GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[hw621]

Not to mention the lack of on street bus stop under overpass.

Though it’s not a SmartTrack station, you’ll have half ass somewhere.

Or connection to the Sheppard subway extension

 

[11th]

I still wonder how people will access the expanded service. When I took a Stouffville midday train a few months ago, there were very few spots in the lot. By the same token, the train was a ghost town inside. I am thrilled about more trains, but frankly they will be useless without robust local BRT, fare integration, viable cycling connections (and bike storage), and high density development surrounding each GO station.

I am guessing it's not getting much midday usage because very few would travel from Markham and/or Agincourt area to Union during those hours. Then if they are to travel downtown outside of Union station area, it doesn't make sense to wait for an hourly train.

Or connection to the Sheppard subway extension

1. line 4 won't be extended. 2. line 4 won't be extended to Agincourt. 3. the connection is at CP tracks 500m south​

 

[crs1026]

I am guessing it's not getting much midday usage because very few would travel from Markham and/or Agincourt area to Union during those hours. Then if they are to travel downtown outside of Union station area, it doesn't make sense to wait for an hourly train.

I ride regularly as far as Milliken. The ridership isn't awful but it could be better.

The service is a case study in how to make transit ineffective. The terminus at Unionville is badly situated. Key bus routes don't actually enter the station loop. Not running the service all the way to Mount Joy is a real impediment. As noted, Agincourt station is not well connected to Sheppard. Parking lots are crammed by mid-day, discouraging mid-day park and riders.

The six-car trains are moderately well filled, but some runs use 10 or 12 car trains, and that does spread out the ridership to the point where the train feels empty. And of course, with Kennedy under construction, those that board there (more than a few) end up in the same one or two coaches.

- Paul

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Or connection to the Sheppard subway extension

Don't even

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

York region needs to step up local bus service for this to have any shot of working.

 

[Allandale25]

It looks like construction has started on the new 401 tunnel for the Kitchener Line. Appears to be activity on the north side of the track on the east side of the tunnel. Can anyone confirm work has started? @smallspy @crs1026 ?

 

[crs1026]

^Don’t know, but if the work equipment on site is from Strabag, Ellis Don, or the Toronto Tunnel Partners, it’s likely the tunnel work. Haven’t heard that the design is final so they may still be doing things to get initial data.

What I did discover is that Infrastructure Ontario has posted a slightly redacted version of the Project Agreement for this project on its web site - a remarkable bit of transparency for ML, and a very interesting read, if you like that sort of thing.

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

^ Great find. Out of interest I tried to find any relevant dates in the contract. Unfortunately the definition for "Anticipated Substantial Completion Date" (mentioned on page 108) is in the definitions schedule which isn't included.

 

[crs1026]

^ I hunted on line - unsuccessfully - for any sort of news release or photo op declaring that field work has commenced. Given that the project has had financial close, I'm sure it is mobilised in some way. The vendor has design responsibility so I suspect they are still in the paper-and-permitry stage.

It will be interesting to see if the new Minister and/or Premier hold "first shovel" photo ops for things like this. By now, Del Duca would have had his face all over this. In some ways, it's an improvement to see this just quietly sliding along. The "time is of the essence" clause is at least a little reassuring.

As to timeline, there are tenders for track work at either end of the tunnel, and without the track the tunnel is useless. Hope ML will provide some overall TCD eventually.

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

^ Thanks. Here's the area I saw the construction work but it was really hard to see any names on the trucks so hard to tell if it's directly related to the tunnel work. Maybe I'll try to get out there soon to see what pictures I can get from public property.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

We also haven't seen any drawings, have we?

 

[SaugeenJunction]

We also haven't seen any drawings, have we?

There is this basic drawing from an old PDF, that's all I can find.

 

[Garuda]

So that means the Resource road currently running under Islington will before the new tracks. But what will happen to Resource Road? Will another tunnel/bridge be built under Islington?

 

[Leo_Chan]

So that means the Resource road currently running under Islington will before the new tracks. But what will happen to Resource Road? Will another tunnel/bridge be built under Islington?

Why does Resource Road even need to go under the Islington bridge over the tracks? Is a more direct connection, with an intersection with Islington coming from the east and reconfiguring the 401 of and on ramps (though probably an off ramp like that wouldn't meet the MTO's standards), better and more space efficient?

 

[Allandale25]

^ Good question. I wonder what will happen to Resource Road. Here's a good 2014 shot from Google Streetview showing the road going under the bridge. https://www.google.com/maps/@43.706...4!1sVQQy-k20BHrmY-NANJ5_OA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656