Light Rail Transit in K-W is NOT a Done Deal - Good or Bad?

At time this blog was first published, the materal below was accurate, however, since then there has been much debate and it appears as though the Region of Waterloo is re-examining the transit options.  Click here to see more information.

It appears as though Light Rail Transit is coming to a theatre near you - well, not really: but the Region of Waterloo hopes to have the mass transit system in full operation sometime by 2016.

After much debate and study, the decision appears to have been made the Regional Council (it IS a  regional decision and not a local council decision) to implement they system to help control urban sprawl and create and maintain a "transit corridor".

The ramifications are many, so here are some facts.  Further information can be found by clicking this link http://rapidtransit.region.waterloo.on.ca/.

- Population growth is expected to increase by nearly 200,000 people and 80,000
   jobs by 2031 (which is about the current size of Kitchener).  Considering cities
   have a finite boundry, this is critical.  Increasing city size and creating urban   
   sprawl would create MORE traffic congetions due to commuting.

-The Region estimates that the cost of road expansion would be about $1.4 to $1.5
  BILLION  if no mass transit system is added , in order to accomodate the
  increased population.

The main objections raised by those who oppose the LRT system include the cost and changes to the streets along the transit corridor.

Personally, I believe the figures shown by the Region in that the cost of NOT creating such a transit system would outweigh the investment of building the LRT system.  As pointed out, where would we be if the heavily debated issue of investing in the Expressway (HWY 85) ended up with council not building it?

Secondly, Kitchener-Waterloo and Waterloo Region in general is all about change.  We are changing over our employment for manufacturing (still over 30%) to tech and financial.  We have major learning institutions which are world renowned.  We have tech and financial companies which are breaking new ground in their respective fields.

In my opinion, this is a necessary investment in a community and a region that is one of the fastest growing in Ontario and which is quickly headed to become a metropolitan area.