Ice Storm 2013

[Aitch]

I guess the city planners really can't be blamed when it was suggested: Wouldn't it be a great idea to have huge trees in front of each house? That's a great idea!

Considering half the trees were probably planted 30-50 years ago I don't think you can blame planners. You could blame people who protect the trees from being cut down.

On the flip side lots of visitors to the city comment on how amazingly green it is; we often take all our trees for granted.

[optiklenz13]

[GSXi]

Considering half the trees were probably planted 30-50 years ago I don't think you can blame planners. You could blame people who protect the trees from being cut down.

On the flip side lots of visitors to the city comment on how amazingly green it is; we often take all our trees for granted.

Foresight is a key component of planning... but yes 30-50 years ago city planners didn't have the knowledge (case studies) and education we have today.

I'm an Urban Planning major You have old-geezers who refuses to take new directions and approaches till sh!t hits the fan.

[Zotaga]

Hate to say it, but City Planners are still dimwits (new or old)..

The reason I say that is because when new developments go up, it seems the cities never plan for the traffic down the road. They pave a 2 lane road with bike lanes, then re-pave it 3 years later so it's 4 lanes and bike lanes, then they tear it up again and re-pave it and make it 5 lines and bike lanes because they failed to take into account people turning left into drive-ways/plaza's. It's a joke and a complete waste of tax payer money. I would rather the city pay the expense for a 5 lane road on every major road in a city right away and deal with minimal traffic for a couple years over ripping up and re-paving a road 3-4 times in 10 years.

Foresight is a key component of planning... but yes 30-50 years ago city planners didn't have the knowledge (case studies) and education we have today.

I'm an Urban Planning major You have old-geezers who refuses to take new directions and approaches till sh!t hits the fan.

[Mr Wilson]

^^^ So mega roadways with no surrounding development should just be built and then underutilized for decades?

Sincerely,

Dimwit.

[GSXi]

Hate to say it, but City Planners are still dimwits (new or old)..

The reason I say that is because when new developments go up, it seems the cities never plan for the traffic down the road. They pave a 2 lane road with bike lanes, then re-pave it 3 years later so it's 4 lanes and bike lanes, then they tear it up again and re-pave it and make it 5 lines and bike lanes because they failed to take into account people turning left into drive-ways/plaza's. It's a joke and a complete waste of tax payer money. I would rather the city pay the expense for a 5 lane road on every major road in a city right away and deal with minimal traffic for a couple years over ripping up and re-paving a road 3-4 times in 10 years.

Sometimes things like this are done on purpose for GDP purposes. And to maintain funding budget, etc ("use it or loose it" rule that many government agency face).

If you ever dealt with a government organization from a business perspective, you'll know what I've mean. They'll usually scramble to spend/buy sh!t load of stuff at year end if they have a surplus budget. Because if they don't next year they'll get less in funding since the government thinks they don't need it anymore.

[Zotaga]

Do a cost analysis of building a underutilized road for a decade vs re-building the same stretch of road 3-4 times in that same time frame.

As a tax payer, I'd rather see it underutilized than to waste millions and millions on re-doing the same stretch of road over and over again..

If the road is constructed the first time in a new development phase, it WILL have surrounding development.. so that's an invalid argument Mr. Wilson.

I'm not saying build roads 5 lane roads in the boonies that won't see development for decades.. I'm talking about main roads that are currently 2 lane, expanding into an area that has projected growth in 10 years that will see the need for a 5 lane road. Build it once rather than 3-4 times.

^^^ So mega roadways with no surrounding development should just be built and then underutilized for decades?

Sincerely,

Dimwit.

[Jackal]

I guess we can't blame hydro either: Wouldn't it be great to put all these wires overhead near these cool trees on these big tree trunks? Yes, great idea I think.

Not sure but in some neighbourhoods, are they now putting these wires underground? Or am I mistaken.

[r4mi5awi]

It's all about cost. At least that's what I was always told. It's funny how the provincial government has always been "efficient" aka cheap on useful and essential public services and programs but overly generous when it comes to bureaucracy...

[Mr Wilson]

I guess we can't blame hydro either: Wouldn't it be great to put all these wires overhead near these cool trees on these big tree trunks? Yes, great idea I think.

Not sure but in some neighbourhoods, are they now putting these wires underground? Or am I mistaken.

Many municipalities already have in their bylaws/building code that utilities are to be placed underground. Not sure what T.O. has specifically, there's like 5 sets of existing bylaws within the City of.

[loki]

Hydro wires should be in space

[Aitch]

Hydro wires should be in space

Wireless hydro.

[Slade]

Australia is all underground wiring I believe.

You want to hear about city planners? Any one every tried taking a 53' tractor trailer into a sub division and try to negotiate with traffic circles? WORST IDEA EVER!, or St Catharines where they believe its a crime to trim trees, they snap like like butter when they get wet.

My friends north of Campbelleville just got hydro back less then 24hours ago.

Hope you family is survivin Aitch.

[Wylie]

Wireless hydro.

Nikola Tesla said it could be done

[Jackal]

Australia is all underground wiring I believe.

You want to hear about city planners? Any one every tried taking a 53' tractor trailer into a sub division and try to negotiate with traffic circles? WORST IDEA EVER!, or St Catharines where they believe its a crime to trim trees, they snap like like butter when they get wet.

My friends north of Campbelleville just got hydro back less then 24hours ago.

Hope you family is survivin Aitch.

Do you mean loki? His house is the one with the power outage not Aitch.

[2013_M3]

I guess we can't blame hydro either: Wouldn't it be great to put all these wires overhead near these cool trees on these big tree trunks? Yes, great idea I think.

Not sure but in some neighbourhoods, are they now putting these wires underground? Or am I mistaken.

This is true

[Mr Wilson]

Do a cost analysis of building a underutilized road for a decade vs re-building the same stretch of road 3-4 times in that same time frame.

As a tax payer, I'd rather see it underutilized than to waste millions and millions on re-doing the same stretch of road over and over again..

If the road is constructed the first time in a new development phase, it WILL have surrounding development.. so that's an invalid argument Mr. Wilson.

I'm not saying build roads 5 lane roads in the boonies that won't see development for decades.. I'm talking about main roads that are currently 2 lane, expanding into an area that has projected growth in 10 years that will see the need for a 5 lane road. Build it once rather than 3-4 times.

One question,

How can I argue to build a road to what the assumed full build out is, that is underutilized and warrant it as a good use of public funding?

Especially when priority list (most likely, not sure where you live) already exists.

[Default User]

Do a cost analysis of building a underutilized road for a decade vs re-building the same stretch of road 3-4 times in that same time frame.

As a tax payer, I'd rather see it underutilized than to waste millions and millions on re-doing the same stretch of road over and over again..

If the road is constructed the first time in a new development phase, it WILL have surrounding development.. so that's an invalid argument Mr. Wilson.

I'm not saying build roads 5 lane roads in the boonies that won't see development for decades.. I'm talking about main roads that are currently 2 lane, expanding into an area that has projected growth in 10 years that will see the need for a 5 lane road. Build it once rather than 3-4 times.

No mayor in the world will say "let's spend $X-billion dollars on a road now - an hope it gets utilized later. By doin so - we'll have to raise taxes to pay for it.'

They'll say - "let's build this $10M road and let the next mayor worry about finding the budget to fix it."

Why do you think there's reconstruction on the 401 every 3-4 years in the same areas?

[loki]

One question,

How can I argue to build a road to what the assumed full build out is, that is underutilized and warrant it as a good use of public funding?

Especially when priority list (most likely, not sure where you live) already exists.

Some people work in the public sector and some don't....nuff said


On another note I finally got power back this morning

Today is a good day

[Mr Wilson]

Great news! Everything else with the house good?

[loki]

Great news! Everything else with the house good?

Apart from the giant ass tree branch in my backyard which I need to take a sawzal to later, I'm good

[Jackal]

^^ Great news! About the power not the branch.

[Aitch]

Apart from the giant ass tree branch in my backyard which I need to take a sawzal to later, I'm good

Glad things are getting back to normal.

[CelestSpeed3]

It simply wasn't cost effective to have the city wired completely underground. Wire has changed a lot over the years 50 years ago they were still using wire insulated with cotton. Now with better materials things can be placed underground for easier maintenance and installation.

[peterm15]

Apart from the giant ass tree branch in my backyard which I need to take a sawzal to later, I'm good

Want to borrow a chainsaw?