Ottawa LRT: Everybody Off!

Good grief, enough, already!

Ottawa's Light Rail Transit has been a total disaster from the get-go. The list is monstrous:

- Train doors jam on a daily basis

- Switching hardware and computers fail regularly

- Stations are overcrowded

- Bad smells at some stations

- Slippery steps at others

- The system grinds to a halt at least once a day.

Sadly, this is going to end in tragedy.

What happens during an LRT shutdown?

When the LRT shuts down--an almost-daily occurrence in Ottawa right now, the trains arrive at their next stops and empty out. These spills crowds of hundreds of people, who then collide with crowds incoming. All rapidly flow outside, to the bus compound.

Now, OC Transpo have really mastered the 'R1' bus transition. That's when replacement buses cover the same basic route as the LRT. Within minutes, R1s are rolling.

But in the meantime, as more and more passengers arrive at the station, the bus compound fills to overflowing. People have no choice but to step out into the roadway in order to get somewhere.

The backlog quickly fills the station, as more and more incoming buses arrive and deposit passengers, in the minutes before the R1 buses are called upon.

Eventually, the whole thing becomes so crowded that you can't move. People spill onto random buses in an attempt to flee the crowds. Nearby bus stops become crowded with refugees.

The point that nobody seems to be making is that we're describing a death trap.

That's right. If I were a terrorist, or someone with something to prove, I'd strike Tunney's Pasture station during an LRT outage. People are absolutely trapped. And I'd bet you could get something going with a simple pocket lighter.

Before (hopefully) it comes to that, the City will have the presence of mind to stop the nonsense, now. The LRT is not working as advertised--not even close.  It's dangerous, and you are giving your riders no choice in the matter. Someone is going to be hurt--and the blame will lie solely at our City Mothers' feet.

Where is the RTG, Anyway?

Which brings us to another point. The Rideau Transit Group--the bunch of turkeys who designed and built the initial segment of the LRT--Phase One, as it's called--seem to be puckered up more tightly than a sphincter during a Mexican vacation. Various companies have come forward, claiming large amounts of monies owed. The City is getting nowhere in its complaints.

Need I remind you that these same turkeys, who have delivered a system that does not work; who seem to be out of money and out of answers, already have the nod for Phases Two and Three?

Clearly, something has to change--fast.

The City needs to shut down the LRT--right now. There should be no debate; it's a question of rider safety. As I understand it, RTG was to have delivered a system that worked. Therefore, shut it down, fix the problems with the hardware; have the manufacturer redesign the doors so that they are not so easily jammed; and fix the problems with the stations, most immediately the size of the bus compounds, so that there is no more dangerous overcrowding. Test it thoroughly next time--two weeks  of nonstop operation, with testers doing whatever they can to halt the ting. This must be done before any work can continue on Phases Two and Three. If that puts RTG behind schedule, well, that's their lookout.

But so far, that's not happening. The Mayor continues to attend photo-ops and promises 'relief buses'; only OC Transpo, in its hubris, had already sold off a huge fleet and as a result has to go begging. Well, too bad; buy 'em new, and charge 'em to the RTG.

This whole thing stinks to the core, and by the end of it you know that the Ottawa taxpayer will foot the bill.

It's well past time for for action. You're putting people into grave danger. Mister Mayor, I'm addressing you. Time to grow a pair, Yerhonner.

-Bill