GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[Amare]

RER work is taking forever! I bet Montreal will have their REM done way before our RER.

If they can avoid any corruption scandals in the process, then i'll be able to completely agree with you.

 

[mdrejhon]

The east end of the subway platforms at Main St are underneath Barrington Ave., south of Coleman. The west ends at under Stanley Grizzle Park at the alleyway that splits the park in two.

Thanks!

So, it requires a little bit of diagonalization.

So, maybe 280 meters instead of 250. But easier to develop (Because it's currently a parking lot + only needs a 100 meter tunnel hop from there). Since it'd link to approximately the area of those vents found in Google Maps, no structure might even be needed; the east end of the main building is just across the street.

RER work is taking forever! I bet Montreal will have their REM done way before our RER.

It certainly is taking a long time -- but looking at the charts -- supposedly, there is an upcoming acceleration in spend. The next election term proposes a huge surge in RER capital spending; They chose Scenario 5 of the RER Business Plan ($13.5bn)

From Page 119 of this PDF.

The surge seems to only be beginning shortly; which means the "bulk of RER work" will occur 2018-2022 (ish)

Which means, 2018 election is extremely important in making sure that the RER spending surge actually happens -- actual electrification construction, etc.

It'll all still take longer than expected, probably going to stretch beyond, but at least, the pace will accelerate (hopefully). I don't think the 2017 spending surge has happened yet (not sure), but, it sure certainly (not so coincidentally) coincides with the next election term.

 

[drum118]

Auditor general to review controversial GO stations

 

[kps]

If they can avoid any corruption scandals in the process, then i'll be able to completely agree with you.

Quebec found corruption everywhere they looked. Ontario… doesn't look.

 

[Adjei]

Quebec found corruption everywhere they looked. Ontario… doesn't look.

Quebecers are corrupt and that's why they need top look more. Go and look at their companies..Bombardier, SNC Lavalin always stirred up in bribery and corruption.

 

[jje1000]

Quebecers are corrupt and that's why they need top look more. Go and look at their companies..Bombardier, SNC Lavalin always stirred up in bribery and corruption.

I have no doubt there's corruption in Ontario as well- I imagine it's either a more subtle, more insidious (it's harder to form in terms of turning blind eyes and back scratching (i.e. the whole highway asphalt issue, Del Duca stations, Liberals in Sudbury)- or we just haven't bothered looking for it yet.

Regardless, the Liberals in Quebec are deadset on having this built and finished as soon as possible- meanwhile the Liberals here seem to be in no rush to ensure that GO RER is all tied up and ready to go regardless of the 2018 election results.

It certainly is taking a long time -- but looking at the charts -- supposedly, there is an upcoming acceleration in spend. The next election term proposes a huge surge in RER capital spending; They chose Scenario 5 of the RER Business Plan ($13.5bn)

The surge seems to only be beginning shortly; which means the "bulk of RER work" will occur 2018-2022 (ish)

Which means, 2018 election is extremely important in making sure that the RER spending surge actually happens -- actual electrification construction, etc.

It'll all still take longer than expected, probably going to stretch beyond, but at least, the pace will accelerate (hopefully). I don't think the 2017 spending surge has happened yet (not sure), but, it sure certainly (not so coincidentally) coincides with the next election term.

-which is frustrating because all this work still hinges on the 2018 elections and a favorable government coming in- and with even more added uncertainty because of the whole hydrogen train RFP (do the Liberals want to commit to electrification or not???) and the inability to settle with CP and CN.

If everything was settled at the end of the year with at least contracts signed like in Montreal (they're aiming to break ground then), we could all rest easier.

 

[muller877]

Quebec found corruption everywhere they looked. Ontario… doesn't look.

Quebec has some great independent newspapers who do real journalism and exposed some of the more heinous crimes. Ontario has papers that are in bed with the politicians (sometimes literally...look at the various power couples). Until the Toronto Star unshackles itself from the Liberal Party there will be corruption in Ontario. (the Globe is a great business and international paper but it's big business and there is no hope!)

 

[crs1026]

You're giving Ontario politicians too much credit. Quebec politicians make bad decisions because people give them cash. Ontario politicians make bad decisions out of vanity - just to be liked, just to be popular, just for the photo op, just because somebody pulls their chain and strokes them.

There is a lot better business sense in Quebec politics. Ontario pols give it up for free.

Which would you rather take to the prom?

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

Quebec has some great independent newspapers who do real journalism and exposed some of the more heinous crimes. Ontario has papers that are in bed with the politicians (sometimes literally...look at the various power couples). Until the Toronto Star unshackles itself from the Liberal Party there will be corruption in Ontario. (the Globe is a great business and international paper but it's big business and there is no hope!)

Guess you missed Ben Spurr's reporting on Kirby or Jennifer Pagliaro's reporting on the Scarborough Subway Extension. Or, when the Star broke the ORNGE scandal.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I was gunna say. The Star is a progressive paper - but they are often the first to criticize the liberals. Most of the major liberal scandals were first broken by the Star.

 

[pstogios]

I was gunna say. The Star is a progressive paper - but they are often the first to criticize the liberals. Most of the major liberal scandals were first broken by the Star.

Sounds like proper journalism to me.

 

[drum118]

Sept 29
More up on site

They have being laying new cable in Hamilton and its up to the new signals for the junction to get them working. With the new footing in place for the 3 track bridge mast and the cable, it can be install and it has been moved from where it has been before now.

 

[mdrejhon]

They have also removed all pedestrian barricades to Hamilton West Harbour GO's underground parking lot. All stairwells and working elevator shafts now let me access the lower level of West Harbour GO station. No warnings, no barriers, no "no trespassing signs", so I just had free roam of the whole area.

Allow me to present the first exclusive photographs of new vantage points at West Harbour GO station, that nobody else has ever seen before.

Here's a video walkthrough between the north-and-south pedestrian accesses -- to the formerly inaccessible areas.

It is possible that an announcement is forthcoming before the 2018 election, hopefully enough infrastructure will eventually be complete to enable the Niagara Summer Seasonal GO Trains to stop at West Harbour -- by Victoria Day 2018 (see www.raisethehammer.org/article/2720 ...) -- that would put "more bums in the seats" of those trains and benefit future Niagara GO train expansion.

At the west end, I saw CN workers working on the western approach. Hopefully that means track is going to be fully installed through soon.

Tick-tock, barely more than 6 months until Victoria Day 2018 -- the deadline for successfully stopping the Niagara summer seasonal trains that still passes by without stopping.

There is good nearby bike connnectivity to West Harbour, it has a SoBi station, and Cannon protected cycle track, (of #YesWeCannon fame) passes nearby. And the Niagara GO train's bike coach would no doubt attract a noticeable amount of Hamilton's expanding cyclist market too.

It would be good politics while also actually being cost-reducing (very few boardings are needed to pay for operating costs of stopping here). The Toronto-Niagara Seasonal GO train needs to become the Toronto-Hamilton-Niagara summer seasonal GO train. By May 2018.

 

[mdrejhon]

BTW, I have summed this up in a twitter thread here:

6-part Twitter thread about West Harbour GO station & Election 2018 Politics



After the Kirby/Lawrence GO station concerns raised by the auditor, Metrolinx might be looking for convenient low-lying apples (like stopping an existing train that doesn't stop) to improve goodwill for Election 2018.

 

[Isotack]

I was gunna say. The Star is a progressive paper - but they are often the first to criticize the liberals. Most of the major liberal scandals were first broken by the Star.

You have a very distorted view. The Star is a social justice serving rag that serves up votes for the federal and provincial liberals. Seldom is there actually any news on their front pages. Their investigative reporting serves one purpose...to disrupt and advance their social justice cause.

Yes I read it every day.