These are the folks that killed a wind farm someone else had partly built because of bats, after the bat experts said there were no issues. The PCs do what they want logic be gosh darned. Just read the new business cases for the Scarborough and Eglinton West extensions. Nothing has to make sense, it just has to support Doug's political decisions.
 
CapitalSeven said:
These are the folks that killed a wind farm someone else had partly built because of bats, after the bat experts said there were no issues. The PCs do what they want logic be gosh darned. Just read the new business cases for the Scarborough and Eglinton West extensions. Nothing has to make sense, it just has to support Doug's political decisions.
Click to expand...

Metrolinx releases updated business cases for Scarborough Subway Extension and Eglinton Crosstown West Extension

See link.

Nothing about an above ground LRT being cheaper and having better coverage.

Maybe instead of a LRT, there should be a subway, subway, subway for Hamilton instead? Or an underground LRT like the Toronto Crosstown LRT?
 
I think what just happened is COVID-19 just made Hamilton LRT even more so an election 2022 issue.

I think the study will be discussed, then backburnered due to COVID-19, and mulled appropriately -- and in late 2021, hints of electioneering moves will begin. We'll all be vaccinated from COVID-19 by then, the tail end of a recession, and trying to recover from the mess -- including finding ways to put the unemployed back to work with various public works projects. Metrolinx will sit on the expropriated property, knowing that entering-a-recession timing means it's a bad time to sell the properties, pushing any sales to beyond 2022 -- Ford doesn't want to create any new scandals -- and so, protects for LRT resurrection.
 
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Remember. I am an Ottawan, born Ottawa. Sure, the LRT is teething problems. But that's irrelevant to this topic; properly built LRTs are good.

2007: Ottawa's light rail deal dead for good

Guess what?

In late 2008, in a stimulus-minded move, Ottawa resurrected an EXPANDED LRT plan. (City Council, November 28, 2008)

I think that my BAT network prediction is more likely to become true.

Based on the playbook of other cities I'm witnessing -- my current (refined) prediction is now BAT will be funded all at once.

Resurrect+Expand Scenario With LRT in Eight Wards
1. COVID-19 and Ford indecision delay any concrete decisions to Election 2022 season. We'll be vaccinated by then, Canada will have suffered a recession, transit use will recover, and seeking economic stimulus opportunities, allowing us to focus on LRT.
2. The existing unmodified Hamilton LRT plan will be modified. It's not going to be resurrected verbatim without modifications.
3. Replacement LRT plan will use multiple level government funding.
4. Replacement LRT plan will touch more Hamilton wards.
5. If LRT option is chosen, requirement of a new total budget number other than old budget numbers ($1B) necessitiates shrinkages or expandage.
6. Therefore old 2015 Hamilton LRT plan will be "scrapped" and then "resurrected" with an adjusted route.
7. Adjusted route will expands to non-lower-city wards.
8. Expandage is more likely than shrinkage, if plan remains as an LRT.
9. Expandage needs to touch at least 6 wards, preferably 7 (Perhaps +Dundas), to get more city council favour.
10. Construction start after ~2022, completion around ~2031.

After a potential favourable election 2022 outcome, any resurrected Hamilton LRT, will probably look approximately like what I suggested a few years ago:

the-bat-network.png

(With 1-stop B-Line extension east towards west edge of Dundas, and perhaps 1-stop northward extension of B-Line to Confederation GO).

This then means LRT touches 8 wards instead of 5.
Wards 14,1,2,3,4,5,8,13
Ward 14: One-stop westwards extension of B-Line east to east end of Dundas
Ward 1: Existing B-Line
Ward 2: Existing B-Line
Ward 3: Existing B-Line
Ward 4: Existing B-Line
Ward 5: Existing B-Line
Ward 8: New A+T Hybrid
Ward 13: New A+T Hybrid

In this new expanded LRT plan, the LRT touches a majority of Hamilton wards (8 out of 15).

This may help get enough council votes to enable multilevel funding.

I even daresay local funding (municipal bonds, etc) can be a go-ahead if enough local wards are touched by an expanded plan.
Possibly $3B capital at $1B+$1B+$1B (or a 20%:40%:40%) 3-level funding arrangement.

BRTs/expresses will still happen, perhaps concurrently -- but this might be the LRT-resurrection portion of whatever transit politics may entail.

...Assuming a more progressive City Council elected in Election 2022.
 
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I doubt it will be an election issue. I'll bet there are shovels in the ground by this time next year. The problem with that is that Ford then has something to go on.
 
When Doug Ford's mentor, Mike Harris, cancelled the Eglinton West Subway in 1995, it was only to run from Black Creek to Eglinton West Station. Twenty years later, its replacement, the Crosstown Crosstown LRT, is being built longer, from Mt. Dennis Station (Weston Road) to Kennedy Station.

Expect to see the resurrected Hamilton LRTs (plural) to be longer or with additional lines in Hamilton.
 
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