The Most Cost Effective Sustainable Transportation

posted by Joe on 3/21/2007 | 6 Comments |

Dear Politicians,

Want to get the most bang for your political dollar? Here's a simple math lesson for you:

Cost of Infrastructure:
One km of Subway: ~$250,000,000
One km of "Light Rail Transit : ~25,000,000
One km of Bikelanes: ~$100,000

Cost of Vehicles:
Subway Train (6 cars): ~$18,000,000
Streetcar: ~$7,500,000
Bike: ~FREE

Everyone who wants to bike buys a bike.

They will buy bikes... as soon as they feel safe enough on the streets. Build cycling infrastructure and watch the number of cyclists in Toronto explode. It's the easiest way of becoming your oft-mentioned "Greenest City in North America".

Labels: infrastructure, politics, transit

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6 Comment(s) so far:

Dear Blogger,

Duuuuhh...?

Politicians.

By Anonymous, at 4:18 PM

Dear Anonymous,

How very constructive. Very impressive.

Sincerely,

BikingToronto

By Joe (BikingToronto), at 4:51 PM

Have you forwarded the above to members of our trusty city council yet Joe? I think you have something here. Maybe you could encourage your faithful readership to re-iterate the above sentiments to their own councillors.

Cheers!

By geoffrey, at 8:02 PM

What exactly do you include in the proposed price tag of $100,000/km for bike lanes? What kind of bike lanes do you imagine, lane markers, extra wide kerb lanes, lanes permanently separated by concrete barriers or "humps"?

By John Spragge, at 5:16 AM

At Take The Tooker, we always say $25k /km. We had a source for that number somewhere. Either way, you raise a good point.

You must be erring on the side of bike lanes with lane markers, extra wide kerb lanes, that are permanently separated by concrete barriers and "humps"

By Ben, at 8:25 AM

I've just heard that $100,000 mentioned in a few places - taking into account "environmental assessments", etc. I'm not sure really what's involved - but I know there is a lot of consultation with the community before one is finally installed.

By Joe (BikingToronto), at 8:50 AM