Accessible Parking and Sustainable Transportation
Posted by Matt Hagg on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 @ 08:38 AM
Controversy has recently sprung up at the University of British Columbia (UBC) over the university's efforts to promote sustainability on campus. One key component of UBCs Climate Action Plan is to reduce the number of parking spaces on campus in an effort to promote a pedestrian friendly campus, while supporting alternative forms of transportation instead, such as cycling and public transit. Unfortunately, this also means reducing the number of accessible parking spaces available on campus. As 24 Hours recently reported, one student who cannot use public transportation due to his medical condition is no longer able to park close to the building where he attends classes due to the removal of accessible parking spaces. While the student has since been able to negotiate to reserve the closest spot available in an alternative parking lot, this still remains an issue for all other UBC students, staff, and visitors with disabilities.
An alternative approach to the same issue was taken by Montreal's McGill University, which recently banned parking almost entirely on its lower campus roadways in order to create a more pedestrian friendly environment. One of the only exceptions is parking for students, staff and visitors with disabilities, which continues to be available in the same locations, with no existing spaces lost.
In Toronto, where parking is always an issue, the best way to avoid having to search for a space is to take the TTC instead. Unfortunately, this is not currently an option for mobility device users who want to travel across downtown, as the city's streetcar fleet which provides the only public transit surface on many of Toronto's downtown streets is currently not accessible to users with mobility devices due to the high floor vehicles used. However, that will no longer be the case in just a few years.
This week, the City of Toronto and the TTC are showing off a detailed, life size mock-up of their new light rail vehicles (LRVs), which will eventually replace the city's existing streetcar fleet. These LRVs, the TTCs first new streetcars since 1988, will be 100% low floor and fully accessible to all users, which will be a welcome change for passengers with mobility devices. These vehicles will also benefit parents with strollers, cyclists, shoppers, travelers with heavy luggage, seniors and anyone else who has difficulty climbing stairs. Existing streetcar stops will also be modified with the addition of curb cuts to ensure easy and safe access for passengers with mobility devices. The new light rail vehicles will start rolling off the assembly line in 2013 and are scheduled to begin service in 2014.
The new light rail vehicles can be viewed until Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at the TTC’s Hillcrest Yard, 1138 Bathurst Street, Toronto from 10am to 7pm each day. No parking is available on site, so the best way to visit is to take the TTC. Accessible shuttle buses will be running to Hillcrest from both Bathurst and St. Clair West subway stations.
Additional background information and photos of the new light rail vehicles are available at the TTCs LRV website and at Torontoist.