As more details about London’s SHIFT rapid transit plan come into focus, the divide between those for and against the project appears to be deepening.
Supporters of the plan created a new website and Twitter handle over the weekend, which appears to take direct aim at a group of downtown business owners who are opposed the project.
It’s Down-Shift versus Shift-Happens.
Over a dozen downtown business owners, along with some concerned citizens and neighbourhood groups, started calling themselves Down-Shift last month. They created a Twitter handle and released a list of reasons why they feel city hall should scrap the proposal.
Among their many concerns include the uncertainty surrounding the proposed route along King Street and disruption to business access along Richmond Street during construction.
Putting a rapid transit route on King Street addressed a problem discovered by officials earlier this year; that Dundas Street in the core and in Old East Village may be too narrow for a single dedicated transit lane, without sacrificing curbside parking.
They also feel city hall has exaggerated claims about the level of public consultation surrounding the project, which Shift-Happens strongly denies.
Shift-Happens was formed over the weekend, and argues the bus rapid transit plan is vital to London’s future prosperity, even though some businesses may be hurt or perhaps shut down during construction.
Down-Shift isn’t the only opposition city hall faces with the project.
Danforth London filed a $53-million lawsuit late last month, claiming the bus rapid transit (BRT) proposal impeded plans for a major downtown high-rise development at King and Clarence.
The claim has not yet been tested in court.
Council has already endorsed the proposed BRT routes, and they are expected to be finalized in the spring.
The rapid transit plan is the biggest project in London’s history. The $560-million price tag will mostly be covered by the federal and provincial governments, though that funding has yet to be secured. City hall has said that it will limit its contribution to the project to $130 million.