GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[crs1026]

While those changes are still several years away, GO traffic along the corridor will increase service starting summer 2017 following the completion of a double-track running adjacent to the Barrie corridor between York University and Rutherford GO station in Vaughan.

If these new trains manage to operate throughout the bridge construction, that's very good news for this corridor..

- Paul

 

[Megaton327]

GO has posted an update on Gormley GO station, the new northern terminus of the Richmond Hill Line, on schedule to open December 2016:

Construction has been progressing well: the platform, canopies and walkways are almost finished; the parking lot has been paved; lines have been painted, and the lighting has been installed; electrical is on track to be completed. The station building is 95% finished, with the goal of achieving LEED silver certification.

Photos:

Station building:

Platform, canopy, shelters:

Parking:

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Nov 5
Hamilton:
Was planning on do a video of the West Harbour Station, but the west end parking area and underground not open, but 99% complete. Still have to put the retaining wall fencing up and grading done for the west end.

Only a small section of track in place in the station with a stack of track and switches in the yard.

The new 3rd track bridge should be in place by Dec, as they still have one pier to pour. The CP Signal Bridge is being remove and replace by 3 mast ones.

Had a look at the Lewis Yard and it has all kinds of room for expansion. The Lewis entrance has a gate and turnstile to get access to the yard with key pads for them. You are a fair distance from the tracks off Lewis. McNeily is a different story. You can get a better look from the road that has 3 tracks where the yard track connects to the main line to the east. No gate for the track entrance at this time.

Burlington
I told you so is the best I can say. With luck, the bus terminal should be open come Jan, as they will have the rest of the east driveway pour next week. Same goes for the customer new service area that should be open now. Elevators still not ready for service at this time and could be in Dec. The east parking area needs concrete sidewalk pour and parking area pave. The east entrance will not be open until Spring 2017 as the roof is still not 100% built let alone seal or having the roofing material on it.

Oakville
The floor slab of the new control building could be done by year end. Its possible 3 levels of steel framing could start at the east end before the year end.

In all my years in construction, I have never run across a project like Burlington Station.

Since this station work started, a 14s apartment was built along with a 21s condo near where I had monthly meetings in Burlington. Over 50 other projects that started around the GTA after this one started are completed.

I use Paradigm Condo right next door as my example of poor production for Burlington when it only started to be built in Jan this year

I am over a month behind in doing photos and these are out of order and not fix
Nov 5
Georgetown-Kitchener Corridor Expansion: John Street Pedestrian Bridge

Metrolinx Oakville New Dispatching Centre For Trains And Buses

Burlington New GO Station & Bus Terminal

Paradigm (2089-2095 Fairview St W, Molinaro Group, 5x 20s, Graziani & Corazza Architects Inc)

Hamilton New Desjardins Channel 3rd Track Bridge For GO Transit Being Built (Metrolinx, CN Rail)

I seems Barrie line double tracking may lead to actual service improvements even without Davenport Diamond bridge.

"Metrolinx is completing design work ahead of construction of a rail bridge for the Davenport Diamond train crossing which, along with electrification of the line, promises to significantly boost GO Transit service. While those changes are still several years away, GO traffic along the corridor will increase service starting summer 2017 following the completion of a double-track running adjacent to the Barrie corridor between York University and Rutherford GO station in Vaughan.​

... The new track however will immediately boost rail traffic along the corridor from 14 to 36 diesel trains per day, rising to 180 electric trains following electrification. CP freight trains also run along the corridor independent of GO operations."​

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-s...ng-to-barrie-line-starting-in-2017-metrolinx/

GO has posted an update on Gormley GO station, the new northern terminus of the Richmond Hill Line, on schedule to open December 2016:



Photos:

Station building:

Platform, canopy, shelters:

Parking:

All great to hear. I can't wait for the barrie Line to have some more service. I'd rather take the Richmond Hill line then the subway if possible.

 

[crs1026]

For those who like to see documentation from Metrolinx - the current round of consultations has generated a lot of new information.

The overview access to all these documents is at

https://www.metrolinxengage.com/en/content/overview-regional-open-houses-november-2016

These open houses appear to have materials tailored to that particular part of the GTA - so what's available under one open house is not the same as another. I'm still plowing through these trying to digest it all, but there is a very good amount of specific detail in these.

Food for research!

- Paul

 

[rbt]

For those who like to see documentation from Metrolinx - the current round of consultations has generated a lot of new information.

The overview access to all these documents is at

https://www.metrolinxengage.com/en/content/overview-regional-open-houses-november-2016

I'm seeing a general timeline of TPAPs finished by Fall 2017. That's going to make it really tight to get anything tendered before campaigning starts for the 2018 election.

So, we're going to have another "Fiscal Prudence" versus "Infrastructure" election. Brown would implement chunks of RER eventually (especially the Barrie line), but probably not until after a "rethink" and tax breaks delay our ability to finance it by 4 to 8 years.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

I'm seeing a general timeline of TPAPs finished by Fall 2017. That's going to make it really tight to get anything tendered before campaigning starts for the 2018 election.

Meh. You don't have to tender to make a gajillion of press conferences out of it. Bonus: you can tell people the PCs will scrap all of it if they win, to scare them into voting for you.

 

[crs1026]

I look at all the fuss over the federal Infrastructure Bank as simply the federal Liberals realising that if they just go out and spend the money, they look like drunken sailors running up a deficit. Whereas if they borrow the same money under the umbrella of a "bank" that the major financial players have blessed, the same borrowing looks somehow prudent and carefully managed.

I'm predicting the Ontario Liberals will propose some similar vehicle to justify the spending they need to tantalise the voters with. Brown will either have to come up with a different flavour, or just say that spending won't happen.

But yeah, the TPAP process will time out before they can tender.... and stuff will fall off the agenda.

- Paul

 

[kEiThZ]

Is there a status board anywhere to see where we are on RER?

 

[crs1026]

Is there a status board anywhere to see where we are on RER?

There is a ML Board Meeting on Dec 2. There is usually some sort of update on RER at Board meetings.

Whether it will say anything is another matter. There are lots of promises, and a fair bit of planning analysis, but no one has actually posted a project execution plan.

(I'm impressed with myself for writing the above as politely as I just did.)

- Paul

 

[muller877]

I look at all the fuss over the federal Infrastructure Bank as simply the federal Liberals realising that if they just go out and spend the money, they look like drunken sailors running up a deficit. Whereas if they borrow the same money under the umbrella of a "bank" that the major financial players have blessed, the same borrowing looks somehow prudent and carefully managed.
- Paul

The Infrastructure Bank has a few hurdles to overcome:

1. They have to create independence from the government to avoid it consolidating with the federal financial results. if not any infrastructure bonds would count as borrowings
2. It has to create a selection process for projects (including costs and benefits). And then a common process for finding a private builder/operator
3. You have to find infrastructure projects where the is a dedicated levy or tax that can be used to pay the bank.

The problem is that the government hates to lose control so the first 2 may be a non-starter. Imagine if the bank decides which LRT/subway line is the best to deliver (economically it's the best answer but politically it's hard).

The ideal projects have a positive cash flow after the initial capex is finished. But will Toronto agree to this for transit? Would the TTC agree to pay a 3rd party $1 a ride (plus collecting the actual fare) if this infrastructure bank built the DRL? Written in an airtight contract for 99 years? And the infrastructure bank controls the build so the subway stops aren't Taj Mahal's.

 

[Allandale25]

Is there a status board anywhere to see where we are on RER?

I think the closest thing to a timeline we have is the TPAP schedule which is in the presentation deck. Then, there's a procurement schedule which is not mentioned. The Minister keeps saying 2025 is the goal so they'd have to get construction underway by 2018/2019 to meet that target. Some here have suggested 2025 is too ambitious.

 

[kEiThZ]

If 2025 is too ambitious, we're in trouble. I have my doubts about the Liberals getting through another election.

 

[TransitBart]

So, we're going to have another "Fiscal Prudence" versus "Infrastructure" election. Brown would implement chunks of RER eventually (especially the Barrie line), but probably not until after a "rethink" and tax breaks delay our ability to finance it by 4 to 8 years.

I question that. If people are rioting in the streets over stressful commutes, what would be the benefit of cancelling anything. Only in the past twenty years, has the idea that not spending money on infrastructure is a very "conservative" thing become common. In his day, Premier Bill Davis presided over the greatest infrastructure building program in the province's history - for example - Hwy 410, Spadina Subway, Nanticoke, Lennox, Pickering A, Pickering B, Bruce A, Bruce B, Darlington, tons of Hwy 401, the 400 extension.

This game is bigger than discretionary infrastructure spending. It affects business investment (ie jobs) decisions and real estate pricing (ie tax revenues). Only a fool (and I have been disappointed to now in life) would cavalierly slice and dice on the transit file.

 

[Megaton327]

Aurora GO construction for pedestrian tunnels, yesterday:

 

[Allandale25]

Announcement coming tomorrow by Del Duca. Location is the Don Yard.

https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2016...ransit-announcement-4.html?platform=hootsuite