Bob Chiarelli: Diesel is better (Oct 2000)

I just wanted to let you know about the video of Bob Chiarelli (Oct./2000) which I've loaded on the Ecoview website www.ecoview.com (2nd item top left). See and hear him state the following;

• We can quickly expand from the Ottawa Airport to the Gatineau Airport and to downtown Ottawa and Hull
  
• From Cumberland to Kanata within 5 to ten years (2005 to 2010)
  
• That we can build it for about $1 million/km on existing track (the proposed Electric LRT will cost $30 million/km)
  
• Diesel is better environmentally
  

Direct link to the video: here (requires IE)

It isn't too late to ask Councillors to change their position from supporting the Electric LRT to supporting the simple expansion of our award-winning existing Diesel LRT. A diesel system would still follow most of the routes. This system is proven 99.4% reliable and has performed flawlessly for 5 winters. Only DLRT can reach out to the many communities that could be linked by existing rails or former corridors. These communities include Manotick Station, Osgoode, Kemptville, to the south. Stittsville, Richmond, Ashton and Smiths Falls to the southwest. Carp, Arnprior, to the west. Navan Blackburn Hamlet to the east. Casselman, Vars to the south east. Gatineau, Chelsea, etc.to the north. Calculate the reduction of traffic on our roads should this occur and it's easy to see how quickly and cost effectively we can improve the Ottawa region and dramatically reduce smog at the same.

I also received the following info on Transitway Cost Over Runs from Tim Lane (T2000 and member of the Rail yard selection Public Working Group).

In the early '80ties, when the dream of the Transitway was a gleam in the eye of various concrete & rebar suppliers, the initial estimate for its cost was $97 million.

Construction on the first sections of Transitway began in 1983.

By the time the "Grand" period of Transitway construction was finished, in 1996, (some limited expansions have occurred since then), the tab had mounted to $440 million.

The only previous "boondoggle" that I know of in this City to have exceeded it's cost estimates by such a huge factor was the Rideau Canal construction.

Of course, Col. By was working in an uncharted wilderness, and built a canal far larger and more substantial than had originally been contemplated.

Oh, by the way, yearly ridership on OC Transpo DECLINED by 10 million people, during that 13 year "Grand" period of Transitway construction.

One last thought - This NS LRT "expansion" will see cost overruns that will probably make the Transitway look like a bargain.

After all, they already have the cost of the LRT at over $30 million per Km., which is double the average cost of the Transitway.