The mind-numbingly slow Finch West LRT is a reason why people don’t trust Canadian governments

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There is no joy in Hogtown. Public transit has struck out. Again. After many years of construction and $3.7 billion spent, there is a new light-rail line on Finch Avenue West, in the city’s north end. It is 10.3 kilometres long, and almost entirely at grade. (For $360 million per kilometre, many places in the world can build fully underground heavy-rail subways. But the mystery of the North American infrastructure surcharge is a subject for another day.)

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The Finch West LRT stops once every 572 metres, on average, which is too many times. And it is achingly, mind-numbingly slow. When I rode it recently, the final damage was 50 minutes to travel 10.3 kilometres, for a blistering average speed of 12 kilometres per hour.

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Twelve. Pathetic. But there was comic relief, at least: The  Number........

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