Sometimes it takes a tragedy...

[patc]

.. to force people to try something new. After the collapse of an overpass in Montreal, the city has setup shuttle busses and increased rail, to move commuters in and out of the city despite the freeway closure. Some of the comments:

For some commuters, the experience left a mark. It was "very incredible and helpful," said Lilianne Sénécal, from Laval, who took a shuttle bus from Cinéma Guzzo to the Henri-Bourassa metro station. "I used to park my car at the [commuter] train station, but I prefer it this way."

"The time it takes to cross the Viau bridge, it's more than an hour [by car]. With the bus it's a few minutes," gushed Simon Lacombe, who works in Montreal, but lives in Lava

Full story from CBC.ca (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2006/10/03/overpass-quebec.html)

[Platy]

I'm sorry to learn of the collapse of that overpass. I wonder if deteriorating road and highway infrastructure is a problem everywhere.

[FXjohn]

the road is falling...<bock.,bock>

[patc]

I'm sorry to learn of the collapse of that overpass. I wonder if deteriorating road and highway infrastructure is a problem everywhere.

It has certainly raised a lot of concern. If nothing else we can be guaranteed a lot of bridges will get thorough inspections over the next year! I just hope some of these people convert to public transit in the long term, instead of getting in the car again once the freeway re-opens.

[Rowan]

The overpasses in Montreal are scary, just to look at. They seem to have been roughly rendered (as though they were covering up something bad) and really do look as though they are ready to collapse. Their levels vary enormously. They look decrepit and I felt quite uneasy about driving on and under them when I was there about six weeks ago.

As to the alternative means of transport for many people... sadly, it is a stop-gap measure for many. It is something new, but they are likely to tire of it as they realise they don't have the transport flexibility (shopping, visiting friends after work, take off for weekend trips from work) that they normally have with their cars. I know when the Tasman Bridge collapsed in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, in the early 1970s, people were forced initially to use ferries. That is, hundreds of thousands of passengers every week. Now, 30 years later, it's down to maybe 100 people a week and the service is so marginal, it's almost shut down several times.

[Dahon.Steve]

.. to force people to try something new. After the collapse of an overpass in Montreal, the city has setup shuttle busses and increased rail, to move commuters in and out of the city despite the freeway closure. Some of the comments:



It doesn't seem to bother the motorist how many accidents occur on the highway today. All my family members who drive have been in accidents except me and that's due to the fact that I use public transit for commuting. Every time it rains or snows, the radio reports of fatalities on the road.

I'm sure Canada spends billions on road construction but it's never enough. The most dangerous thing I remember doing was riding on the highway for 80 miles during rush hour about two years ago. There were so many almost accidents in front of me, I felt like a dare devil!

[Roody]

Unfortunately, it isn't likely that many of those now forced to use "alternative" transit will continue. Think about San Fransisco after the earthquake, NYC after 9/11. As soon as possible, almost everybody was back in their cars.

[SmithW6079]

I'd have to agree with Roody. Once the road has been fixed and everyone has been assured that the roads are "safe" to drive on, the vast majority will return to their vehicles. It's a trade off that most people have made, they would rather risk life and limb to car accidents, drunk drivers, bad drivers, road rage, etc, for the supposed extra mobility afforded by the automobile.

[patc]

I would call you all pessimists... except I think you're right. :-(

[Sir Lunch-a-lot]

Alas, if only the public wanted effective transit... then we could have effective rail systems in and out of towns/cities that could be used as reliable transit, such as the rail system in England. Such a thing would be absolutely wonderful in parts of Canada, where intercity travel is a rather lengthly affair. Maybe the tradgety that would do it would be the sudden outlaw of driving... @_o

[reb]

Alas, if only the public wanted effective transit... then we could have effective rail systems in and out of towns/cities that could be used as reliable transit, such as the rail system in England. Such a thing would be absolutely wonderful in parts of Canada, where intercity travel is a rather lengthly affair. Maybe the tradgety that would do it would be the sudden outlaw of driving... @_o

I wish. Living in rail hub in England and still most trains are late (sometimes by hours), almost impossible to get my bike on and expensive (even with a discount card)

[gwd]

I would call you all pessimists... except I think you're right. :-(
Down here something seems to have happened. Maybe it is just inertia but there sure are more bikes being used for transport than a year ago. The price of gas has gone down but the bikes are still there. Its still hard to find empty bike parking spots in some places where there used to be plenty. I'll see what happens as the weather turns bad.