Check others out
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Monday, September 10, 2007

I wouldn't spend $200 on a dress without shopping around, taking a close
look and trying it on.

For Ottawa's council and staff to be prepared to spend $1-billion on a
light-rail transit system without studying other systems would be foolish.
They should be looking at, riding on successful systems and consulting
with other cities' transportation managers.

My advice to the city politicians is to ignore the talk-show hosts' howls.
Council should spend the $40,000 on looking at alternatives. Most
taxpayers will support that responsible assessment of alternatives before
we begin 10 years of building and spend that billion of our money on a
transit system that we will use for 50 years.

Melissa Coleman,
Ottawa

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
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We should study U.S. rail success stories
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Monday, September 10, 2007

Re: Councillors vote to take U.S. trip to study transit, Sept. 6.

I am glad that the Ottawa officials will study how some U.S. cities have
been successful with light-rail transit. I had the opportunity to
experience the Siemens light rail system in Portland, Oregon. Portland is
about the size of Ottawa and Gatineau region.

After picking up my bags at the airport carousel, I walked out of the
terminal onto the light rail platform, which has a fully automated, easily
operated ticket machine. Imagine my surprise when the senior ticket for
the 15-to 20-minute trip, which took me right to the door of my hotel,
cost a measly 85 cents and the wait wasn't more than five minutes.

And the central portion of the light rail line, the equivalent of perhaps
Booth Street to the Vanier arterial, was free at all times, with service
every five minutes during the day. This is an honour system, which is
fully automated, requiring only a driver. Fines are handed out through
random spot checks. Trains travel at high speed in the outskirts and slow
as the stops become more frequent in the inner city.

Stops were well designated, in advance, and passengers were directed to
give up their seats to seniors and the incapacitated. I'm a pretty fit
senior but my white hair gives me away and on one excursion, a teenager
came from halfway down the car to offer me his seat.

Is this somewhat Utopian transit system possible in Ottawa? I have no idea
what the economics of the Portland light rail are, but the trains were
always full, the riders were very friendly and traveling was fast and
efficient.

Garry Bowes,
Ottawa

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007