LATEST LIGHT RAIL PROPOSAL EVEN WORSE
The problems with the north-south light rail proposal were the route through downtown, whether the southern part of the route would attract enough riders to be viable and the cost.
None of these problems are addressed in the motion that is coming before council on February 23. Both the southern section and the route through downtown are unchanged. The only difference is the cost.
If the motion is approved, the cost of the north-south light rail project will be higher than the proposal council rejected in December. In addition to the possibility that the City will pay an extra $70 million for the project, the motion also calls for two environmental assessments to be conducted to examine alternatives to the downtown route. These environmental assessments are meant to address concerns that the plans for light rail in the downtown won’t work.
There is good reason to be concerned about the plans for downtown. What doesn’t make sense is spending millions of dollars building a route we don’t think will work, millions on environmental assessments for alternatives, and then millions to fix the problem. When we build light rail through downtown, we should get it right the first time.
The councillors who moved the motion to revive the north-south light rail project claim that it will avoid the legal costs associated with cancelling the project. Unfortunately, it appears increasingly clear that the problems with the proposal will cost even more than the likely legal costs.
Light rail should be part of the solution to the City’s transportation problems. However, for light rail to work, it needs to reduce congestion problems with downtown, follow a route that will attract new riders now, not 20 years from now and be affordable. The north-south light rail proposal does not meet that test.
BRIDLEWOOD TRAFFIC UPDATE
Traffic on Stonehaven is already a problem. People are worried that additional development along Stonehaven could push road conditions to the breaking point.
When Urbandale proposed a new development along Stonehaven I made it clear that traffic on Stonehaven was a major concern for me. As a result, city planning staff are requiring Urbandale to have a traffic impact study done. The study is underway.
SOCIAL HOUSING SAVES MONEY?
Over the last few years, New York City has been building supportive housing for people who are homeless and mentally ill. For many people with mental illness it means they are no longer homeless. What has not received as much attention is that it also makes financial sense.
On average a person with mental illness who is homeless in New York City uses an approximately $40,499 in publicly funded services. The services required by a person with mental illness in a supportive housing unit cost only $12,145.
What this doesn’t mean is that funding for the cost of building new social housing or expanding services should come solely from property taxes. Much of the savings from providing supportive housing for people with mental illness who are homeless would go to the provincial and federal governments. That should be reflected in funding arrangements.
WORKING
FULL-TIME FOR KANATA
I
appreciate the chance to hear from you about
issues affecting our community. You can reach
me at 613-580-2752 (office), 613-580-2762 (fax),
or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca |