Rapid Transit Plans for Hamilton - BIA's Survey

 

The City is moving forward with plans to implement a rapid transit system in Hamilton. Your input is being requested by the City of Hamilton in regards to its on-going rapid transit planning along the City’s primary east/west corridor (Main/King). This corridor, referred to as the B-Line, has been identified by the Province, through Metrolinx, as a top 15 priority implementation project, required in order to achieve overall Regional Transportation goals.

The B-Line corridor, particularly along King Street and through the Downtown core, is highly constrained in many areas. As such, staff are beginning to review and understand the various implications (both positive and negative) that introducing rapid transit could mean to the way the City operates today. However, in order to fully understand the impacts to businesses, owners and operators, Rapid Transit Team staff need to hear from, and be able to speak with, those who would be most directly impacted. It is important to note that, at this time, no decisions have been made by City Council, other than the endorsement of Light Rail Transit (LRT) over Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and to pursue 100% capital funding from the Province.

Definitions

BRT – Bus Rapid Transit
A rubber-tired rapid transit service that combines stations, vehicles, running ways, a flexible operating plan and technology into a high quality, customer focused service that is frequent, fast, reliable, comfortable and cost-efficient.

LRT – Light Rail Transit
A lightweight rail car rapid transit service operating on fixed rails in the right-of-way, usually at street-level, is typically propelled by overhead electrical wires, and offers a frequent, fast, reliable, comfortable and high quality service that is environmentally sustainable.

High Order Transit
Bus or light/heavy rail that operates in its own right-of-way or in a priority situation, and therefore moves more efficiently than the regular flow of traffic and can carry large numbers of people quickly and comfortably.

In addition, in order to move studies forward, Rapid Transit Team staff have had to make some assumptions on what rapid transit along the B-Line corridor could look like. These assumptions are based on numerous study findings, City staff input, consultation with experts in rapid transit planning and public input. These assumptions include:
• King Street as the preferred corridor;
• Introduction of two-way rapid transit on King Street; and
• Introduction of two-way traffic on King Street.

The purpose of the following qustionnaire is to raise awareness, as well as gather information from business owners and/or operators along the corridor with respect to rapid transit. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or www.hamilton.ca/rapid-transit for detailed information about Rapid Transit plans for Hamilton.