The latest transportation master plan (TMP) proposed by city staff and approved by the joint transportation and transit committee is a disappointment, to say the least. As pointed out by Councillor Doucet and many others this plan will not significantly increase ridership and does nothing but offer bus transitways for the growing communities of the city. I don't know why they call it "option 4" when the other 3 options had the same exact plan/route just different technology uses.

The north-south route stops just outside the Riverside South community, only to continue with a bus transitway that would most likely be converted to e-LRT in the future. Why the city is not taking advantage of building a new community around light rail is beyond me, especially when that community is expecting huge growth in the future. Maybe it would have resembled the old Chiarelli plan to much?

The east-west route is nothing but a transitway conversion. Doing this when you don't have an alternative east-west route to alleviate congestion during the constrution is a mistake. It will cause massive delays and inconvience for transit users for many years, and for what to offer a somewhat quicker trip. What we need now is an altoghter different route, then think about converting the existing transitway.

I know the overall goal was to keep the LRT inside the greenbelt and work outward, however the city should be thinking bigger (way bigger) when it comes to transit. Al thou maybe staff proposed this on purpose. East end and west end councillors won't complain that one end is getting more then the other, since they would both be getting the same (nothing). The new plan also somewhat services Riverside South/Barrhaven but doesn't look the old (dare I say it) Chiarelli plan. As well Mr. O'Brien and his fellow business men get their downtown tunnel. Well then I guess everybody wins except for the transit riders that is.

Anyone else out there have thoughts on "option 4"?