Public Transit Ideas Important in the Election Discussion

Yesterday, two important "idea" articles related to TTC - public transit from the Star's Opinion discussed: smartcards and LRT vs subways.

Both writers provide studied insight that is important to the election discussion and city operation.

It feels almost embarrassing to consider what PanAM games visitors might encounter in 2015 on the TTC.

Smartcards are long overdue as a means to improve both TTC operation and customer satisfaction. As the "LRT vs subways" writer points out they can assist the TTC to understand how its customers use it service much better than current fare methods.

This writer (an ex-councillor and a transportation consultant) also questions the lack of co-ordinated city planning and thinking required to ensure that the investments in public transit provide the payoff in city building or shaping. There is a major gap between the city's official plan and zoning and the Transit City plan (as well as current public transit projects).

If Smitherman needed the prudent rational to argue a pause on Miller's Transit City implementation he has found it.

And lest we forget, one of the mayoral candidates provided a solution on how to fund subway constructions: make users of the 404/DVP and Gardiner pay for driving access to and from the city. Maybe, forging a direct link of a road toll to a public transit project like that done for bridge tolls in the States rather than just another general revenue tax is a missing link to the city infrastructure financing scenario. Tolls end when subways are in place and paid for by law unlike the 407 hit.

Good stuff for talking but how do we see it become part of a vote by citizens. As suggested below, we need city political parties to ensure that when we vote we can direct what is going to happen by knowing where the candidates stand on big impact issues.