Taxpayers Beware – Seattle’s Newest Subway Is Costing $400 Million A Kilometre

This story should be sounding alarm bells everywhere, Seattle's newest subway, a mere 4.8 km long, is set to cost a massive USD $2 billion or about USD $400 million per km to build, making this insane project one of the worlds more expensive subway projects! 'Zwei' never supported Seattle's so-called LRT line because it is really a very expensive […]

Coast Mountain buses passed by stops more than 200,000 times in 2010

The following story, “Coast Mountain buses passed by stops more than 200,000 times in 2010“, is one of bad management rather than anything else. What we see is TransLink’s policy of “to hell with the customer“. What is sad is that there areAi??many politically inspired bus routes, designed specifically to placate civic politicians in the […]

Trams are good for your health – 3

postedAi??from: The Regional Transport Strategy role of Tramways & Light Rail http://www.applrguk.co.uk/files/lruk%20v.1%20role%20of%20light%20rail%20&%20tramways%20v.%20150610.pdf Health Impact of Airborne Pollutants Evidence has now emerged which confirms that the long-term effects of particle air pollution are considerably more significant in damaging Public Health than heart disease. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants Report published May 2001, […]

Trams are good for your health – 2

Public transport is good for your health and your wallet, according to scientists Switching to public transport could help you lose nearly half a stone a year in weight, new research suggests. Daily Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7861343/Public-transport-is-good-for-your-health-and-your-wallet-according-to-scientists.html  Nantes Light Rail Taking the train, tram or bus instead of your car increases physical activity so much that the […]

Trams are good for your health

Woman gives up car to avoid buying gas http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Woman-gives-up-car-to-avoid-buying-gas-121424504.html PHOENIX – Two months ago, Nicole Underwood had an epiphany. ai???When gas prices hit $3.50 I was like, thatai??i??s it!ai??? she said. She realized that at $3.50, gas stations were charging the same for one gallon of gas as it costs for an all day pass […]

At least they’re considering it

The `it' is Light Rail, the `they' include:  Nashville http://www.nashvilleledger.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=52855 Ottawa http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/csedc/2011/05-12/03%20-%20ACS2011-ICS-RIO-0001%20-%20LRT.htm Minnesota  http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2011/04/FTA-awards-Minnesota-474M-for-light-rail.aspx which is more than you can say about Vancouver British Columbia, Covered in Price Tags http://pricetags.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/transportation-transformation/ This Policy Study is published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives CCPA http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2011/04/CCPA-BC_Transportation.pdf http://www.policyalternatives.ca/transportationtransformation   

US, UK, French & Australian Light Rail & transport news

Plans for New Eco-Trams In Bristol Ai?? Wednesday, May 4th 2011 13:17 http://www.jackbristol.com/newscentre/bristols-news/plans-for-new-eco-trams-in-bristol-6013 Ai?? An artistai??i??s impression of a tram in Bristol Ai?? A consortium has put forward plans for a new eco-tram system in Bristol that would run between Ashton Meadows and Temple Ai??Meads station. If it is given the go ahead, the route […]

Vancouver considers higher-density housing plans for Cambie Street corridor – Have we given land developers a $2.5 billion subsidy?

From the ‘Well I told you so department’. In Vancouver, expensive subways are built not to move people, but toAi??subsidize land development. Readers of the Rail for the Valley blog know that this announcement was predicted and why there much hype and hoopla in the mainstream media with the recently opened Canada line metro; the […]

IS IT TIME TO HAVE A ROYAL COMMISSION ON URBAN TRANSPORTATION?

Recent angst and confusion in local and national blogs concerning bus, light rail, metro, and commuter train makes Zwei wonder if a Royal Commission on Urban Transportation is needed. There are no national standards that readily defines transit mode and one is needed, so the average Canadian (read Canadian taxpayer) can engage in honest debate on urban transportation. […]

MLA says TransLink priorities are wrong

From the Oh what a suprise Department Look after south of Fraser before considering UBC http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/says+TransLink+priorities+wrong/4646857/story.html Ai?? The Delta Optimist April 20, 2011 Ai?? TransLink better get its priorities straight and look at improving services south of the Fraser River before looking for money to build a SkyTrain line to UBC. Ai?? Delta South MLA […]