Take the O-Train
Oct 16, 2009
1 Comment
Many cities are begging for stimulus funds for transportation projects, which, I'm afraid, could end up with buses and trains going nowhere. Ottawa serves as a model of what works when investing in transportation projects. For a city of 1,000,000, Canada's capital has a transportation system that is relatively cost effective and convenient.
Large metropolitan areas often suffer from having a true central downtown; commute patterns are all over the map, ensuring that no transit solution will satisfy all locals. Ottawa has the opposite problem: its traffic patterns are so heavily directed towards its downtown core that the city is looking at other areas in which to direct employers. What was once a 20 minute commute from the exurbs 10-15 years ago most likely has doubled . . . and if there's a storm or a strike (this is Canada, where they don't beat up striking workers), a rush hour drive can drag well past an hour.
Many cities have tried creating lanes for buses only, with mixed results. Ottawa has a system that's the next best thing to light rail: the Transitway . These dedicated bus lanes are often below or above street level, using overpasses and trench highways that buses only share with emergency vehicles. The result? If you live a few miles outside of downtown, a bus ride only takes about 10 to 12 minutes--if you drive, add 5 to 10 minutes, not counting the time you need to find a place to park. I took it yesterday and was amazed at the ease with which my bus ride moved from the West End to Parliament Hill: the route had only a few dedicated stops, and there was none of the constant jerking and weaving that cause motion sickness on the typical cross-city bus run.
Ottawa's transit system isn't perfect: the one light rail line, or O-Train, does not quite go all the way to the center (the city scrapped plans for an extension of this line, which goes to Ottawa's southern suburbs), and if you have a transit need that does not involve going towards or away from downtown, you may have a long ride in store.
Nevertheless, rail systems are expensive to plan (even before construction!), and fair or not, buses are just unpleasant to most folks . . . so Ottawa seems to find that happy medium.
What innovation does your local transit agency offer? What works, and what would you like to see change? 
Here in Leander, Texas, just northwest of Austin, Texas, where I live, we have a TOD or Transit Oriented Development with present bus service including Park and Ride and immediate future rail service into Austin, Texas. There is a Transit Oriented Development planned and budding around the train and bus service. The Park and Ride lot is well used by commuters using the bus service.