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I see that but it still seems less than ideal. If we want to truly transform Hespeler we should be aiming for one lane with turn lanes, bike lanes and wider pedestrian areas. Hespeler like I suggested is a horrible road with excessive speeding I struggle to see this changing without enforcement that seems to be politically unacceptable, there is no way the current design is safe. If we insist on having LRT down the middle of a wide road then underpasses should be considered.
The current arrangement is a compromise that isn't ideal, much like Kitchener where the LRT should have gone down king street and removed the unnecessary turning, which dramatically slows the LRT. If we want LRT to truly work then the car should come third not second in the order of transit mode priority.
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(10-30-2019, 02:52 AM)GtwoK Wrote: Here. Why can't we do this in Preston? This seems like the extremely obvious choice. Not only does this align better with, well, EVERYTHING, but it also prevents the total expropriation of 6 properties, and the partial expropriation of 8 (although, it would totally expropriate the beer store in addition, since it would not be accessible by vehicles any longer). It'd ALSO leave the cambridge surplus property stll street facing, for potential redevelopment
![[Image: oCtMFsR.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/oCtMFsR.jpg)
I think your idea has some benefits. I would suggest that if they go with the current plan (square block cut into two triangles by the LRT), future redevelopment should involve a single podium covering the entire block covering over the tracks and station. Then some towers on top. This maximizes use of the land on the block, gives an enclosed station, and provides housing with absolutely the best possible connection to transit in this location.
More generally, we should be looking for opportunities for future development to include existing LRT stations.
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Ford will fund this right???
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(10-30-2019, 09:05 PM)Spokes Wrote: Ford will fund this right???
Ford can certainly promise it, but I doubt he'll still be in office in 8 years. Funding announcements that you don't need to keep are the easiest to make.
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If it's announced by the current government, it's not the kind of thing that a Liberal government would renege on, though who knows what the landscape will be like in six years' time.
It's exciting to see discussion in this thread, and planning by the Region continuing in earnest.
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Im sure the success of phase one is emboldening.
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Why isn't a station planned at Beverly and Dundas? The former industrial lands on Beverly have been pitched by the city for redevelopment for years! Simply looking at the distance between stations it's clear that this is a missed opportunity.
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A station in that area is in the cards, I believe; they might put it just to the north at Samuelson, though, if GO train plans for that area come forward. They're hedging their bets for now, I think.
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I’m looking forward to an election campaign in which the debate is whether to build Phase 2 and then Phase 3, or Phase 2 & 3 together. 
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10-31-2019, 06:49 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-31-2019, 06:50 PM by KevinL.)
Problem is we have no idea where Phase 3 would even go at this point.
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We have a bit of an idea.
![[Image: aU9tvA9.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/aU9tvA9.jpg)
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I think if I had a choice for a Stage 3, it would be regional rail connection (using something like what Ottawa uses on the Trillium Line) between Kitchener and Guelph and Cambridge and Guelph.
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(10-31-2019, 07:49 PM)jamincan Wrote: I think if I had a choice for a Stage 3, it would be regional rail connection (using something like what Ottawa uses on the Trillium Line) between Kitchener and Guelph and Cambridge and Guelph.
I have wondered why we can't do this now -- at least for Kitchener to Guelph. And like Ottawa, use existing infrastructure. The O-Train Stage one was CHEAP! I think $21M cheap, IIRC.
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I've long advocated for the Cambridge-Guelph leg, certainly. If it makes use of the CN freight spur through Hespeler, I'm all for bundling it with Phase 2 and adding a connecting station.
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(10-31-2019, 09:11 PM)KevinL Wrote: I've long advocated for the Cambridge-Guelph leg, certainly. If it makes use of the CN freight spur through Hespeler, I'm all for bundling it with Phase 2 and adding a connecting station.
That would be cool. An Elmira extension would also be nice.
And don’t forget that the cost per kilometre of what would essentially be an interurban would be way way cheaper — possibly by an order of magnitude — than our in-city lines. It’s just kilometre after kilometre of straight track, with few crossings, signals, or most of the other stuff that makes an LRT in the city insanely complicated. Single track could even be used in some areas without trouble.
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