Streetcars are a problem. Why? Let me count the ways:
A - Congestion
When a streetcar stops to let people on/off, both lanes of traffic are blocked. This creates cascading delays on all major routes that have no dedicated streetcar right of way. Congestion on College, Dundas, Queen/Lakeshore, and King can be vastly improved if traffic keeps flowing while the streetcar is at a stop. If we had buses instead of streetcars, they would pull into the right lane, and traffic would keep flowing on the left lane. If you've ever driven behind a streetcar, you know how much of a problem this is.
Also, if one breaks down, the one behind it has nowhere to go (unless it's far back enough to make a short turn). You know what a bus can do? Change lanes (!), pass the malfunctioning bus, and continue on route.
B - Passenger Safety
The streetcar's limitation to the left lane is also a passenger safety issue. Cars often try to pass the streetcar before it stops, putting them on a direct collision course with passengers crossing the right lane to board the streetcar. If it's a bus stopping right by the curb, this is no longer an issue.
C - Cost
Streetcars cost more to purchase and maintain.
1 - Laying down streetcar tracks costs money. Maintaining roads that break down faster due to streetcars also costs money. Building right of way systems is expensive (see St. Clair). Buses travel on the roads that you've already built, not requiring special tracks.
2 - Maintaining the streetcars themselves costs money. The TTC has a special team of mechanics whose only job is to look after streetcars. Buses can be maintained by ordinary mechanics, which would cost a lot less.
D - Pollution
Oh but the streetcars are electric and so green! Not if you think about it logically. The extra gridlock created by streetcars (see above) means more cars are idling on our roads for a longer time. This creates more pollution. Also, Buses with electric or hybrid engines are no longer that expensive (the TTC has already bought some) and would make a fine replacement.
I know what the typical streetcar loving Toronto leftie will argue:
"Congestion is created by cars, not streetcars." True, but streetcars make that congestion a lot worse, and they do it on major roads that a lot of cars like to use.
"Streetcars give our city character and personality!" The TTC's job is to transport people efficiently and ease gridlock, not give our city personality.
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