No to North LRT! Trams can do better for less

Here is the city's long term plan for future C-Train Expansion.  The North LRT is particularly problematic since the proposed route travels through largely unpopulated areas for most of its length.  The addition of LRT stations, parking facilities and the rest of the infrastructure the LRT requires will all but ruin whats left of Nose Creek.

 

A much better alternative would be to take the money destined to build the LRT (~22 km) and instead use those funds to complete a north Calgary tram network (Edmonton Tr./Centre St. Loop (12 km of two way track); 20th Ave Connector-Edmonton Tr. to University (5.3 km), a Bowness/University line (9.2 km) and the 10th St./Northmount/Dalhousie line (10.2 km)) for about the same price.

Click here to see a map of the entire tram system I envision for 2050.

Tram research links (FFWD Nov 11)

Here is a link to the original article: Trams, Trams, Trams in FFWD, Nov. 11, 2010

Tram street in Freiburg, Germany

Seven rules for Sustainable Cities by Patrick Condon
A Tyee Series based on the book.  Each Chapter from the book  is condensed into one article.  

Sustainability by Design (UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture)

For information about trams in Portland see (from the Sustainability by Design website) Research Bulletin 6: The case for the tram

For information about comparative costs of transportation modes see Research Bulletin 7: A cost comparison of transit modes from the same website.

The PBS documentary series Blueprint America  provides a wonderful, short introduction to urban transportation issues in the US.  The five-part series connects transit, land use and sustainable living.  The third episode focuses on progressive urban development in Portland, Ore.  The figure citing $3B in tram-related investment was quoted in this segment of the series.

Ridership numbers are from the American Public Transit Association. Links to ridership statistics are here.