Subways: Light Rail and Greater Toronto Area Essay

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Subways Most Effective Transportation in GTA When one is living in an exceptionally crowded city and wants to commute from place to place, an easy, quick and safe transportation is necessary. Since time is of the essence, it is important that the government creates a transport system that reduces overcrowding on the road and highways. Throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), traffic congestions and overpopulation results in a traffic problem that spirals out of control. Toronto’s shifting demographics reveal the population’s ever-increasing demand in the next ten years and the need to access jobs, transit and downtown attractions over housing affordability and space in the suburbs (James 2010). As a result, the government hopes to provide the general public with suitable access to public transportation, allowing people to reduce congestion and commute times on the road. The lack of convenient rapid transportation throughout Toronto causes inconsistency, since people are constantly travelling to different destinations. Consequently, subways are the best form of transportation because it provides the most convenient service, allows Toronto to generate large investments and will be a catalyst for development and growth of the city. Subways provide the most sufficient and effective services to its citizens, which allows people to commute quickly, safely and effectively. With gas prices rising and jobs becoming scarcer; commuters are hoping to find an effective way to get to work without driving a car. Due to the constant need to travel, it is necessary to invest in an infrastructure that will be able to carry plenty of passengers persistently throughout the course of the day. The road congestions in the GTA are continuously crowded, resulting in travel delays and an increased chance of vehicle collisions. Toronto’s subway lines and extensions have a great advantage because it will provide passengers more rapid transit options and services to areas that are currently crowded and in high demand for it. The subway effectively saves time for passengers because it runs frequently—every two minutes during rush hour and every five minutes at other times (Subways, n.d.). Consequently, large impediments to speed due to traffic while commuting around Toronto with a car or Light Rail Transit (LRT) can be very stressful and nerve-racking to many individuals. Drivers are susceptible to stress, carelessness and road rage, thus becoming a large issue on the limited road space. A simple extension can save an average passenger over an hour per day and could perhaps even give months of their life back (Burda 2013). In contrast, subways are built below-ground level, resulting in less roadblock and congested roads and as a result, decreases the rate of car accidents. It reduces the congested roads because they are immune to problems such as, following the city’s law on traffic light prioritization. Subways do not infringe on preciously scarce road space in a city that is not building anymore roads. It is able to carry large capacities of people underground, away from traffic and at very high speeds. Due to its construction underground, subways are protected from the majority of harsh Canadian winters, resulting in less winter maintenance in comparison to other public transportation that travel on the roads. Therefore, subways may not only be reliable but it also endows safety to its passengers because it is built underground and does not interfere with street traffic. Moreover, Toronto’s investment for subways is an important component that will effectively impact the development and the welfare of populations. Subways are efficient in the Greater Toronto Area, thereby providing an economic and social opportunity to the markets and to those seeking employment. Poor transportation systems gradually reduce the economic costs because it is not effectively transporting passengers and becomes wasted funding, resulting in a missed economic
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