Second_in_pie
Senior Member
This, I think, is where we need to actually get some studies in. Something like a BRT on McCowan, it's needed to serve people, but will it ever end up having a high enough demand for LRT? LRT does cost a bit more than BRT, significant enough for an in-depth look at the route's functions and ridership. I understand Fresh Start's talk about BRT's capacities of up to 5k pphpd, but I think if we're forecasting for that high, why don't we go LRT? If we're going to need that many busses, why don't we just invest in LRT instead, so a couple years down the road we don't have to worry about the significant crowding that a 5k pphpd BRT route would experience.I understand the VIVA BRT is going to cost on the order of $1.2B in addition to what they have already spent on queue-jump lanes/minor widenings. So it seems yes, we do need hundreds of millions to do that for BRT or LRT.
Might as well go LRT if the capital cost is in the same ballpark as you at least get operational/capacity efficiencies from much larger vehicles.
I think that routes like Finch West, Jane, Islington and the current streetcar routes are perfect for LRT. They have high current demand, and something needs to be done to make the routes more efficient, and there's a lot more potential riders along the corridor that could be picked up. However, they neither have the regional significance nor the high ridership potential of a subway.
Also, isn't the Viva BRT $1.2 billion for over 30 km of BRT? Compare this to about the same cost for 14 km of LRT on Sheppard, and you might find that BRT is significantly less expensive. And for good reason; you don't have to worry about laying tracks (which takes ages,) and you don't have to worry about installing overhead wires.
I think the Viva BRT will do fine. The way it's being built, it'll be much more rapid a service than the Transit City LRTs, and will hold a real appeal to suburbanites looking for an alternative way to get around. Of course, time will tell. But I think the growing crowds at all times of day on Viva can paint a good picture of how popular it could be after it becomes an actual rapid transit service.