GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[PShells]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2013997601645846535

Since the weekend closure referenced in the video that was used to upgrade sewer, drainage and installed a proper retaining wall for the signal mast south of Agincourt GO more concrete blocks have stacked up against the recently installed retaining wall.

There could be retaining wall construction occurring elsewhere on the Stouffville line. For instance, Mount Joy GO is definitely going to need a significant retaining wall for its future second platform.

 

[crs1026]

If you examine the top of that image - you see the bigger problem. The concrete bridge is not wide enough to extend the second track southwards.

No bridge widening, no track extension. The gap has existed since what - 2019?

Putting in a retaining wall just to secure a signal is pretty minimal progress.

- Paul

 

[PShells]

Putting in a retaining wall just to secure a signal is pretty minimal progress.

- Paul

View attachment 724729

Agreed. Perhaps my /s sarcasm tag was missed.

My last few posts have been facetious in nature.

 

[cplchanb]

If you examine the top of that image - you see the bigger problem. The concrete bridge is not wide enough to extend the second track southwards.

No bridge widening, no track extension. The gap has existed since what - 2019?

Putting in a retaining wall just to secure a signal is pretty minimal progress.

- Paul

View attachment 724729

The gap from the pier to the existing track looks tighter than where the future track will be to the other pier so i dont buy their excuses. Regardles this is all bullshit... how on earth are they taking 6 years just to design a bridge extension. They freakn built while viaducts through MOUNTAINS in the same time.

This is not about technical challenge. Its purely partisan games by fcking CP/CN and ML not having the balls to get it done.

Just complete fail and a betrayal to an entire generation of riders. Yet Noone will be held accountable for this

 

[guavadelic]

I believe he (and his government) are a large part of the cause. They view announcements as success

Hopefully we get a new provincial government in a few years that sees value in regional rail and revives the original plans of GO Expansion.
Will likely require cleaning house at Metrolinx.

 

[cplchanb]

Hopefully we get a new provincial government in a few years that sees value in regional rail and revives the original plans of GO Expansion.
Will likely require cleaning house at Metrolinx.

Its beyond likely. Its an absolutely must if we are to recover in our lifetimes. People tend to forget that projects like these set the stage for decades to come. Whatever the next govt does won't be felt until after 2040. Ill be old by then. What the current ML organization and ont govt has done has sabotaged the entire generation of riders.

 

[dowlingm]

And what happens when the house is cleaned at Metrolinx and the new GO managers come in and sit at their desks and find in the top drawer an envelope with a note saying “Doug spent all the money on Ontario Line; there’s no money for you to build or buy, any more than there was for us”

 

[PShells]

And what happens when the house is cleaned at Metrolinx and the new GO managers come in and sit at their desks and find in the top drawer an envelope with a note saying “Doug spent all the money on Ontario Line; there’s no money for you to build or buy, any more than there was for us”

In the last 12-18 months has there not been significant turnover in Metrolinx management?

CEO out. New head of CPG. Half a dozen managers involved in Eglinton Crosstown let go around the time Verster fired etc. I think the mindset of everything will be better if [only a new CEO, new Premier, new Minister of Transportation] etc. will only end in tears. It's never worked out like that in my experience.

 

[crs1026]

And what happens when the house is cleaned at Metrolinx and the new GO managers come in and sit at their desks and find in the top drawer an envelope with a note saying “Doug spent all the money on Ontario Line; there’s no money for you to build or buy, any more than there was for us”

The reset needs to start with a publicly accessible scope document showing what work is currently funded and being pursued.

That should lead to

a) public debate and disclosure about what reasonable expectations can be set around delivery dates for that committed work (ie if work is not funded and in the procurement/execution queue, the tcd becomes "not before xx". This is where the bandaid needs to be ripped off e.g. Kitcherner-Waterloo and Stouffville have been told that they are getting full 2WAD however one can see that there are missing links (small m, small l) in the design/ procure/ construct world that guarantee this will not be reached for some time

b) debate about the priority for securing funding for the remaining work - to get things back in the queue for execution, and give a more transparent and factual public understanding about how far the budget can be stretched. Arguably, we have been dreaming all along as the GO Expansion program has probably exceeded the cash flow available to any government in any year

To that list I would add - Changes to the Metrolinx Act to

a) remove the Minister from control of dialogue and information disclosure between ML and the public
b) require that all direction toML from the Ministry and Cabinet to ML be minuted and discoverable (with customary but disciplined exclusion of legitimate "confidential" business eg personnel matters, labour relations, actual and valid input to litigation, etc)
c) require ML to document project scope and funding publicly
d) require ML to report "signficiant change" to project scopes and project execution parameters (Cost, timeline, unforeseens)
e) require ML to conduct Board meetings in public session with only the same limited exceptions as above

- Paul

PS - I am not active for any party politically, but jeez.... why the opposition parties can't offer a detailed action plan for Metrolinx that is better and more on point than what we social media observers are offering.... Ford's survival is pretty much guaranteed by the incompetence of our opposition parties, who can't seem to offer a better platform

 

[dowlingm]

why the opposition parties can't offer a detailed action plan for Metrolinx that is better and more on point than what we social media observers are offering.... Ford's survival is pretty much guaranteed by the incompetence of our opposition parties, who can't seem to offer a better platform

Last year Doug called an election and ended up with MORE seats and MORE votes and it wasn't just because of what platform the opposition was offering. We are a province richly stocked with people who are only looking out for themselves - some for selfish motives, some because the property bubble and precarious work have left them feeling that no party will make a difference in their lives irrespective of what their platform says. The media have covered a lot of Metrolinx failings and nothing about it seems to make a difference politically. I know that's a bit fatalist but clearly we don't understand why the electorate don't care about the huge amounts of public $ Metrolinx spends and the opposition haven't worked it out either.

 

[hw621]

If you examine the top of that image - you see the bigger problem. The concrete bridge is not wide enough to extend the second track southwards.

No bridge widening, no track extension. The gap has existed since what - 2019?

Putting in a retaining wall just to secure a signal is pretty minimal progress.

- Paul

View attachment 724729

Typical ML tactics. Do something minimum and portrait it as progress, without improving any service level or quality...

 

[kaptrice]

A good read above from @atakagi1



Yes.

And when you look at it you can't help but feel contempt for Phil Verster and the senior Mx team and their board.

Its not merely the delay or scaling back of electrification; though certainly, that's significant and unfortunate.

Its that signal work in the USRC wont' be complete until 2037! . And track work in the LSE Corridor is ongoing through 2035. SMH, who is anyone trying to fool? Its not a matter of hitting construction times comparable to China. Nor even 1/2 that.

Its taking projects that were promised to be substantially complete as early as 2024, and delivering them up to 14 years later. Its taking project components that are straight forward (like track) that involve no novel technology, and could, even in 2 or 3 phases, be delivered in a maximum of six years (I'd argue for 3 for any given line) ....and managing to stretch that time line by a factor of 3 (after a delayed start to construction).

This is a choice by unmotivated management; and by politicians who clearly don't view anything here as a legacy project, and most will be deceased (of old age) by the time its delivered.

Getting the impression that things could move much, much faster if everyone was willing to swallow the pain of a half-year's closure of a line at a time.

 

[Northern Light]

Getting the impression that things could move much, much faster if everyone was willing to swallow the pain of a half-year's closure of a line at a time.

While that would certainly help, its frankly possible to move much, much faster than they are without that degree of pain and inconvenience.

1) Focus on fewer projects at one time.

2) Deliver projects essential to achieve the next level of service, in sequential, logical order.

3) Deploy much larger crews to any any given project. We've seen what they can do when they are determined to deliver a major piece of work within a weekend; they need to do that on every project where a weekend closure occurs, not just those where track has to be back in service by 5:30am Monday.

 

[cplchanb]

While that would certainly help, its frankly possible to move much, much faster than they are without that degree of pain and inconvenience.

1) Focus on fewer projects at one time.

2) Deliver projects essential to achieve the next level of service, in sequential, logical order.

3) Deploy much larger crews to any any given project. We've seen what they can do when they are determined to deliver a major piece of work within a weekend; they need to do that on every project where a weekend closure occurs, not just those where track has to be back in service by 5:30am Monday.

also do not simply go with the lowest bidder and go with the fastest timeline at reasonable cost. they think they can save a nickel on the dollar by stretching the project out but it has ALWAYS led to the timeline and budget being stretched even more.