this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2024
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Ontario

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Y’all ever heard of trains?

[–] Aquila 16 points 3 months ago

Just one more lane bro. That’s all we need

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

Haven't tried recently but I heard it still takes all day to go from Kitchener -> Montreal, and it costs $200 each way. (Hearsay.)

It's a tragedy that our trains are so poor.

[–] CowsLookLikeMaps 7 points 3 months ago

I think we can fix it by spending another 10 billion on new highways and additional lanes instead of funding transit. Surely, it will work this time. ~/s~

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I mean Kitchener to Montreal is something close to 700-800km even if we had high speed trains that would still take about 4 hours if they average 200km/h, and they still have to make stops on the way.

But having more trains running would be a good start at least.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

It needs to be cheaper and faster than driving, and it isn't even competitive on either.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I went from Guelph to Toronto recently for a baseball game with my partner. Via rail was somewhere between $40 and $50 (I forget the exact amount) per person each way. We drove instead.

In short, make transit a more viable option and maybe more people will use it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I live in Hamilton and work in Milton, to use Go transit to get to work I would have to leave my house 3 hours before my shift, it's only 30km! What the hell is wrong with the GTA?!?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

I'd love something like a Niagara - Kitchener go line and have Hamilton be a hub, really. I recently looked into commuting to Toronto for work, Yeah no, it's so bad for us non GTA but still Golden horseshoe people.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

You wanted to take the Go. It is much cheaper and more convenient. The trade off is customer service and ostensibly comfort. (Though the via stock is pretty fucking old these days...) But the Via staff treat you like a human being and make an effort to solve whatever travel emergency you have encountered.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This was a Sunday and the Go train only runs Monday - Friday for us

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

ungh right? why can't we have basic regional transit??

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Toronto the Road Crack Addict: I just need one more line and I'll be OK ... promise .. just one more ... I won't ask again .. promise .. just one more .... JUST ONE MORE MAN ... YOU GOTTA HELP ME OUT MAN!!!!

[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Why we keep trying to build more highways to alleviate congestion is beyond me.

Its an idea that has been consistently and thoroughly debunked since the 80s. No one who studies traffic has ever suggested highway upsizing to decrease congestion as anything more than a very temporary stop gap. Single or dual occupancy vehicles cannot continue to be the primary way we commute to work in a dense area like Toronto. It simply will not work, full stop. We can fight against the idea, but we're wasting our time and money.

We need high density solutions. TTC line 1 was built in the 50s. Line 2 in the 60s, which comprise 64km of the current 70km in use. Line 3 was added in the 80s, but has been decommissioned due to maintenance costs and poor performance, but even that was only 6km. Why have we barely expanded the system since the city consisted of 30% of the current population?

We used to have more rail lines running throughout the province, mostly privately owned. They have since been discontinued with the advent of trucking. Why have we not reintroduced rail service? Canada as a whole is low population density, but the Niagara-Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor has more than enough people to justify a regular rail line.

The Bradford Bypass and Highway 413 are an estimated 8-10$ billion, on the low end. Combine with his current proposed cuts to transit funding of ~$150 million, and it paints a clear picture of his priorities.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 months ago

Buying bigger pants will help me lose weight.

[–] CowsLookLikeMaps 3 points 3 months ago

Reminder to people to support their local transit and cycling advocacy groups.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Why have we barely expanded the system since the city consisted of 30% of the current population?

Unfortunately, we can't do anything about the past. However, the current projects give me hope for the future.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Why we keep trying to build more highways to alleviate congestion is beyond me.

Duh, because there are so many cars! - Every city planner in the GTA

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

@healthetank @RandAlThor

Roads are like computers - it doesn't matter how much speed, memory or disk space you have - you'll eventually consume it all as the Operating System bloats and the ability to create massive files increases.

Given that #bigoil needs consumers of their product, I'd be really surprised if the 'we need more roads' #government 'solution' goes away any time soon. 😞

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 months ago

That's a lot of Grand Theft Auto's.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Does anyone have faith that our governments will have a solution? Will it be as bad elsewhere too?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 months ago

A Conservative government building a proper metro system? The only things certain in this world are death and trying to make the 401 bigger in a desperate attempt to relieve traffic by inducing more traffic.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

TBF, the GTA is seeing the biggest transit expansion in their history, and by far the biggest expansion in North America. TTC has the Ontario Line, Line 5, and Line 6 under construction. GO Expansion is making huge improvements, from more frequent service to electrification to a lot of smaller projects that will improve travel time and reduce conflicts. Then there's projects outside the core like the LRT projects in Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, and Kitchener-Waterloo.

At the same time, the Ford government seems to want to have it both ways with the 413, cutting tolls, eliminating registration fees, etc.

EDIT: Added some other projects outside the core.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

odd, I see there are comments available, but can't see them from lemmy.ml 🤷

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

It's something in your settings. Language I think? you have to have it unchecked.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Toronto ain't figured out houses are 45 grand where i live yet, but BC sure did. They're more used to being outside of town though.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

45k for a house? are you from 1900? holy where are you? Asking for me. xD

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

45 is on the high side, there's some for 20 and thirty out in the county. SW Saskatchewan.