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| Transport Action Hotline - 27 August 2010 | |||||||||||
In this issue...This is the Transport Action Hotline, issue number 1079, for 27 August 2010.
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1 - Calendar
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2 - Transport Action Ontario: Proposed 407 East Transportation Corridor"The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has awarded a total of $25,000 to four applicants in support of their participation in the federal environmental assessment of the proposed 407 East Transportation Corridor Project in the Durham Region in Ontario. The funding recipients are: Transport Action Ontario, the Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo, Libby Racansky and the Huron-Wendat Nation," the CEAA announced on Aug. 25."The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (the proponent) is proposing to construct an easterly extension of the 407 Transportation Corridor (highway/transitway). The undertaking would consist of a highway and transitway, including the extension of mainline 407 from its current terminus at Brock Road to Highway 35/115 and two north-south links connecting Highway 401 to the proposed extension of Highway 407," Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency said. http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?m=/index&nid=555649
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3 - Transport Action Ontario : Projet du corridor de transport de la route 407« L'Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale a attribué un montant total de 25 000 $ à quatre demandeurs afin d'appuyer leur participation à l'évaluation environnementale fédérale du projet du corridor de transport de la route 407 en direction est, en Ontario. Les récipiendaires de l'aide financière sont : Transport Action Ontario, le Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo, Libby Racansky et la Nation huronne-wendat » le ACEE a announcé le 25 août 2010.« Le ministère des Transports de l'Ontario (le promoteur) propose de construire un prolongement du corridor de transport de la route 407 (route et voie réservée au transport en commun). Le projet consiste à construire une route et une voie réservée au transport en commun et comprend le prolongement de la route 407 principale à partir de son terminus actuel, au chemin Brock, en direction de la route 35/115 et deux voies de liaison nord-sud reliant la route 401 au prolongement prévu de la route 407 » le ACEE a rapporté. http://nouvelles.gc.ca/web/article-fra.do?m=/index&nid=555649
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4 - Transport Action British Columbia: Working to save Omnitrax Kettle Falls International RailwayOn Aug. 23 Lynne Burch Chief Administrative Officer of the The City of Grand Forks wrote Transport Action British Columbia: "The City has retained the firm of Davies Transportation Consulting Inc. to conduct a business case on the operation of the Kettle Falls International Railway Inc. from Danville Washington, through Grand Forks and Christina Lake to Kettle Falls. The majority of the rail line is located in Washington State, however the major shippers on the line are located in the Grand Forks Christina Lake area."The short of it is that while most of the rail line is in the US, Canadians have the most to lose if the rail is abandoned. The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary in consultation with the Shippers, conducted an Impact Study on the loss of the rail. The 44-page study does not paint a very good picture. In order to determine next steps or to solicit support from other partners, being the Province and the Federal Government, the City is conducting the business case review. This business case should be completed by mid-November," Burch wrote. "Going forward the City and the entire area will need all the support we can get," Lynne Burch wrote. lburch@grandforks.ca http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/grandforksgazette/news/100924094.html
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5 - Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie rail line deadline extended to Sept. 30: Transport Minister Hon. Chuck Strahl"An interim deal to keep a rail line open between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury is now extended until Sept. 30. A working committee that has spent the last 15 months trying to keep the 305 kilometres of track operational decided to "give the federal government a little bit more time," said Sault Ste. Marie chief administrative officer Joe Fratesi," Brian Kelly reported for the Sault Star on Aug. 21."Fratesi pointed to several factors, including a cabinet shuffle earlier this month that saw Chuck Strahl named the new minister responsible for transport and infrastructure, as contributing to Ottawa's delay in firmly agreeing to the needed capital work. "It's pretty obvious that they're committed," the Sault Star reported. http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2723673
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6 - Transport Action Ontario: Toronto meeting discusses why electric trains are the answer"On Tuesday evening the Condo Owners Association held a meeting "The Air We Breath" at Harbourfront Community Centre in Toronto. The issue at hand was diesel trains should be replaced by electric trains," KJ Mullins wrote for the Digital Journal on Aug. 25."Avrum Regenstreif, Ph.D., Transport Action Ontario spoke about the environmental impacts of diesel trains for residents of the downtown core. Each time a train rolls by CO2 and CACs are being thrown into the air including lead. He used a very technical approach but the end message was clear: Electrify sooner now! Adam Vaughan, City Councillor, said that city hall is behind electric trains. The problem lays in Ottawa," the Digital Journal reported. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/296553
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7 - Motorists face £250-a-year tax to park at work"It had been thought plans for workplace parking levies would be abandoned after ministers declared an end to the "war on motorists" within days of the Coalition's formation. But The Daily Telegraph has learned that a number of local authorities are actively examining introducing the charge in an attempt to raise funds," David Millward wrote for the Telegraph on Aug. 22.Transport Action Ontario's Doug Wilson notes parking fees are one of the big four revenue tools being studied by Metrolinx. Wilson writes "This would likely be doable immediately in the 416 (Toronto) where there is already severe auto congestion but good alternative public transit. Yet it could be more challenging for both commuters and others in the job-rich but sprawl-plagued 905." "However, should the idea prove itself in the core, it might just provide additional incentive to planners/developers to considerably improve transit service/integration throughout at least the GTHA. People would likely not leave their cars though, even for part of the trip, unless the entire commutershed public transit network offered fast, frequent, and reliable service, 18 hours daily, in all directions," Doug Wilson wrote on Aug. 25. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7959170/Motorists-face-250-a-year-tax-to-park-at-work.html
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8 - Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau entend changer l'ordre des choses : Un terminal intermodal« Le camionnage constitue toujours le mode de transport privilégié par les entreprises pour assurer leur approvisionnement et leurs expéditions. Le train demeure le parent pauvre. La compagnie Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau entend changer l'ordre des choses. Filiale de Genesee & Wyoming Canada, Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau est propriétaire de la cour de triage Henri-IV située sur la rue John-Molson, dans le parc industriel de Carillon » Gilbert Leduc a écrit pour le Soleil le 23 août .« Au cours des derniers mois, Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau a transformé la cour de triage Henri-IV d'une superficie de 2,5 acres en un terminal intermodal voué à l'importation et à l'exportation de marchandises. Les infrastructures ont été modernisées et les mesures de sécurité ont été renforcées dans ce terminal qui possède une capacité d'entreposage de 1500 conteneurs » le Soleil a rapporté,
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9 - Friends of the North Main Line: Dispute between VIA and GEXR stalls improvements"An ongoing dispute between VIA Rail Canada and Goderich-Exeter Railway (GEXR) over track usage fees has stalled long-sought infrastructure improvements that could see increased passenger service through St. Marys and Stratford. The issue centres around what is known as the North Main Line, a section of track that runs from London to Toronto. A portion of the track, from London to near Georgetown, is currently leased and operated by GEXR, which is owned by US-based RailAmerica," Jeff Heuchert wrote for the Stratford Gazette on Aug. 12."One person who has been watching the dispute closely is Paul Langan, a Cambridge-area resident and member of Friends of the North Main Line, a group of citizens who want to see increased passenger train service across Ontario. Langan says both companies are to blame for the dispute. He claims VIA works in secrecy and is not accountable to the public, while GEXR has shown an unwillingness over the years to allow more passenger trains," the Stratford Gazette reported. http://www.stratfordgazette.com/news/article/91340
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10 - City Centre Airport closure: No need for LRT tunnel under YellowheadOn Aug. 27 the Edmonton Journal reported: "Closing the downtown airport could save the city up to $200 million when it builds the northwest LRT line because it could build a bridge crossing over Yellowhead Trail instead of tunnelling under it, a council report says.""City officials have selected a short list of companies competing to create a master plan for the downtown airport land. The five finalists include SWECO International of Stockholm; Perkins and Will of Vancouver; BNIM of Kansas City, Mo.; KCAP Architects and Planning of Rotterdam; and Foster and Partners of London," Florence Loyie wrote for the Edmonton Journal. http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=c2b05ef2-6cc4-44a8-a967-f195e87d38d3
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11 - Hamilton debates light-rail transit versus bus rapid transit"A (2008) Metrolinx study found LRT would be a more expensive option ($784 million in capital costs and $12.5 million a year to operate), but the benefits in travel time, car costs and potential economic development overshadowed the relative affordability of bus rapid transit (at $220 million to build and $4.8 million a year to operate)," Meredith Macleod wrote for the Spectator on Aug. 23.."Paul Bedford, a planning consultant and former chief planner for Toronto, says if the goal is to reshape a city economically and socially, light-rail beats buses hands down," the Spectator reported. A second story headlined "BRT's less costly, more efficient, say advocates" reported:
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/250802--light-rail-beats-buses-hands-down-planners
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