Ottawa's downtown core might soon brace itself for the construction of a tunnel that would accommodate the city's forthcoming light-rail system. Business support for the plan is high and many councillors are on board, but not all observers are on the same page.
One of Ottawa's leading green thinkers has doubts about the effectiveness of a downtown subway. David Chernushenko told Public Transit in Ottawa that there are better ways to approach light rail on downtown streets—even those as potentially cluttered as Albert and Slater streets.
"I think the subway alternative is a complete and utter waste of money. I think it’s the wrong approach, unless Ottawa is going to have a subway system—and I don’t believe we’re big enough to merit a subway system at the moment," he said.
Chernushenko added that although business support for the tunnel is currently high, the affected streets above ground are in for an overhaul that could affect revenue.
"It’s going to be one hell of a massive dig. It’s going to be a couple of years of major, major disruption. And I don’t think they thought through that," he said. "[Streets] are as blocked off above as they would be if it were entirely surface-length [rail] that was going in."
Businesses on Bank Street have complained about lower pedestrian traffic during the ongoing rehabilitation of that roadway. Albert and Slater are far less commercially intense, but those businesses that do exist on those arteries might be forced to weather some bad times.
Chernushenko cut the tunnel idea some slack and suggested that because a tunnel, if built, will be part of the larger light-rail project, it is still good news for Ottawa at the end of the day.
"Ultimately, whatever we do with our taxes and the inconvenience, we have to prepare ourselves to say it’s going to be a big inconvenience for a better future."
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Part Four of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
Showing posts with label Chernushenko's Reflections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chernushenko's Reflections. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Chernushenko, part four: Suburban light rail a long-term project
Suburbs will have to wait their turn to receive light rail, says David Chernushenko, but a sustainable plan can still utilize more traditional modes of public transit.
"You get started by serving certain communities -- yes, some are going to be missed. The others become jealous, and then want theirs. That’s great," he says.
But improved service within Ottawa's outlying communities is key, says Chernushenko.
"We’re going to have to really, really improve the bus service that not only brings people from their suburb or rural home to that transit point where they can finish their trip on the train, but you actually have much better circular bus service that serves that village."
At the end of the process, suburban populations could be spending more time closer to home, although the option would be available to get downtown via a rail link.
"You can have people doing more within their community; not necessarily feeling like they always have to go downtown."
_________________
Part Four of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
"You get started by serving certain communities -- yes, some are going to be missed. The others become jealous, and then want theirs. That’s great," he says.
But improved service within Ottawa's outlying communities is key, says Chernushenko.
"We’re going to have to really, really improve the bus service that not only brings people from their suburb or rural home to that transit point where they can finish their trip on the train, but you actually have much better circular bus service that serves that village."
At the end of the process, suburban populations could be spending more time closer to home, although the option would be available to get downtown via a rail link.
"You can have people doing more within their community; not necessarily feeling like they always have to go downtown."
_________________
Part Four of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Chernushenko, part three: Light rail won't intensify growth
Should Ottawa develop the greenbelt? Has development inside the greenbelt been as intense as initially hoped, or have Ottawa's suburbs simply been pushed away? Is it worth it to extend light rail to the suburbs, or should it remain inside the greenbelt?
David Chernushenko suggests that light rail is only part of the solution to a denser urban core.
"The choice of an approach to rail—an Ottawa rail plan—will not on its own result in densification. That has to come through a series of other decisions, all of which are part of a common approach," he says.
"I can’t come down one way or another about whether extending the line to the suburbs or not doing so beyond the greenbelt is or isn’t going to have an expected result."
Chernushenko did say, however, that more established communities ought to be served by light rail before it is extended to budding developments.
"I’m inclined to say, though, that available money should be spent on taking the rail lines out to existing communities, which are already there," he says. "We may not want them to grow in size, but we would love for them to be able to become denser."
_________________
Part Three of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
David Chernushenko suggests that light rail is only part of the solution to a denser urban core.
"The choice of an approach to rail—an Ottawa rail plan—will not on its own result in densification. That has to come through a series of other decisions, all of which are part of a common approach," he says.
"I can’t come down one way or another about whether extending the line to the suburbs or not doing so beyond the greenbelt is or isn’t going to have an expected result."
Chernushenko did say, however, that more established communities ought to be served by light rail before it is extended to budding developments.
"I’m inclined to say, though, that available money should be spent on taking the rail lines out to existing communities, which are already there," he says. "We may not want them to grow in size, but we would love for them to be able to become denser."
_________________
Part Three of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Chernushenko, part two: City should expand cycling infrastructure
Europeans take cycling very seriously, says David Chernushenko. Several cities have integrated their cycling infrastructure not simply into their roads and parks, but also into their vision of public transit.
In Ottawa, suburbanites would balk at the notion of riding their bikes into work -- and justifiably so, according to Chernushenko. But he says that there are a lot of "closet cyclists" that would jump on their bikes if the appropriate system were in place.
"With the right system, we could be doing it much more of the year and we could have way more people doing it," he says, acknowledging that winter months often make it far too difficult to feasibly face the roads.
Referencing existing systems in Paris and Lyon, France, Chernushenko suggested an adopt-a-bike program that would see commuters from outlying suburbs be able to ride their bikes to the nearest train station. Upon stepping off the train somewhere in and around downtown, they could then gain access to rented bikes at locations throughout downtown.
In order for that system to work, however, the proper infrastructure must be built. Chernushenko suggested that if the City commenced work immediately, it would take 10 years to complete Ottawa's transformation into a bike-friendly city.
"We would start by saying every time a street or a sidewalk needs repair, we can seize that opportunity not just to replace the sewer infrastructure and the telecom cables and everything else that’s there. We’re actually going to redesign that street," he says, suggesting that residents from Nepean to Beacon Hill could conceivably cycle to work on a daily basis.
Instead of building infrastructure on the existing roads, Chernushenko recommended finding room on existing sidewalks -- a tough task, he says, because pedestrians are already short on space throughout downtown. The paths would be dedicated to cyclists, though, and it would mean expanding sidewalks at the expense of road width.
"Imagine Bank Street, where the two lanes of traffic right now are going to be half a metre narrower than they are now in order to create a metre-wide bike lane without making the existing sidewalk even narrower," Chernushenko says.
It would be a long-term project, but Chernushenko is fine with that.
"In a way I think that is a good thing. Gradual conversion often allows naysayers to see this isn’t so bad after all. You drop something new on people all at once and you’re going to have a lot of critics who are going to fight it," he says.
Copenhagen, Denmark, is moving even further than integrated cycling paths. Chernushenko says that city is developing "bicycle highways" exclusively for cyclists riding to work.
"Maybe you’ll have to stop once or twice on the entire ride in from the suburbs. Imagine getting on in South Keys or Kanata and not having a stop sign or a red light between there and downtown. What a concept!"
_________________
Part Two of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
In Ottawa, suburbanites would balk at the notion of riding their bikes into work -- and justifiably so, according to Chernushenko. But he says that there are a lot of "closet cyclists" that would jump on their bikes if the appropriate system were in place.
"With the right system, we could be doing it much more of the year and we could have way more people doing it," he says, acknowledging that winter months often make it far too difficult to feasibly face the roads.
Referencing existing systems in Paris and Lyon, France, Chernushenko suggested an adopt-a-bike program that would see commuters from outlying suburbs be able to ride their bikes to the nearest train station. Upon stepping off the train somewhere in and around downtown, they could then gain access to rented bikes at locations throughout downtown.
In order for that system to work, however, the proper infrastructure must be built. Chernushenko suggested that if the City commenced work immediately, it would take 10 years to complete Ottawa's transformation into a bike-friendly city.
"We would start by saying every time a street or a sidewalk needs repair, we can seize that opportunity not just to replace the sewer infrastructure and the telecom cables and everything else that’s there. We’re actually going to redesign that street," he says, suggesting that residents from Nepean to Beacon Hill could conceivably cycle to work on a daily basis.
Instead of building infrastructure on the existing roads, Chernushenko recommended finding room on existing sidewalks -- a tough task, he says, because pedestrians are already short on space throughout downtown. The paths would be dedicated to cyclists, though, and it would mean expanding sidewalks at the expense of road width.
"Imagine Bank Street, where the two lanes of traffic right now are going to be half a metre narrower than they are now in order to create a metre-wide bike lane without making the existing sidewalk even narrower," Chernushenko says.
It would be a long-term project, but Chernushenko is fine with that.
"In a way I think that is a good thing. Gradual conversion often allows naysayers to see this isn’t so bad after all. You drop something new on people all at once and you’re going to have a lot of critics who are going to fight it," he says.
Copenhagen, Denmark, is moving even further than integrated cycling paths. Chernushenko says that city is developing "bicycle highways" exclusively for cyclists riding to work.
"Maybe you’ll have to stop once or twice on the entire ride in from the suburbs. Imagine getting on in South Keys or Kanata and not having a stop sign or a red light between there and downtown. What a concept!"
_________________
Part Two of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
Chernushenko's reflections on Ottawa transit: Part One
David Chernushenko is one of Ottawa's best-known environmentalists. Just last year, he completed a stint as the federal Green Party's deputy leader. In 2004 and 2006, Chernushenko ran in federal elections in Ottawa Centre and, buoyed by support in his neighbourhood of Old Ottawa South, finished a respectable fourth in both campaigns.
Recently, Chernushenko set off on a European odyssey that took him to cities primarily in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Sweden, but also in Italy. His mission was to treat each destination as a case study in successful sustainability policy. He wrote a blog for the Ottawa Citizen's website and is in the process of putting together a film chronicling his findings.
[Chernushenko is also screening a film about sustainable living in Ottawa entitled Be the Change (You Wish to See) at Carleton University's Minto Theatre on June 20.]
Like many Canadians, Chernushenko had heard Cinderella stories of European efforts to live much more sustainability than North Americans.
"(I wanted) to see if these places are all they’re cracked up to be, see if we really can look to Europe for great leadership on a range of environmental and sustainability questions," he says.
This is the first in a series of posts that features Chernushenko reflecting on his observations in Europe and suggesting how Ottawa might benefit from several overseas examples.
_________________
Part One of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
Recently, Chernushenko set off on a European odyssey that took him to cities primarily in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Sweden, but also in Italy. His mission was to treat each destination as a case study in successful sustainability policy. He wrote a blog for the Ottawa Citizen's website and is in the process of putting together a film chronicling his findings.
[Chernushenko is also screening a film about sustainable living in Ottawa entitled Be the Change (You Wish to See) at Carleton University's Minto Theatre on June 20.]
Like many Canadians, Chernushenko had heard Cinderella stories of European efforts to live much more sustainability than North Americans.
"(I wanted) to see if these places are all they’re cracked up to be, see if we really can look to Europe for great leadership on a range of environmental and sustainability questions," he says.
This is the first in a series of posts that features Chernushenko reflecting on his observations in Europe and suggesting how Ottawa might benefit from several overseas examples.
_________________
Part One of David Chernushenko's Reflections on Ottawa Transit, a TransitOttawa.ca exclusive:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Cycling
Part Three: Inside the Greenbelt
Part Four: Serving the suburbs
Part Five: Ottawa's subway
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