Metro Line wastes fuel and time

It was not so long ago members of the media and some officials were advocating several ways of reducing emissions resulting from combustion of fossil fuels. One suggestion went so far as to recommend shutting off your car at red lights to conserve fuel.

I am reminded of this each time I sit with up to 40 commuters idling at intersections for the Metro Line LRT to clear the roadway. Except for rush hour, there seem to be fewer than 10 passengers on the LRT by the Royal Alexandra Hospital or the 111 Avenue crossings in many instances.

Why have no members of the media addressed the fuel waste resulting from the poor location of the LRT and why have officials not come up with a solution to the waste of fuel, time and finances the poor design of this LRT line produced?

The huge expense of building a rail line, coupled with its restriction to traffic flow, suggests to me that rubber-tired transit systems using existing roadways and capable of using smallercapacity vehicles during offpeak hours could be far more economical for both drivers and the transit system.

These systems should also be developed so there is minimal impediment to the flow of commuter traffic.

The latter seems to have been neglected in designing the NAIT LRT line.

Don Pattie, Edmonton