The TTC Map
Growing up in Canada, we were constantly reminded that Canada was “The greatest country in the world to live in”. And by the age of 16 I’d been to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa, and felt that yeah, Canada was great. Our cities had subways (which are remarkably cool), highways and skyscrapers. Just like New York and London. Then I travelled abroad. Let’s take a quick look at Canada’s 3 urban gems. Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal’s subway systems.
The only one of these three that could even be called a ‘system’ is Montreal. Toronto 2 (plus) lines are simply inadequate for handling the population of the city, let alone their greater urban areas that are basically untouched by the rails. North American cities, especially Canadian cities developed and grew in the post war boom. Vancouver’s system isn’t much more than one line that touches the satellite cities, but offers little choice as to destination. Hopefully, with the Olympic changes, Vancouver’s system will grow, leaving only Toronto as an example of how not to serve a city. All this development was along highways and newly built expressways. The mass transit systems were simply overlooked.
Vancouver Skytrain
As Toronto’s main lines deteriorate, with buckets collecting the drips from the cracks in the ceilings, and Vancouver pushes ahead with a new line for the winter olympics cities all over Asia push ahead, quickly overtaking North American urban transport and rushing to pass the century old European masters.
The maps of modern Asian urban transport lines have developed well beyond the simplistic line maps of the Canadian systems to something either approaching modern art, or a bowl of noodles. Here are two of the busiest, and most complicated subway systems in the world, Seoul and Tokyo.
It would be fair to point out that Seoul’s GMA population is around the same as the continent of Australia and Tokyo-Yokohama’s population rivals that of Canada. These are cities with population densities unimaginable in Canada, yet these systems are doing one thing that the Canadian systems almost never do. They are growing. Currently in Seoul there are 3 lines under construction (I believe) and numerous more planned. Toronto’s much talked about billion dollar line three connected a shopping mall to the dead end of an already overcrowded line, and is already facing possible closure due to lack of funds.
The most inspirational city transportation system I’ve experienced was in Lyon, France.
The Lyon Metro and Tram System
The Lyon system is ultra modern. The entire citywide system is electronic, with displays and voice in every car and vehicle, and each subway station acts as a logical hub for the local busses (rather like what Toronto attempts to do, but fails). The electronic system allows for transfer from one mode of transportation to the next, and the entire system is packaged in beautiful modern architecture. Unlike the urban monsters that are Seoul and Tokyo, Lyon’s population is LOWER than that of all three Canadian cities. Let it be an inspiration.
On a side note, as I attack the transportation systems of Canada, I must point out that the city I currently reside in lacks even well planned bus routes.
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- The Lyon Metro and Tram System
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- The Seoul System
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- The Montreal Metro
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- The TTC Map
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- Vancouver Skytrain
In the not so distant future, it is predicted that as much as 80% of the world's population will live in urban areas and, by 2050, the population of the world will increase by as many as 3 billion people. Three billion people require a fair bit of food and current farming practices are unlikely to be able to provide the needed supply. Dr Dickson Despommier suggests Vertical Farms.
June 25th, 2010 at 8:45 am
You could do worse, you could be American.
Then you’d have a lot more to be ashamed of.