Posted July 21st, 2010 by Michael Druker
As of the beginning of July, Google Maps now offers directions for travel in Waterloo Region by Grand River Transit. GRT joins agencies like GO Transit, Guelph Transit, and Hamilton Street Railway in allowing trip planning just by typing an origin and destination into Google Maps and clicking the “by public transit” train icon.
If you’ve wanted something that works better on your mobile phone than EasyGO, that has a better user interface, and that provides more options for your trip — well, this may give you what you’re looking for. Below is a sample trip from east Kitchener to Preston.
View Larger Map
We believe Grand River Transit will be publishing their transit schedule data in a standard format within a matter of weeks, which will open up some exciting possibilities for app development.
Thanks to Kourtney Short for the post idea.
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Posted July 17th, 2010 by Michael Druker
Light rail has been getting most of the attention lately, but some of the most significant improvements to transit are actually coming in the form of the new Regional Transportation Master Plan (RTMP), which got final Council approval on June 30. The Region of Waterloo is getting serious about curtailing sprawl by directing planned growth to the urban areas. Regional planners figure that continuing the status quo transportation-wise would result in the need for 25 new Hespeler Roads. However, instead of endless road widening, the Region is pursuing a new focus on transit.
A schematic map by Duncan Clemens illustrating some of the transit
improvements specified in the RTMP. Click through to see a larger image.
Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted July 16th, 2010 by Tim Mollison
KITCHENER – The Tri-Cities Transport Action Group (TriTAG) has launched a public campaign aimed at encouraging citizens of Waterloo Region to ask the Federal Government to match the Province of Ontario’s $300 million commitment for the Region’s Rapid Transit Project.
“The Province’s commitment has, unfortunately, fallen short of the Region’s request made last year and the repeated hints at two-thirds funding,” said Tim Mollison, a TriTAG founding member. “In falling short of the two-thirds funding convention provided to similar projects in the City of Toronto, the McGuinty Government has added much fuel to local controversy about whether this project has enough funding to move forward.”
TriTAG is inviting citizens of Waterloo Region to use its website to contact their representatives in Ottawa in support of the Region’s initiative. “We believe it is important to facilitate communication between people and their government, especially on issues of such importance,” said TriTAG founding member Taylor Byrnes.
“Despite the gap left by the province, we hope that the Federal Government can step up to bat and match the Province‘s contribution, as was done in the City of Ottawa,” said Mollison. “The Federal Minister of Transport’s office has said the Region will get its ‘fair share’ — it’s time to find out what that means to the Government of Canada.”
The Tri-Cities Transport Action Group is a citizens’ group dedicated to making Waterloo Region a more livable place through better transit and active transportation. For more information, please visit their website at http://tritag.ca
For media inquiries, please contact Tim Mollison at (519) 886-5339.
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