She added that a draft of Burlington's new official plan previewed by council next Thursday prioritizes walking, cycling and transit: "We are done with widening roads."

"Reprioritizing" roads was a catchphrase during the discussion, that is, altering the priority on city streets away from cars.

Paul Johnson, Hamilton's director of LRT project coordination, said automobiles do not have the "exclusive right" to roads; Murray spoke of visiting Amsterdam, where transit and walking predominates, and "no one in their right mind" drives.

"That is a culture that has it right," he added.

Not that anyone is calling for a war on the car, or "Carmageddon," said Vito Tolone, Burlington's transportation director, who said the key is increasing options.

You could suggest the forum was preaching the gospel of sustainable transportation to the converted, but Hamilton project manager Peter Topalovic said the purpose is bringing people together from a variety of fields to share ideas.

Transportation is a complex, hot-button issue, and a few in the room were not all-in with the presentations. Advocates for accessible public transit were disappointed to hear no references from the panel about their concerns.

"All this talk of walking and biking, what about those who cannot?" said Terri Wallis, who sat in a wheelchair.

On that note, accessibility advocates Paula Kilburn and Mary Sinclair said they oppose the LRT plan. They say the line would inhibit DARTS vehicles that provide specialized transit service.

They added that landscaping along the route would present an obstacle course for the visually impaired, and there are no plans for "urban Braille" along the route — tactile sidewalk guides currently in place downtown.

jwells@thespec.com

905-526-3515 | @jonjwells