A Decade Ago, Ottawa Transit Worked: PATTON
Bulldog commentator Mike Patton wonders what has happened to our transit system:
And You Got Zeero
Mike Patton is the former communications director for Mayor Larry O’Brien and a Conservative activist.
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Wondering how many Ottawa civic employees actually USE the present transit system, in particular the honchos at O.C? I get the distinct impression that most drive to work, (look at the full parking lot below city hall), and so it may be that those in charge do not know the reality of transit, be it car, bus or LRT. Conclusion” Ottawa is being guided by theorists not practical folks. Witness Jim Watson. Wanted Ottawa to become a major world city and thought a LRT system would make it so! Well Ottawa and city council are world class but not for efficiencies and good management but as a laughingstock example of how NOT to run a city and transit!
When I arrived in Ottawa the Transitway was unique. It had few stops, allowed buses to move quickly between those stops, and buses didn’t get tangled up in the flow of other vehicles. The system worked beautifully; then Slim Jim had to “put Ottawa on the map”, copying systems that were good for other cities but weren’t needed here. There’s nothing wrong with being unique, especially when what you have works.
I am still of the opinion that Andy Haydon had it right. Bus Rapid Transit with separated lanes during rush hour and express from Ottawa core to suburbs where wheel and spoke distributed by smaller units to within 2 or 3 blocks of your front door. Simple one transfer system, flexible able to negotiate construction and other impediments. Expansion o areas of demand NOT build it and they will ride, with high rises along the route infill destroying old neighbourhoods driven by greedy developers in the pocket of council! Yes a tunnel might have been necessary or a would like to have so congestion on Slater and Albert would diminish but a FAULTY LRT has not solved that problem and ridership is DOWN for many reasons including multiple transfers!