HSR Now Charging Fees for Road and Lane Closures on Bus Routes – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

October 19, 2020
Hamilton’s public transit agency, the Hamilton Street Railway, is now imposing a fee for road closures which impact HSR service.
The fee has surprised the development industry and City planning staff.
In the past few weeks, developers have received notice of fees payable to the HSR for lane or road closures related to construction.
“It has somewhat blindsided our client”, Registered Professional Planner Terri Johns told the Hamilton Development Industry Liaison Group during a video conference meeting this morning.
The new fee was not publicly advertised, and all members of the DILG expressed surprise regarding it.
Tony Sergi,  Senior Director of Growth Management for the City of Hamilton stated he only learned of the fee last week when developers started contacting him regarding it.
General Manager of Planning and Economic Development Jason Thorne told the DILG that his staff are working to get more information.
Sergi, who coordinates the DILG meetings, says he is working to have HSR staff at the next DILG meeting to explain the fees, policies, and purpose at the next DILG meeting.
The HSR is presently operating at a reduced service level due to COVID. In the past, the HSR has not added additional buses on routes with detours or delays.
The Public Record requested a copy of the HSR’s new fee policy from the Public Works Department. The request was made at 10:54 a.m. this morning. A spokesperson for the HSR says they are looking into the request for the policy.