Reece Martin

Harnessing Development for a Better Transit System | UrbanToronto A major recent trend in Toronto is a series of mega developments, building a whole series of towers in quick succession, generally near rapid transit or future regional rail stations. While all of this growth is fundamental to creating a larger and higher-quality transit system, there are huge opportunities to harness the enormous development we are seeing to drive the transit system forward into the future.

With all the major new developments happening in Toronto, it feels more important than ever to make sure transit improvements come along. Read my latest in UrbanToronto:

urbantoronto.ca/news/2025/08...

icymi

YouTube video by RMTransit The Florida Transit Glowup That Never Was (w/ @ClassyWhale )

Today's video is all about Tampa - and a transit glowup that never was. Enjoy this video from Classy Whale, who makes videos all about the stories behind the transit systems he rides!

youtu.be/06B98MepALA

These tariffs are going to hurt so many people, jobs and families. Sucks to see. Wish it was for . . . any serious reason

You're saying it doesn't work, but it seems to work in plenty of places! I've seen firsthand! Universally free absolutely does not make sense and that's born out by the lack of any of the serious transit meccas doing it, or really anywhere over an extended period - its often had a neg impact!.

It's not clear to me they understand Vancouver all that well

That's alright thanks.

The Bloor and Yonge and University bike lanes are a legitimate sanity test. Even if you oppose bike lanes, surely if a street has a SUBWAY it is sufficiently urban and you have sufficient transport options for a bike lane to be no issue. Where is a bike lane ok if not here?

See above. Thx.

The thing about this is that it would be good for drivers too. We have a weird lawlessness culture. Ontario seems much worse than BC on this, I rarely saw the kind of insane weaving there I do here.

Nah, I'm happy to. Just like I'm happy to support more bus lanes, or more housing. It's not a huge effort to hold a position of support or push back on a policy.

I've been opposing this policy for a lot longer than that!

I think that it was relatively infrequent, didn't have great stations, had a bunch of level crossings etc AND there was no serious plan to change that, even if it was a ripe opportunity.

I want good transit, this is at best a distraction from it at worst actively undermines it

I wish we had a culture of driving that had more respect for the power of cars and their ability to do harm.

Something which exists in most major cities "can't be a thing" I'm learning today.

Transit not being free is *not* the same as demanding it "profit"

It has just been coming up a lot lately

That's not to say that there isn't a world where having free public transit for more people is a thing. But it's sort of like suggesting we build subways under every major street.

It just feels like it should be relevant to conversations about trying to get more people on public transport that the places that get most people on public transport overwhelmingly are not free!

That is obviously not to say that we couldn't do better having low income fares and the like, but that really is the solution for universal affordability and accessibility. If you think the biggest problem right now is the price it's not clear to me if you've ever looked at the data.

The primary mode for travel in North America is private automobile, which is an order of magnitude more expensive than public transport, but people are obsessed with the idea that the biggest problem we have is the price of public transport and not the quality of it.

The primary mode for travel in North America is private automobile, which is an order of magnitude more expensive than public transport, but people are obsessed with the idea that the biggest problem we have is the price of public transport and not the quality of it.

The idea that transit can't be universally accessible if it isn't free is silly. Literally all you need is a social fare, in any city where public transport is a serious option lots of people will be taking it who can easily afford it.

icymi

I don't think it's a critical omission, serious good regional rail has certainly been talked about, but I wouldn't say that Philly has it at the moment, or really ever has had good modern region rail

World: Again, Australian Suburban Rail Would Be Great for North America. A Regular Reminder That They've Solved Suburb-Downtown Commutes Down Under.

The suburban railways of Australia are an enormous asset for the nation, and there remain a lot of learnings from them that we'd be wise to glean here in North America.

open.substack.com/pub/nextmetr...

Alberta really ought to do more to try and grow new major industries

Nobody that I know of but lots of people I know of are happy to live in a small apartment.

That's not true. Luxembourg famously does not have very good Transit and just opening a new tramway does not mean your transit is good!