leave Toronto's borders to go to work each day as those that enter the city for work. Fare-by-distance would enable people to pay for the distance they travel, instead of the borders they cross. Smart cards and automation will provide the TTC with a way to implement a fare-by-distance system.
Finally, your support and leadership on the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority will be critical. The GTTA is in its infancy, but could become extremely important for the strategic investment and construction of new transit. The GTTA has four main responsibilities, including preparing a transportation plan, implementing a transit fare card system, acting as the central procurement agency for transit vehicles and operating GO Transit. Your strong support of the GTTA will enhance its credibility and boost transit ridership across the GTA.
Your role requires vision, diplomacy and stewardship. Your success will result in the re-branding of the TTC, and lay to rest the criticism that politicians are too parochial to implement transit measures that will accommodate the needs of the people who use the system.
- Karen Stintz is the city councillor for Ward 16 - Eglinton-Lawrence
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It's too bad she's not on the ruling party. The candidates mentioned for the chair (Moscoe, Giambrone, Mihevic, ) are just not up to this challenge.
Published: Thursday, November 30, 2006
As you assume your new role as chair of the province's largest transit organization, you have an incredible opportunity to find new ways of doing business that will enable the TTC to regain its status as a transit leader.
You will need to determine how Toronto will share revenue and infrastructure with neighbouring municipalities and identify ways to work with the private sector. Your success will depend upon your ability to set a strategic direction for the TTC, work with other levels of government and municipalities and trust the managers to manage the system effectively.
The expansion of the Spadina subway line is vital. It has the support of the provincial and federal governments and will be partially financed using public-private partnerships, or P3s. These have been proven to work well in transit and transportation infrastructure projects in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. As incoming chair, you must implement P3s to achieve the TTC's goals.
The new Spadina line is the first subway line that will cross Steeles Avenue, Toronto's northern boundary. This gives the TTC the opportunity to share revenues and transit lines with adjacent municipalities.
Once the intricacies of revenue and infrastructure sharing within P3s have been established, there will be new opportunities to expand the rail lines, potentially north on Yonge Street, west to the airport and east past Scarborough.
The concept of fare-by-distance needs to be revisited. The TTC's historical position that a flat fare is the most equitable form of payment is outdated.
Effective transit lines support commuting patterns. While the TTC accounts for 80% of all transit trips in the Greater Toronto Area, gridlock will be reduced when people are better able to use transit to cross municipal borders. Studies show there are just as many people who leave Toronto's borders to go to work each day as those that enter the city for work. Fare-by-distance would enable people to pay for the distance they travel, instead of the borders they cross. Smart cards and automation will provide the TTC with a way to implement a fare-by-distance system.
Finally, your support and leadership on the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority will be critical. The GTTA is in its infancy, but could become extremely important for the strategic investment and construction of new transit. The GTTA has four main responsibilities, including preparing a transportation plan, implementing a transit fare card system, acting as the central procurement agency for transit vehicles and operating GO Transit. Your strong support of the GTTA will enhance its credibility and boost transit ridership across the GTA.
Your role requires vision, diplomacy and stewardship. Your success will result in the re-branding of the TTC, and lay to rest the criticism that politicians are too parochial to implement transit measures that will accommodate the needs of the people who use the system.
- Karen Stintz is the city councillor for Ward 16 - Eglinton-Lawrence
-----------------------------------------------------
It's too bad she's not on the ruling party. The candidates mentioned for the chair (Moscoe, Giambrone, Mihevic, ) are just not up to this challenge.