It should be a moment of unreserved civic optimism, with the public being asked to consider four multi-billion-dollar transit projects that could transform the Toronto region’s mobility.
Instead, a pervasive skepticism hangs over this month’s combined public consultations on SmartTrack, GO regional express rail, the relief line and the Scarborough subway.
There’s a sense among some…
I suspect transit planners feel compelled to follow their political masters. If the politicans are strongly pushing a particular solution (and I'm sure we can all think multiple examples...), then it becomes very hard for transit planners to alter plans in response to public feedback (or even their own professional opinion).
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side: members of the public can make demands that are contradictory, impossible, or nonsensical. Then they complain that plans weren't changed.
The community voiced their displeasure with the non-delivery of Burlington GO station, and how far did that get us? The Minister of Transportation has his agenda of photo ops lined up. He doesn't care what we think. No one does.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'd like to think that some agencies are interested in hearing from the public who use/rely on their systems, the fact remains that these agencies are going to do what they're going to do. They can't please all of the people all of the time.
ReplyDeleteThe lip-service does get tiresome though. The talking points, the scripted responses... ugh, enough already!