Just returned from a vacation in Toronto. In the event you aren't aware, there 's a mayoral election in the offing in Toronto, on October 27th. Three candidates are virtually tied in the polls. They are current Mayor, Rob Ford, and Olivia Chow and John Tory.
One campaign issue that unites all three candidates is the deep and growing dissatisfaction with Toronto's streetcars. Major complaint is streetcars are too slow and too often stuck in traffic. Same reasons streetcars were replaced by buses 50 years ago in DC. Same complaints that are heard about the new H. Street streetcars in DC now.
Anyway, you can do a Web search yourself for election news. Here's a photo of what we can expect if Arlington is so foolish as to construct a streetcar line on Columbia Pike.
Mark, 22204
21 comments:
With all his personal problems Mayor Ford may win re-election because he's been a longtime critic of Toronto's streetcars and wants them replaced.
H. Street streetcar will cost more than $400 million for what? Streetcars stuck in traffic and involved in all kinds of accidents. Not to mention streetcars stopped because of bicycle accidents on streetcar tracks.
My sister-in-law lives in Toronto. When I told her that Arlington was trying to build a streetcar, she asked "why? What a disaster that will be!". She never takes the streetcar anywhere, because it's slower than driving, a bus or sometimes even walking. No one actually commutes via one, either. The CB lives in La-La land if they actually think a streetcar will be used for commuting!
Next streetcar referendum is on August 19th - 48th District House of Delegates special election. Dave Foster is against streetcars on the Pike.
Deja vu building a major league baseball stadium in Arlington 10 years ago. The proponents said it would cost $250 million, ended up costing DC taxpayers more than $650 million. Neighborhood around Nats Stadium has been redeveloped with huge empty buildings, no open space, no place to go, nothing to do, more huge buildings being constructed. Duh. New Urbanism at its worst.
Pike and Crystal City streetcars are all about making Vornado and its VIP Democrat lawyers happy. NOT about transportation.
We should be thanking Vihstadt, Foster, Clement, and others who are against the Pike streetcar for saving us from a transportation disaster.
END NEW URBANISM NOW
END NEW URBANISM NOW
Kill the Pike Streetcar !! Vote for Foster on August 19th !!
END NEW URBANISM NOW
Eventually, (sooner than you think) the USA will fight a major-league war and all those mostly-empty Second and Third Generation Yupster apartments and condos will be occupied by Third Generation and Fourth Generation Yupster Warfighters / Pub Crawlers.
Real Millennial Yupsters are entering high school in about 3 weeks.
Can you believe? Children born in 2000 are 14 years old and entering high school this month.
First Generation Yups (who were 22 in 1982) are 54 years old.
Residents of Arlington's Sister City, Aachen Germany, voted 2-1 against a streetcar system in a referendum last year.
Toronto suburbs have bus rapid transit service.
Rob Ford has a good chance of winning another term as Toronto's Mayor --- Toronto's streetcars are that bad.
How long does it take to clear an accident when bicyclists are thrown from their bicycles after encountering streetcar tracks and have to transported to the hospital?
As a Toronto resident I can say that Toronto residents' feelings about streetcars have recently gone from 60% positive to 60% negative. There are just too many vehicles sharing the streets with TTC streetcars. Streetcars can move lots of people, but not if they have to share streets with other vehicles.
Bicycles and streetcar tracks are a combination for many many accidents and injuries.
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