Both can be bad. The planning sucks here, but it has always sucked and that isn't going to change for a long time. The Region of Waterloo - should be and always have been considering how to improve transit now rather than later...and I mean actual transit. Buses are fast, safe, sheltered and attract a very wide range of demographics which is important. 65+ year old women aren't going to be cycling or scootering around the city like a child, they want a bus and that's what needs the most drastic improvement. They can allow a young office worker to work dry and warm, rather than wet or sweaty. They allow you to carry home your groceries or haul on a stroller. There's so much more versatility and I wish we would see more money put into that instead of bullshit like downtown cycling grids and other novelties for the extremely tiny minority of Lycra wearing dorks who make cycling their entire personality.
That they didn't really improve anything after the launch of the LRT is a real shame. But I guess that whole project just showed how little our leaders understand what they're doing. Trip times for buses barely changed. Routes were cut. They pivoted away from the central terminal which I suppose is mostly fine, but they didn't really improve the rest of the bus network...I mean good luck finding a bench or trash can at many bus stops or knowing when the next bus will come unless you happen to have enough money for a smartphone and data connection.
The RoW also did nothing with this new transit hub, which although it wouldn't have had much to do with buses (or even the LRT since the station is outside...on a sidewalk...it's not even possible to integrate into the building lmao, like why? If you knew you had plans for an amazing new station why the hell not make it so the LRT could actually be part of it?!?). They should have forgot that whole nonsensical idea because the estimated cost was something like 100 or 150 million dollars, put that money into GRT improvements and simply let Metrolinx handle the construction and operation of the entire station. Unfortunately the region was selfish and wanted to create a centerpiece downtown with this project. Metrolinx stations are usually just a basic platform, building, the usual station things (bike racks, machines, shelters) and that's all they really need although some of the newer ones are larger - Mont Dennis, St. Clair-Old Weston etc. It was the region who decided that they wanted this new grand "transit hub". Only it has been a grass lot for how many years now? That they had to put metal fences around to prevent it from becoming a homeless encampment.
The decision makers here are just awful.
That they didn't really improve anything after the launch of the LRT is a real shame. But I guess that whole project just showed how little our leaders understand what they're doing. Trip times for buses barely changed. Routes were cut. They pivoted away from the central terminal which I suppose is mostly fine, but they didn't really improve the rest of the bus network...I mean good luck finding a bench or trash can at many bus stops or knowing when the next bus will come unless you happen to have enough money for a smartphone and data connection.
The RoW also did nothing with this new transit hub, which although it wouldn't have had much to do with buses (or even the LRT since the station is outside...on a sidewalk...it's not even possible to integrate into the building lmao, like why? If you knew you had plans for an amazing new station why the hell not make it so the LRT could actually be part of it?!?). They should have forgot that whole nonsensical idea because the estimated cost was something like 100 or 150 million dollars, put that money into GRT improvements and simply let Metrolinx handle the construction and operation of the entire station. Unfortunately the region was selfish and wanted to create a centerpiece downtown with this project. Metrolinx stations are usually just a basic platform, building, the usual station things (bike racks, machines, shelters) and that's all they really need although some of the newer ones are larger - Mont Dennis, St. Clair-Old Weston etc. It was the region who decided that they wanted this new grand "transit hub". Only it has been a grass lot for how many years now? That they had to put metal fences around to prevent it from becoming a homeless encampment.
The decision makers here are just awful.