Light rail in Canada
Encyclopedia
In Canada light rail has widespread support, yet there are only a few light rail systems in the country.
SkyTrain is an urban rapid transit
system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
and is the longest automated rapid transit system in the world, It uses fully automated trains running mostly on elevated tracks and has 68.7 km (42.7 mi) of track. SkyTrain was a showcase for Expo 1986
.
In addition to using driverless trains, SkyTrain uses two energized power rails (one at +300 VDC and the other at -300 VDC) rather than overhead wires to supply electricity, making it unsafe to operate in the street or use level crossings. Since it is not conventional light rail it is often called an advanced light rapid transit
or light metro system. SkyTrain's newest extension, the Evergreen Line, is also planned to be grade-separated automated light transit. Additional extensions are planned for the Millennium Line mostly underground under Central Broadway to University of British Columbia
. There is also preliminary talk about extending the Expo Line (although its routing has not yet been determined).
Despite Calgary, Alberta having a relatively low population density, the city's C-Train
system has developed into one of the most successful and busiest light rail
system in North America with an average of 297,500 boardings per weekday in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared to 285,000 for Toronto, Ontario (includes only the streetcar system
, not the subway
) and 229,200 for Boston, Massachusetts, the largest LRT system in the United States. In North America, only the light rail systems in Vancouver (with approximately 354,000 passengers per day) and Monterrey, Mexico (with approximately 309,200 passengers per day) surpass the Calgary C-Train passenger load.
The Calgary system was started in 1981 as the result of decisions to avoid building either downtown freeways or a heavy rail system. At that time, Calgary had less than half a million people and was considered too small for rail transit, but when it first opened the C-Train carried about 40,000 passengers per day. By 2007, Calgary was twice as big with 1 million people, but the C-Train system was over three times as long and carried over six times as many passengers.
As of 2007 45% of the people working in downtown Calgary took transit to work, and the city's objective was to increase that to 60%. The reason is that Calgary's downtown core covers only 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), is isolated from the rest of the city by two rivers and a railway line, and was built with relatively narrow streets by North American standards. In the 1960s planners proposed a comprehensive freeway system to improve access, but this was rejected due to intense public opposition. However, subsequent growth exceeded expectations and by 2006, Calgary had become the second largest head office center in Canada, with 32000000 square feet (2,972,897.3 m²) of office space and 120,000 people working in the downtown core. The downtown street system is at maximum capacity and has no room for traffic growth, but the city is confident it can add another 60,000 downtown workers in the next 20 years without making space for more cars. Peak hour travel by LRT is equivalent to the capacity of about 16 free flow traffic lanes and allows the city to have fewer than 0.4 downtown parking places available per worker.
Despite the downtown rush, 25% of the riders during rush hour are counterflow commuters - going out of downtown during the morning and into it during the afternoon. Many of these are students going to educational institutions, who receive deep discounts because they are filling seats that otherwise would be empty, and workers doing crosstown commutes to avoid the lack of freeways. However, as of 2007, the C-Train is suffering growing pains. Because population growth has exceeded expectations and LRT ridership has outpaced population growth, Calgary has had trouble buying enough new LRT vehicles and hiring enough new drivers to meet the demand. As a result, many passengers experience lengthy train waits due to overcrowding.
Despite funding problems resulting from lack of support from the provincial and federal governments, there are two extensions under construction. In November 2007, Calgary City Council approved another two further extensions on the two lines, to be completed by 2012.
In addition, on November 20, 2007, Council gave final approval for the new West Leg of Calgary's LRT, which would be the system's fourth leg. Construction for the West leg will begin in 2009, with completion expected in 2012. When the new light rail vehicles ordered for the extension are finally delivered, the city will have a total of 223 LRVs.
Besides the ongoing program of extending all station platforms to 100 m to accommodate four-car trains, transportation planners have identified two additional lines to be constructed within the next 25 years. They are to the North-Central and South-East districts of the city. BRT service is in place along the future North-Central route, and is expected to begin on the South-East route within a year. Calgary will also one day have to place a tunnel in their downtown to accommodate one of these new lines, or a combination of lines, much like Edmonton has already done.
Edmonton was the first city in North America with a population of less than one million to build a modern light rail system. The route first started construction in 1974, and opened its first segment on April 22, 1978, in time for the 1978 Commonwealth Games. While groundbreaking at the time, in contrast with Calgary the Edmonton Transit System
built much of its light rail system underground, which meant that it could not afford to lay as much track to the suburbs. In addition, Edmonton's central business district has less office space and the single line which was built did not reach areas which housed many commuters to downtown. The system is successful by North American Standards, but not nearly as successful as Calgary's: it has attracted only a sixth of the ridership. Edmonton has recently built an extension at grade that extends to a new TOD.
According to John Bakker, professor emeritus at the University of Alberta and one of the original designers of the system, going underground was a serious mistake. "Going into tunnels is about 10 times as expensive as going on the surface because you have to relocate utilities", said Mr Bakker. "Edmonton went into tunnels first, and it really bogged down everything thereafter, because they didn't have money". Edmonton's system is only 15 km long, while Calgary's light-rail system covered 42.1 km for about the same cost. As a result, by 2006 Edmonton's LRT ridership was relatively static at 42,000 per day, while Calgary's was over 250,000 and growing rapidly. However, a 7.6 km South LRT expansion, almost all of it at surface, was completed in 2010.
In the 1970s and 1980s Ottawa, Ontario opted for grade-separated busways (the Ottawa Transitway) over light rail on the theory that buses were cheaper. In practice, the capital costs escalated from the original estimate of C$97 million to a final value of C$440 million, a cost overrun of about 450%. This is nearly as high as Calgary's C-Train system, which had a capital cost of C$548 million, is about the same length, and carries more passengers. Unfortunately, the Ottawa Transitway has reached capacity, with over 175 buses per hour on the downtown section, and has no cost-effective way to increase the volume.
In 2001, to supplement its BRT system, Ottawa opened a diesel light rail pilot project, (the O-Train), which was relatively inexpensive to construct (C$21 million), due to its single-track route along a neglected freight-rail right of way and use of diesel multiple unit
s (DMUs) to avoid the cost of building overhead lines
along the tracks. O-Train has had some success in attracting new ridership to the system (a few thousand more riders), due to its connection of a south end big box shopping mall (South Keys
), through Carleton University
to the east-west busway (Ottawa Transitway) near the downtown core of the city.
Ottawa produced plans to expand both the Transitway and to open additional rail routes. The intention of the light rail project was to add to the system, not to replace the existing Transitway. However, in mid-December 2006, the new Ottawa city council voted to cancel the LRT system despite the fact that funding was already in place and contracts were already signed. As of 2008, lawsuits against the city of Ottawa over its canceled light rail system totaled over $280 million. Examinations for discovery are expected to start in the fall, with the trial beginning in 2009. The trial is expected to be lengthy.
is the largest city in Canada and employs several forms of transit that may or may not be considered "light rail".
Streetcar
The legacy streetcar system
is still largely in place in the downtown area and is extensive in terms of routes and service intervals. Some lines even tie into integrated subway stations without the need for a transfer, and some traffic signals give priority to streetcars. However, the system as a whole is not normally considered true light rail because the mixed running with surface traffic slows travel considerably. Because of the differences in technology and speed, Canadian transportation planners do not usually classify historic streetcar systems as LRT, although they may technically qualify as such.
Some portions of the system operate in dedicated right of ways that come closer to meeting modern light rail standards. Dedicated rights of way have recently been built for the Spadina, Harbourfront
and St. Clair streetcars, while the Queen streetcar has operated in a dedicated right of way on The Queensway since 1957. However, the largest vehicles used are articulated double streetcars which are much smaller than most LRT trains and these use trolley pole
s rather than pantographs
to collect electricity. Streetcar fares must also be paid upon boarding as with a local bus.
Intermediate Capacity Transit System
The Scarborough RT was a demonstration project for elevated light rail that served as a prototype for Vancouver's SkyTrain
and JFK's AirTrain
). However, it does not meet the common definition of light rail either since it supplies electricity to the trains using two extra power rails (one at +300 VDC and the other at -300 VDC), uses linear induction motors acting on a metal plate between the tracks for propulsion, requires a fully grade-separated right-of-way, and has large stations that have much more in common with a heavy-rail metro. In Toronto it is mapped as part of the subway system. As a part of the Transit City plan, the line will be converted to operation with overhead power collection and low floor vehicles.
Light Rail
On March 16, 2007, the Toronto Transit Commission announced a 120 Kilometre Light Rail Transit network throughout Toronto's inner suburbs. It is planned to be built to modern LRT standards and be entirely separate from the legacy streetcar network. This will be a 15 year project predicted to have 175 million-users by 2021. The plan has been released and can also be viewed at TransitCity.ca
as its termini. Currently, as a precursor, Route 10 provides an express service along the future LRT route.
are jointly working on a light rail along Hurontario and Main Streets. In the original MoveOntario 2020 plan, only Mississauga is supposed to get the LRT, ending only at Highway 407 (which is the boundary), located in an industrial area and a hydro corridor. Meanwhile, the Brampton segment is originally getting BRT, also ending at Highway 407.
Mississauga Transit
's ridership in 19 Hurontario is large enough to warrant decent LRT ridership. This route is also the fastest-growing bus route in Mississauga and the busiest bus route in the 905 region (suburban Toronto), carrying 28,000 passengers a day. Currently, the combined frequency of Hurontario during peak hours, using Routes 19, 102, and 202, is every 3–4 minutes. Meanwhile, Brampton Transit
's 2 Main is also frequent, running every 10 minutes.
As a precursor, MiWay's Route 102 has been launched to run between Shoppers World and City Centre Transit Terminal
. By September 2011, Brampton Transit's Main Street Züm
will run from Sandalwood Parkway to Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal
, replacing and extending MiWay's Route 102. Meanwhile, MiWay's Route 202 is replaced by Route 103, a new express route which offers additional midday and evening services.
A similar line to "Connect 10" was proposed in the 1970s by Hubert Wolf, a Regional Councillor representing Port Credit; it was largely ignored.
Vancouver
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and is the longest automated rapid transit system in the world, It uses fully automated trains running mostly on elevated tracks and has 68.7 km (42.7 mi) of track. SkyTrain was a showcase for Expo 1986
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
.
In addition to using driverless trains, SkyTrain uses two energized power rails (one at +300 VDC and the other at -300 VDC) rather than overhead wires to supply electricity, making it unsafe to operate in the street or use level crossings. Since it is not conventional light rail it is often called an advanced light rapid transit
Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit
Advanced Rapid Transit or ART is the current name given to a rapid transit system manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. The original versions look like small subway cars that typically run in two-, four- or six-car trains, but the latest versions are more streamlined two-car articulated...
or light metro system. SkyTrain's newest extension, the Evergreen Line, is also planned to be grade-separated automated light transit. Additional extensions are planned for the Millennium Line mostly underground under Central Broadway to University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. There is also preliminary talk about extending the Expo Line (although its routing has not yet been determined).
Calgary
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
system has developed into one of the most successful and busiest light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system in North America with an average of 297,500 boardings per weekday in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared to 285,000 for Toronto, Ontario (includes only the streetcar system
Toronto streetcar system
The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
, not the subway
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
) and 229,200 for Boston, Massachusetts, the largest LRT system in the United States. In North America, only the light rail systems in Vancouver (with approximately 354,000 passengers per day) and Monterrey, Mexico (with approximately 309,200 passengers per day) surpass the Calgary C-Train passenger load.
The Calgary system was started in 1981 as the result of decisions to avoid building either downtown freeways or a heavy rail system. At that time, Calgary had less than half a million people and was considered too small for rail transit, but when it first opened the C-Train carried about 40,000 passengers per day. By 2007, Calgary was twice as big with 1 million people, but the C-Train system was over three times as long and carried over six times as many passengers.
As of 2007 45% of the people working in downtown Calgary took transit to work, and the city's objective was to increase that to 60%. The reason is that Calgary's downtown core covers only 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), is isolated from the rest of the city by two rivers and a railway line, and was built with relatively narrow streets by North American standards. In the 1960s planners proposed a comprehensive freeway system to improve access, but this was rejected due to intense public opposition. However, subsequent growth exceeded expectations and by 2006, Calgary had become the second largest head office center in Canada, with 32000000 square feet (2,972,897.3 m²) of office space and 120,000 people working in the downtown core. The downtown street system is at maximum capacity and has no room for traffic growth, but the city is confident it can add another 60,000 downtown workers in the next 20 years without making space for more cars. Peak hour travel by LRT is equivalent to the capacity of about 16 free flow traffic lanes and allows the city to have fewer than 0.4 downtown parking places available per worker.
Despite the downtown rush, 25% of the riders during rush hour are counterflow commuters - going out of downtown during the morning and into it during the afternoon. Many of these are students going to educational institutions, who receive deep discounts because they are filling seats that otherwise would be empty, and workers doing crosstown commutes to avoid the lack of freeways. However, as of 2007, the C-Train is suffering growing pains. Because population growth has exceeded expectations and LRT ridership has outpaced population growth, Calgary has had trouble buying enough new LRT vehicles and hiring enough new drivers to meet the demand. As a result, many passengers experience lengthy train waits due to overcrowding.
Despite funding problems resulting from lack of support from the provincial and federal governments, there are two extensions under construction. In November 2007, Calgary City Council approved another two further extensions on the two lines, to be completed by 2012.
In addition, on November 20, 2007, Council gave final approval for the new West Leg of Calgary's LRT, which would be the system's fourth leg. Construction for the West leg will begin in 2009, with completion expected in 2012. When the new light rail vehicles ordered for the extension are finally delivered, the city will have a total of 223 LRVs.
Besides the ongoing program of extending all station platforms to 100 m to accommodate four-car trains, transportation planners have identified two additional lines to be constructed within the next 25 years. They are to the North-Central and South-East districts of the city. BRT service is in place along the future North-Central route, and is expected to begin on the South-East route within a year. Calgary will also one day have to place a tunnel in their downtown to accommodate one of these new lines, or a combination of lines, much like Edmonton has already done.
Edmonton
Edmonton Transit System
The Edmonton Transit System, also called ETS, is the public transit service owned and operated by the city of Edmonton, Alberta. It operates Edmonton's bus and light rail systems.-Service:...
built much of its light rail system underground, which meant that it could not afford to lay as much track to the suburbs. In addition, Edmonton's central business district has less office space and the single line which was built did not reach areas which housed many commuters to downtown. The system is successful by North American Standards, but not nearly as successful as Calgary's: it has attracted only a sixth of the ridership. Edmonton has recently built an extension at grade that extends to a new TOD.
According to John Bakker, professor emeritus at the University of Alberta and one of the original designers of the system, going underground was a serious mistake. "Going into tunnels is about 10 times as expensive as going on the surface because you have to relocate utilities", said Mr Bakker. "Edmonton went into tunnels first, and it really bogged down everything thereafter, because they didn't have money". Edmonton's system is only 15 km long, while Calgary's light-rail system covered 42.1 km for about the same cost. As a result, by 2006 Edmonton's LRT ridership was relatively static at 42,000 per day, while Calgary's was over 250,000 and growing rapidly. However, a 7.6 km South LRT expansion, almost all of it at surface, was completed in 2010.
Ottawa
In 2001, to supplement its BRT system, Ottawa opened a diesel light rail pilot project, (the O-Train), which was relatively inexpensive to construct (C$21 million), due to its single-track route along a neglected freight-rail right of way and use of diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s (DMUs) to avoid the cost of building overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
along the tracks. O-Train has had some success in attracting new ridership to the system (a few thousand more riders), due to its connection of a south end big box shopping mall (South Keys
South Keys Station (OC Transpo)
South Keys is a bus station on Ottawa's transitway system. Operated by OC Transpo, it is located at Bank Street and the Airport Parkway at the south end of the South Keys shopping complex. It is the main terminus of Route 97 .This is the last station on the transitway...
), through Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
to the east-west busway (Ottawa Transitway) near the downtown core of the city.
Ottawa produced plans to expand both the Transitway and to open additional rail routes. The intention of the light rail project was to add to the system, not to replace the existing Transitway. However, in mid-December 2006, the new Ottawa city council voted to cancel the LRT system despite the fact that funding was already in place and contracts were already signed. As of 2008, lawsuits against the city of Ottawa over its canceled light rail system totaled over $280 million. Examinations for discovery are expected to start in the fall, with the trial beginning in 2009. The trial is expected to be lengthy.
Toronto
TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
is the largest city in Canada and employs several forms of transit that may or may not be considered "light rail".
Streetcar
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
The legacy streetcar system
Toronto streetcar system
The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
is still largely in place in the downtown area and is extensive in terms of routes and service intervals. Some lines even tie into integrated subway stations without the need for a transfer, and some traffic signals give priority to streetcars. However, the system as a whole is not normally considered true light rail because the mixed running with surface traffic slows travel considerably. Because of the differences in technology and speed, Canadian transportation planners do not usually classify historic streetcar systems as LRT, although they may technically qualify as such.
Some portions of the system operate in dedicated right of ways that come closer to meeting modern light rail standards. Dedicated rights of way have recently been built for the Spadina, Harbourfront
509 Harbourfront
509 Harbourfront is a streetcar route in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission.-History:The Harbourfront LRT, originally designated 604 Harbourfront, began service in 1990...
and St. Clair streetcars, while the Queen streetcar has operated in a dedicated right of way on The Queensway since 1957. However, the largest vehicles used are articulated double streetcars which are much smaller than most LRT trains and these use trolley pole
Trolley pole
A trolley pole is a tapered cylindrical pole of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a "live" overhead wire to the control and propulsion equipment of a tram or trolley bus. The use of overhead wire in a system of current collection is reputed to be the 1880 invention of Frank J....
s rather than pantographs
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
to collect electricity. Streetcar fares must also be paid upon boarding as with a local bus.
Intermediate Capacity Transit System
Medium-capacity rail transport system
In rail transport, a medium-capacity system is a non-universal term coined to differentiate an intermediate system between light rail and heavy rail. The concept is similar to Light Metro, seen in European countries...
The Scarborough RT was a demonstration project for elevated light rail that served as a prototype for Vancouver's SkyTrain
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
and JFK's AirTrain
AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK is a 3-line, -long people mover system and elevated railway in New York City providing service to John F. Kennedy International Airport...
). However, it does not meet the common definition of light rail either since it supplies electricity to the trains using two extra power rails (one at +300 VDC and the other at -300 VDC), uses linear induction motors acting on a metal plate between the tracks for propulsion, requires a fully grade-separated right-of-way, and has large stations that have much more in common with a heavy-rail metro. In Toronto it is mapped as part of the subway system. As a part of the Transit City plan, the line will be converted to operation with overhead power collection and low floor vehicles.
Light Rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
On March 16, 2007, the Toronto Transit Commission announced a 120 Kilometre Light Rail Transit network throughout Toronto's inner suburbs. It is planned to be built to modern LRT standards and be entirely separate from the legacy streetcar network. This will be a 15 year project predicted to have 175 million-users by 2021. The plan has been released and can also be viewed at TransitCity.ca
Greater Victoria
A 950 million Doulgas St light rail project has bee proposed. It would connect West Shore to downtown Victoria.Hamilton
Hamilton's B-Line route is proposed to run east-west along King and Main streets, with Eastgate Mall and McMaster UniversityMcMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
as its termini. Currently, as a precursor, Route 10 provides an express service along the future LRT route.
Waterloo Region
Waterloo Region has plans for a light rail transit system from Waterloo to Cambridge, which will be constructed in phases. The first phase of the LRT system is proposed to run from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener. Extension to Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge will be implemented in the second phase. During the first phase, the Kitchener to Cambridge segment will be operated as adapted BRT. Currently, the iXpress route, a limited stop express bus service, is operating as a precursor to rapid transit. The Region of Waterloo received funding from the provincial government.Peel Region
The cities of Mississauga and BramptonBrampton
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
are jointly working on a light rail along Hurontario and Main Streets. In the original MoveOntario 2020 plan, only Mississauga is supposed to get the LRT, ending only at Highway 407 (which is the boundary), located in an industrial area and a hydro corridor. Meanwhile, the Brampton segment is originally getting BRT, also ending at Highway 407.
Mississauga Transit
Mississauga Transit
MiWay , is a public transport agency serving Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The city's Transportation and Works department is in charge of its operation....
's ridership in 19 Hurontario is large enough to warrant decent LRT ridership. This route is also the fastest-growing bus route in Mississauga and the busiest bus route in the 905 region (suburban Toronto), carrying 28,000 passengers a day. Currently, the combined frequency of Hurontario during peak hours, using Routes 19, 102, and 202, is every 3–4 minutes. Meanwhile, Brampton Transit
Brampton Transit
Brampton Transit is public transport bus operator for the City of Brampton in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and within the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Brampton Transit began operations in 1974....
's 2 Main is also frequent, running every 10 minutes.
As a precursor, MiWay's Route 102 has been launched to run between Shoppers World and City Centre Transit Terminal
Square One Shopping Centre
Square One Shopping Centre is a shopping mall located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest shopping malls in Canada, with over 1.6 million square feet of retail space and more than 360 stores and services...
. By September 2011, Brampton Transit's Main Street Züm
Züm
Züm is a bus rapid transit system for the suburban city of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, northwest of Toronto owned and operated by Brampton Transit. The first phase calls for three corridors operating in mixed traffic, similar to York Region Transit's Viva network...
will run from Sandalwood Parkway to Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal
Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal
The City Centre Transit Terminal in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada is the main transit hub and bus station for Miway, the city's public transit system. The station is situated on the northwest corner of Square One Shopping Centre....
, replacing and extending MiWay's Route 102. Meanwhile, MiWay's Route 202 is replaced by Route 103, a new express route which offers additional midday and evening services.
A similar line to "Connect 10" was proposed in the 1970s by Hubert Wolf, a Regional Councillor representing Port Credit; it was largely ignored.
List of Canadian light rail systems by ridership
| City | System | Category | Daily ridership | As of | Opened | Stations | System Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver, BC | SkyTrain (Vancouver) SkyTrain (Vancouver) SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability... |
ICTS | 354,000 | 2009 | 1985 | 47 | 68.7 km (42.7 mi) |
| Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... |
Toronto streetcar system Toronto streetcar system The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in... |
Streetcar | 275,200 | 4Q 2009 | 1861 | N/A | |
| Calgary, Alberta | C-Train C-Train C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:... |
Light rail Light rail Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems... |
266,100 | 4Q 2009 | 1981 | 37 | 48.8 km (30.3 mi) |
| Edmonton, Alberta | Edmonton LRT | Light rail Light rail Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems... |
93,600 | 2010 | 1978 | 15 | 20.5 km (12.7 mi) |
| Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... |
Scarborough RT | ICTS | 42,250 | 2009 | 1985 | 6 | 6.4 km (4 mi) |
| Ottawa, Ontario | O-Train | Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... light rail Light rail Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems... |
12,200 | 4Q 2009 | 2001 | 5 | 8 km (5 mi) |
See also
- Public transportation in Canada
- Société de transport de MontréalSociété de transport de MontréalThe Société de transport de Montréal is a public transport agency that operates transit bus, and rapid transit services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
and Agence métropolitaine de transportAgence métropolitaine de transportThe Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
External links
- List of Canadian urban rail systems
- Table of Light Rail Transit Agencies in the United States
- Commuter Rail, Light Rail & Rail Transit News
- Light Rail Central photos & news
- American Public Transit Association
- Light Rail & Transit News Current news concerning light rail development and issues
- Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the U.S. National Research Council