Blue Line extension shows why government can’t wait on public transit: researcher
From CKUT Local Journalism Initiative · 00:07:57
Show by Jules Bugiel
Episode Notes Montreal’s Blue Line is finally getting an extension, and the project’s $7.6-billion budget – already a significant increase from a previous $6.4 billion estimate – is giving some observers sticker shock. But transit financing researcher Lancelot Rodrigue says the high cost is why governments need to invest in public transit early on. Had the extension been built when it was first discussed, he says, it would have cost a fraction of what it does now – even adjusting for inflation. Now, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has to negotiate for surface rights along the route and build back expertise in the public sector. Still, Rodrigue, a PhD student affiliated with Transportation Research at McGill (TRAM), says the project is a good investment. Even if the STM’s ridership estimates take a while to actually materialize.
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