OT: today is the day

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 04:03:42PM -0400, CLIFFORD ILKAY wrote:
> The argument, which really isn't mine but one that I read and thought  
> made sense, is that Air Canada/Jazz was pushing hard for the bridge to  
> expand operations at the Island Airport, which is now called Billy  
> Bishop Airport, apparently. (I wasn't aware of the name change until a  
> few weeks ago.) When the bridge was killed, AC effectively abandoned the  
> island and that left the door open for Porter to start an airline  
> offering exceptional service and flourish with no competition at the  
> airport. The very thing the NIMBYs and Miller wanted to do, which was to  
> make the airport not viable for commercial operations by depriving it of  
> the convenience of having a bridge, was the thing that protected Porter  
> and made it such a resounding success that today, that airport is busier  
> than it ever has been. That is an exemplar of the law of unintended  
> consequences.

I thought porter had bought the terminal and kicked air canada out.

> It was stupid to stop that expressway. It was the usual NIMBY nonsense  
> that crippled this city. We ended up with a pointless highway to nowhere  
> that created more traffic problems than it solved by having these stumps  
> of highways ending on east/west roads.

The highway would have been a good idea and yes eglington is much worse
off from having a highway end at it.

> I don't think anyone argues that subways are cheap to build, not even  
> Ford, but the argument is that light rail lines have to be replaced  
> every 25 to 30 years and have problems with inclement weather, of which  
> we have no shortage, but subways last three to four times longer and  
> aren't affected by inclement weather. "Cheaper" isn't always "best value  
> for the money" and you're the first to argue that in the context of  
> computers.

Well our existing subway system has plenty of surface sections.  They seem
to manage OK even in the winter. The go trains seem to have a lot more
problems with winter for some reason than the subway does.  Most of the
subways are even parked outside when not in use.

Sure long term subways probably work out cheaper to maintain.  At least
I would hope so, but that up front cost is huge if you have to tunnel it.
If you can dig it from the surface instead it would be a lot cheaper.
So if it goes somewhere without buildings on top, then the cost should
be a lot lower.

> There is lots of room in Toronto for new businesses. We just squander it  
> and for reasons I outlined above, investors would rather build  
> residential units rather than commercial units.
>
> The City of Toronto has the lowest level of residential taxes in the  
> GTA. Commercial properties are taxed at the highest level in the GTA.  
> Rectifying that is of course politically suicidal so it's unlikely to  
> change.

Well perhaps if people in Toronto want a decent city to live in they
have to vote for someone willing to do the right things.

> It has already happened. There is no such thing as "rush hour" or "going  
> against traffic" any more. Traffic northbound from Toronto to Markham is  
> often as heavy as traffic going south.
>
> We're building lots of condos all over the city. Where are all those  
> people going to work? As Herb Richter asked, what is the point of adding  
> greater density if all we're going to do is force people to commute to  
> some other jurisdiction? Good planning should require a mix of  
> residential and commercial space.

Certainly a mix is required.

> Siemens claimed they could save the city at least $100 million if they  
> were allowed to bid in 2006. We'll never know if their bid would have  
> been viable or if by their mere presence Bombardier would have sharpened  
> its pencil.

Hmm, I seem to recall seeing a mock up steetcar/light rail from siemens at
the Ex a few years ago.  The design and layout was awful.  The bombardier
design was much more practical.  No idea if siemens subway designs
are better.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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