The Zombie Project

Vincent J. Curtis

26 June 23

RE: Hamilton hits $1 billion worth of permits.  News item by Fallon Hewitt. The Hamilton Spectator 26 June 23

Twenty years ago, the city fathers thought that Hamilton was a dying town.  There was no private investment; the city hadn’t pulled out of the recession; and the steel companies were in trouble.  Mayor Fred Eisenberger got the idea that spending $811 million on an LRT was a way of pulling the city out of its doldrums.  At the time, building an LRT was considered the gambler’s last throw of the dice.

Not an inch of track has been laid; the cost of the LRT project has jumped to around $5 billion; and Hamilton is setting records for new, private investment.  The objective of the LRT was met actually well over a decade ago - without a dime being spent on it; but like a zombie. the project continues struggling forward.  Why?

The LRT will thoroughly disrupt east-west traffic flow because King Street will be choked with the line.  Compounding this is the disruption caused by adding bike lanes to Cannon Street, and the planned two way traffic conversion of Main Street.  Could it be that making car travel in Hamilton as unpleasant as possible is an objective of the city?  Could fashionable environmental craziness have overwhelmed city planners?

The LRT has taken on a life of its own.  Its original purpose has been met.  Why spend more money on it, especially, in addition to the disruption, the operation of the line will be a scandalous money loser?  The purpose of continuing with this zombie project that won’t die needs to be re-assessed.

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