Re: Why not run trains on Carling?

Dear Editor,

Mr. Reevely's article in the Citizen today entitled, 'Why not run trains on Carling?' does a good job of explaining the City's argument why LRT on Carling Ave. doesn't fit with the 20th Century commuter rail strategy the City has been flogging for years. Unfortunately, it only glosses over the benefits of using Carling Ave. for LRT.

LRT is about spurring redevelopment as well as moving people. Unlike any Transitway option, Carling Ave. is the only option that addresses both of these issues. A Carling Ave. route could not only move suburban commuters to and from downtown during rush hour but could also address the needs of inner city residents during off-peak hours. In addition, it will bring much needed redevelopment and intensification to a main street that is desperately in need of modernization and renewal. Carling Ave. LRT will also allow for new LRT or tram lines spawning from it to carry people further south. A hub at Westgate for instance, could provide a point for rail to run south, up Merivale Rd. to Huntclub. A route that would go a long way toward relieving the near 24 hr traffic jam that Merivale has become. Despite the City's transportation plan, Nepean residents know buses are not enough to alleviate Merivale's traffic woes.

The technical requirements of syncing traffic lights with rail crossings has been available in the marketplace for many years. While hills can provide a challenge to some transportation planners, planners in other cities seem to have addressed the hill issue. In Switzerland, where I lived for two years, they have many hills but still manage to run trains to the top of the Alps. Carling is relatively flat in comparison.

What is sorely missing from the Western LRT discussion is a real business plan that clearly identifies both the costs and revenue opportunities that each route will generate. Until a real business plan is written, one that includes the economic upside to redeveloping Carling Ave. for the remainder of this century, an honest comparison between the two options can not be made.

Now that we know the cost of the City's Richmond Underground route is very close to the City's estimated cost of putting LRT on Carling, there is no doubt in my mind that a business plan which includes revenue projections for 80+ years of development and subsequent taxes, would clearly show that Carling Ave. is the best choice for the Western LRT route.

Sincerely,

James O'Grady
Nepean resident