North America
longer than it is today. With worsening congestion on the
roads, the region has experienced sustained year-on-year growth in public transport usage, despite a deep and prolonged economic downturn. Ridership growth on Go Transit’s commuter rail network has averaged between 5 and 7% per year over the last 10 years, and despite increased frequencies and the lengthening of trains from 10 to 12 double-deck coaches, Metrolinx says any new capacity has been quickly used up. Metrolinx is responding to the
pressing issue of congestion with the Big Move, a $C 50bn 25-year transport investment programme which aims to bring 80% of the region’s population within 2km of rapid transit. The Big Move was adopted by the Metrolinx board in 2008 and approved by the Ontario provincial government in 2009, pledging $C 2bn investment per year in public transport projects. The programme aims to achieve the following objectives over the next 25
years: the distance that people drive every
day will drop by a third a 50% increase in population will be accommodated with congestion below
current levels a third of commutes will be made by public transport and one in five by
walking or cycling, and a single ticket will be valid for all trips throughout the GTHAand all fares will be integrated. Metrolinx recognises that in order to
achieve these goals a dedicated transit fund needs to be in place, fed by diverse and reliable sources of revenue which can sustain investment over a long period (see panel), and it has studied the policies of cities around the world to establish what works. “Naturally people are concerned when they see increases in taxes being suggested, which is why we are proposing a mixed bag of funding sources,” says Mr Jamie Robinson, director of communications for Toronto transit projects at Metrolinx. “Cities that do these things well have dedicated sources of funding for transport projects, but in Canada funding is subject to the whims of provincial governments and transit has to compete with healthcare or education for investment.” Under the 2006
Metrolinx Act, the 32
organisation was required to complete an investment strategy by June 1, including proposals for revenue generating tools, which the province and the municipalities could use to implement the Big Move. The Ontario provincial government will now use this document to make the final decision on which methods will be used to meet the $C 2bn annual budget requirement. “There is strong support for our proposals at a provincial level, but the opposition parties are less supportive of the Big Move, particularly when it comes to some of the investment tools we are proposing,” says Robinson. “That will continue to be a challenge, particularly with a minority government in place.”
First phase While some uncertainty remains
over longer-term funding, Metrolinx has already secured $C 16bn to start building the first phase, including $C 11.5bn from the provincial government. Work is now underway on 52km of new light rail lines, an 8.6km subway extension, and 59km of bus rapid transit lines as well as improvements to the commuter rail network and an airport express link. Pearson International Airport is major
source of congestion, and every year more than 5 million car trips are made between the airport and the city centre. Metrolinx aims to provide a convenient alternative with Union - Pearson Express (UP Express), a $C 456m project to build a dedicated rail link between Union station in central Toronto and Pearson. From Union station, UP Express
services will run along the Kitchener Line for 22km, calling at
Multiple source funding M
ETROLINX has proposed a number of potential revenue sources for the Big Move.
Seven key measures have been put forward which would generate more than $C 1bn per year for transit
projects. These include: employer payroll tax fuel tax road tolls car park charges property tax sales tax, and vehicle mileage tax
Four smaller measures have also
been proposed to the Ontario government, including development charges, high-occupancy toll lanes, land value capture, and raising public transport fares. Metrolinx says that with dedicated
sources of revenue, taxpayers can see clearly what they are paying for and have an assurance that funds will not be diverted to other priorities. It is also keen to ensure that the cost is distributed among everyone who ultimately benefits from the new infrastructure.
Go Transit’s Bloor and Weston stations before diverging onto a new 3km elevated branch, which will follow the route of Highway 409 to reach the airport station at Terminal 1. Afleet of 18 dmu cars has been
ordered from Sumitomo and these will be formed into two or three-car sets accommodating up to 180 passengers. Commercial services are due to start in time for the 2015 Pan American Games and trains will operate at 15-minute intervals throughout the day. Metrolinx forecasts that UP Express will eliminate 1.2 million car trips in its first year of operation.
The 30-year build and maintain concession for UP
NewdmusareonorderfortheUP Expressairportraillink.
IRJ September 2013
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