10-30-2015, 10:46 AM
(10-29-2015, 10:47 PM)mpd618 Wrote: What is persuasive to me about a Hespeler Road alignment is that it has a lot of past-its-prime big box and strip plazas, whose owners would likely be quite willing to redevelop to maximize their revenue. And no one would miss what's there now. Plus, a lot of it could be built just on the far-too-large parking lots, without initially displacing the current uses. There's a lot less opportunity for transit-oriented development along Coronation.
In a world where Preston and Galt are strong downtowns, bustling with people, shopping, services, etc, and Hespeler Rd is just a highway with automotive and industrial supply stores, the Coronation Blvd route makes a lot of sense.
But that's not the world we're in. The downtowns struggle to compete, and Hespeler is lined with shopping. We need the LRT to connect where people live to where they want to go, or at least be "one the way" to one of those. Hespeler is the stronger candidate.