Canadian Musings

The City of Ottawa is proposing a new Trolley service with an announced pricetag of at least $725 Million. Some cite a higher number, even over a total of a Billion Dollars, if certain operating costs are included.

But the current proposal raises more questions than it answers. And an all-day discussion at City Hall today raised even more questions with the answers which were provided.

The proposal suggests that there will be a ten-minute "headway" between trains on a single-track section of the route. Each tram will have a capacity of fewer than 200 people (72 seated, or 64 with wheelchair space). But if the plan doesn't proceed, the plan claims an extra 2000 cars will be put on the road in the peak hour. How can a service with a maximum capacity of 1200 (standing) remove 2000 cars from the road? When the majority of transit users will be shifted from bus users, not from car users?

The cancellation of the current O-Train will save about $5M per year in operating costs, to be replaced with bus services costing about $3M per year while the new tramway is constructed. So even the existing service would be better replaced by bus service, at a savings of about 40% of the current cost. And the train is supposed to be a good idea?

Although the current service is called the "O-Train", the current proposal is not for a Train service, but what would normally be called a streetcar, trolley, or tram. The more modern term is LRT, or Light Rail Transit. It will include overhead wires for the electric drive system.

Current ridership projections are supposedly low for several years. But while reducing the vehicular capacity of Albert and Slater streets in the downtown - streets which are currently stretched to capacity during peak hours - the overall passenger capacity will not be improved by the new tram service, especially if express bus routes are cancelled as planned.

Funding for the plan assumes $200M of transit funding from the Federal Government, $200M of transit funding from the Provincial Government, and Gas Tax revenue allocated for the next several years. Yet additional transit projects will still be required over the interim, including an East-West LRT link between Kanata, Downtown, and Orleans; and transit projects between Ottawa and Gatineau. Additionally, development charges are allocated to this project while other city needs still place demands on taxpayer funds.

OCTranspo includes a service on several routes supporting two bicycles per bus on a rack in the front of the bus. The plans for the tram would allow bicycles on board only during off-peak hours, to a maximum of two per vehicle - a severe capacity reduction, although this service is rarely used to system capacity. (Individual buses, yes, but if one bus already has two bikes, the next bus along usually has space.)

The current O-Train has been able to run on-time most of the time. But it runs on grade-separated track and does not have to deal with other traffic. Where are the studies and simulations proving that the proposed trolley will be able to run on time on surface streets, where it is subject to the vagaries of other traffic?

The plan suggests that a delay in approval would cause a delay in digging a new tunnel under the Rideau Canal. I have not yet found any indication why any such tunnel would be required: the trolley would be on the Mackenzie Bridge by the Rideau Centre, well above the canal. At Carleton University, the current O-Train crosses the water on a bridge. All the pretty pictures on the city's LRT plans website show bridges, not tunnels.

There were claims made by city officials of a commitment to a 30% reduction in bus traffic on Albert and Slater streets. What is the number of buses this represents? What is the capacity of these buses? Where is the indication of the capacity of the trolleys replacing these buses? The maths don't seem to add up.

The report to Council offers three possibilities: to approve the plan as presented, to defer approval, or to deny approval forever. In their arrogance, the possibilty of altering the current proposal in the interim never enters their minds.

This project must be stopped.

Wow.

I've started to feel a bit better from my cold over the last couple days. I haven't felt the need to take any cold medicines since, I think, Tuesday afternoon when I took a half-dose.

So today it came to me as a complete surprise when, after figuring I'd take a short nap before trying to head out on some errands that my nap extended for nearly ten hours. After having a decent (but shorter) night's sleep last night.

Every day, a bit better. And still not at 100%.

Plenty of friends have suffered through a cold this spring, some sharing it back and forth, others hacking through it for a couple weeks.

Mine has been in my throat for about the last week or so. Some days I would feel better; some days the cold would win. Eventually I started taking some of the cold medicines, initially at half-dose, then at full dose, and now just a couple times through the day.

But the sleep it has brought! I'll be awake for a few hours, then take a nap. Two hours of sleep, then up for perhaps another three. Off for another nap. Awake again. Yesterday, I went to sleep during the early match of the day of the World Cup ... and woke up during the last match of the day, about six hours later. And of course took another nap after a couple hours.

I can only ask: is it still Monday? :)

Last weekend saw the arrest of several individuals who are accused of plotting one or more terrorist attacks.

And the reaction has generally been to wonder whether we should look more closely at a broader range of Muslims in Canada, to ensure we catch more than we miss.

Personally, I trust the Police much more than I trust the media to root out those few who might carry out such terrible acts against Canadians.

I know that there are some number of terrorist cells operating in Canada. And I also know that there are plenty of thieves, rapists, and even murderers operating in Canada. That doesn't mean that I suspect every stranger I see in the street of potentially being a criminal. Just as it doesn't mean that I suspect every stranger who identifies themselves as Muslim (e.g. by their clothing) as potentially plotting against Canadians.

Let us not get confused about what it is that we condemn as a secular society.

A Great-Big "Thank-you" to all of our current (and former) Canada Forces today, on Canada Forces Day.

Too bad I didn't even know that we had such a day until I was watching CTV NewsNet and the induction ceremony of several new recruits happened to mention (c.f. Stephen Harper) that today was CF Day.

I have argued for a while now (oooh, at least a couple weeks ... that ought'a count for something) that we should honour our fighting men and women in uniform more than just on Remembrance Day ... and whaddya know .. we already have such a day.

Shame on me for not knowing earlier.

Thank-you to all of our enrolled Men and Women who have volunteered to give so much of their lives for so little in return, to contribute to my own safety and security. I cannot begin to thank-you all enough.