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Definitely a difference between Hillhurst and West Hillhurst. I'd say WH by the time you get to 19 is very family friendly with schools and playgrounds. I wasn't around Calgary then but heard Altadore used to have a lot of smaller homes, which gave way to lots of infill/corner townhouses. Whereas Hillhurst had big (for the time) homes for a while now and have the issue where to build a new big house would be way too expensive, if smaller homes are already selling for $2M.
From the pictures, it looks like the 301 BRT route is remaining. A "MAX service" will not be implemented. In my opinion, it's kind of a branding fail on CT's behalf. The new stations like nice though!I am loving the MAX stations along Centre. Really adding a bit more of a big city vibe. Hopefully the optics of it somehow spur some more development along the corridor.
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It will, the name just hasn't been announced until the upgrades are finished. They used to read "MAX TBD", but you can assume somebody asked "wait, in the meantime how will anybody know the 301 stops here?" so they were changed back. Similar situation to when the original MAX routes were all referred to by their project names like "North Crosstown BRT" and "Southwest BRT" receiving their color name shortly before going into serviceFrom the pictures, it looks like the 301 BRT route is remaining. A "MAX service" will not be implemented. In my opinion, it's kind of a branding fail on CT's behalf. The new stations like nice though!
As part of this work on Centre Street, do we know if a system redesign / stop consolidation planned? The corridor has so many routes with all sorts of stop patterns and incremental quirks all over. Would be good to take this opportunity to clean things up - with the ultimate goal faster trip times for every route, including MAX.It will, the name just hasn't been announced until the upgrades are finished. They used to read "MAX TBD", but you can assume somebody asked "wait, in the meantime how will anybody know the 301 stops here?" so they were changed back. Similar situation to when the original MAX routes were all referred to by their project names like "North Crosstown BRT" and "Southwest BRT" receiving their color name shortly before going into service
According to officials, the gondola system is expected to cost upwards of $770-million to build, but bring in around $18.9-million annually in revenue.
Bus Rapid Transit would cost around $550-million to build, and draw in $14.2-million annually. Officials argued it would also come with higher operational costs.
Either scenario could lead to cost savings, as the region would have to spend less money on the usual DRT bus routes along Simcoe Street.
An interesting point about BRT making traffic worse, but they anticipate ACCT generating more revenue than BRT. I haven't found door to door time comparisons, but I'm not sure they're appropriately factoring how personal vehicle trip time comparisons would influence ridership.“Simcoe Street is a busy road today,” said David Dunn, manager of Durham’s Rapid Transit Office. “By 2051, without rapid transit, traffic volumes along the corridor are expected to near-double, making the existing congestion and infiltration problems significantly worse. Under the BRT scenario, the removal of an existing mixed traffic lane would lead to further increased congestion. […] Under an aerial cable car system, 2051 traffic volumes are projected to decrease as a greater percentage of people shift away from car usage, all while maintaining the existing traffic lanes.”
They estimated that BRT would take around 10 years to complete, while the gondola would be closer to six or seven years.
Ooph. They anticipate 2 more years of study before council would give a green light. And then 4 years of planning. I guess that's better than underestimating, but one would think faster construction should be one of the big benefits with either BRT or aerial.After that, around 2027, councillors will have the opportunity to decide whether or not to endorse the project. Construction would start around 2031 at the earliest.
Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri expressed doubt about the cost estimates.
“The numbers keep going up,” he said. “We know that, as time moves forward, and as construction costs get closer to actual activation. Wouldn’t that money be better spent in the current system, and upgrading that?”
“The Bus Rapid Transit and Aerial Cable Car Transit system were carried forward based on public consultations. The capital cost for a BRT option is $800 million, and just under $1.1 billion for a AACT option,” it said in a clarification issued to Durham Post.
The region also emphasized that in comparing high-level revenue numbers, looking at only fare revenue, the BRT is expected to generate $27.6 million, while the ACCT option is projected to generate $30.1 million. In comparing over a 60-year project life cycle, BRT has a net loss of $132 million and the ACCT option has a net profit of $828 million.
Not that I know of. I hope they do something like that whenever bus lanes are put in on CentreAs part of this work on Centre Street, do we know if a system redesign / stop consolidation planned? The corridor has so many routes with all sorts of stop patterns and incremental quirks all over. Would be good to take this opportunity to clean things up - with the ultimate goal faster trip times for every route, including MAX.
Let’s build a cable car system in Calgary. I want one that goes from Westbrook Station to Foothills Hospital, and then carries on up to University LRT station.Not sure where best to put this, but an interesting situation in Durham around a possible aerial cable car instead of BRT
As of Dec 11 2024 they had prices pegged at:
An interesting point about BRT making traffic worse, but they anticipate ACCT generating more revenue than BRT. I haven't found door to door time comparisons, but I'm not sure they're appropriately factoring how personal vehicle trip time comparisons would influence ridership.
Ooph. They anticipate 2 more years of study before council would give a green light. And then 4 years of planning. I guess that's better than underestimating, but one would think faster construction should be one of the big benefits with either BRT or aerial.
and...about 6 weeks later:
A bunch of reports can be found here: https://yourvoice.durham.ca/simcoe-street-rapid-transit . Articles are all short on simple details like distance and stations. Looks like 11 stops just under 10km in initial phase, which is way too many too close together for this to make sense IMO. As best I can tell, they see Winchester to Central Oshawa taking 29 mins 40 secs, for an average speed of 20 kph. BRT couldn't beat that?!?! (from digging through a few reports it looks they peg it at very similar time)
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Crazier still, most/all of the stations will be elevated over the street:
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As for ridership:
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It looks like it boils down to about a $14M delta in operating costs. Just a crazy bet to make IMO
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TLDR: I think there could be good potential with ACCT, but this is about the last situation I'd consider it. Gondolas need to solve topographical/geographical problems to make even a little bit of sense...as a support to a strong spine(s), not a spine in itself. One station goes down and the whole line is FUBAR for a while.
Believe the line ends in an elevated station at 88th that has swampy land.I was checking on the blue line extension, and saw this - https://www.calgary.ca/major-projects/transit-blue-line-lrt-extension.html
Project update - January 2025N.E. LRT Extension Project: Field Investigations UpdateField investigations to support the design of the NE LRT Extension from Saddletowne Station to the future 88th Avenue N.E. Station are complete.Midcycle Budget AdjustmentsOn November 22 2024, the City Council approved adjustments to the 2023-2026 Service Plans and Budgets. The approved changes balances keeping property tax and water, sewer and waste and recycling fee increases as affordable as possible. The changes also make meaningful investments in priority areas that improve quality of life for Calgarians, such as infrastructure, public safety, transit and housing. A Key investment from the budget includes advancing additional design and early work for the Blue Line Extension to 88 Avenue N.E.
Not much of an update, but there you have it.
This also stood out to me:
This extension will reach 88 Avenue N.E. The total estimated cost of the project is $160.6 million.Seriously though, a 1 km light rail extension and a station, on land already owned by the city, will cost $160.6 million? It seems like only 10-15 years ago that $100 million/km was subway pricing. Why is it going to cost this much?
The SFH around the station is a bit disappointing as well, but I guess you can chalk that up to things being different in 2004 when those houses were built.
Yeah, one of the reasons the Blue Line station ends up elevated is the airport line having a vertical transfer.I assume the design for 88th will include space for the connection to the airport. Good to see it moving along.
