GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[ARG1]

Updates and pictures.

Metrolinx Press Room

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blog.metrolinx.com

Uh, ya mate sounds good uhm....

When can I have my 15 minute service on LSE back?
On that note, when can I have my weekend Barrie Line service back?

 

[innsertnamehere]

When can we have any service back?

Metrolinx is still running their reduced COVID schedules from January which were implemented because of staffing shortages while ridership has continued to grow as the province reopens again.. They need to start ramping service very soon again.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

When can we have any service back?

Metrolinx is still running their reduced COVID schedules from January which were implemented because of staffing shortages while ridership has continued to grow as the province reopens again.. They need to start ramping service very soon again.

I’m sure service ramp will happen soon. Partly because people are starting to go back to work and attend in-person sports events, and partly because we’ve got a provincial election coming up.

 

[alexb]

"Enabiling works" is a bit of a catch-all that can encompass lots of things, but in this case includes things like unearthing and moving utilities, grubbing, some track realignments and adjustments, landscaping where needed....basically, prepping the area ahead of the construction equipment that will be doing the final project installs. This way, the final project co just comes in and does what they need to do.

It seems high at first blush, but it also covers an area more than 3-times longer than the Stouffville project. If anything, Rutherford is the real outlier here, as that cost is for a SINGLE station, and not any substantial portion of the corridor.

Dan

What area are you using in your calculation? Theres no corridor works here aside from the direct works at Long Branch and those above the grade sep. This is pretty much the same project as Rutherford, but with no 1,200 spot parking garage. Increased costs are coming from inflation yes, but also the fact that its harder and takes longer to finish something in the Lakeshore corridor compared to Barrie or Stouffville with the number of trains running per hour.

 

[generalcanada]

What area are you using in your calculation? Theres no corridor works here aside from the direct works at Long Branch and those above the grade sep. This is pretty much the same project as Rutherford, but with no 1,200 spot parking garage. Increased costs are coming from inflation yes, but also the fact that its harder and takes longer to finish something in the Lakeshore corridor compared to Barrie or Stouffville with the number of trains running per hour.

actually were not sure if there is corridor works or not.
the project includes ""enabling works for electrification" without any context, this has to mean enabling works for the entire corridor since a specific location isnt mentioned

 

[crs1026]

A quick peek at the 2017 Electrification EA identified several bridges on LSW that required attention to achieve the required minimum vertical clearances for wires. Browns Line overpass was one. Perhaps some of that work is in the project. Just speculating.

- Paul

 

[ARG1]

Kerr Street underpass project derailed

Budget overrun of more than $100 million leads province to abandon project

oakvillenews.org

Looks like the official price tag given for Kerr Street was $233M compared to the original planned price tag of 130M, and as such Metrolinx shelved the project.

Yikes.

 

[cplchanb]

Kerr Street underpass project derailed

Budget overrun of more than $100 million leads province to abandon project

oakvillenews.org

Looks like the official price tag given for Kerr Street was $233M compared to the original planned price tag of 130M, and as such Metrolinx shelved the project.

Yikes.

Im not surprised about the cost increases especially from the last few years of pandemic. Thats what happens when you dilly dally for a decade.
Had they started constructed 5 years ago it wouldve been fine.

 

[smallspy]

What area are you using in your calculation? Theres no corridor works here aside from the direct works at Long Branch and those above the grade sep. This is pretty much the same project as Rutherford, but with no 1,200 spot parking garage. Increased costs are coming from inflation yes, but also the fact that its harder and takes longer to finish something in the Lakeshore corridor compared to Barrie or Stouffville with the number of trains running per hour.

My understanding is that this contract is for the enabling works in preparation for the electrification and enhancement of the whole corridor - Burlington to about Bathurst.

Dan

 

[tsm1072]

Kerr Street underpass project derailed

Budget overrun of more than $100 million leads province to abandon project

oakvillenews.org

Looks like the official price tag given for Kerr Street was $233M compared to the original planned price tag of 130M, and as such Metrolinx shelved the project.

Yikes.

This underpass is fairly crucial to allow that plaza to be developed and for the new construction on Shephard Rd to go ahead. I could see the province trying to get developers to kick in to pay for it. An alternative is the MPP will "save" the project as an election promise.

 

[reaperexpress]

Maybe I'm missing something, but it doesn't look like the Long Branch reconstruction is future-proofing for a 4th track. The line is aleady quad-tracked as far as Mimico, so extending the 4th track through Long Branch to Port Credit would be an obvious next step. That would significantly improve scheduling for express trains (e.g. to Niagara), allowing them to overtake local trains in both directions at the same time.
With the layout they illustrated, adding a fourth track would involve blasting through the embankment north of the station, and adding an additional elevator per pedestrian tunnel (for a total of 4 each), which would be incredibly expensive.

If they instead just built side platforms, the station could be quad-tracked from day one for less than the cost of the current 3-track design, since it would only require 2 elevators per pedestrian tunnel. Including tracks bypassing the platforms also enables those platforms to be raised for level boarding without needing the additional width and maintenance of gauntlet tracks.

 

[innsertnamehere]

yikes - at least we see that the Burloak seperation is $177 million, which really is incredibly expensive.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it doesn't look like the Long Branch reconstruction is future-proofing for a 4th track. The line is aleady quad-tracked as far as Mimico, so extending the 4th track through Long Branch to Port Credit would be an obvious next step. That would significantly improve scheduling for express trains (e.g. to Niagara), allowing them to overtake local trains in both directions at the same time.
With the layout they illustrated, adding a fourth track would involve blasting through the embankment north of the station, and adding an additional elevator per pedestrian tunnel (for a total of 4 each), which would be incredibly expensive.

If they instead just built side platforms, the station could be quad-tracked from day one for less than the cost of the current 3-track design, since it would only require 2 elevators per pedestrian tunnel. Including tracks bypassing the platforms also enables those platforms to be raised for level boarding without needing the additional width and maintenance of gauntlet tracks.
View attachment 382835

looks to me that the 4th track would go on the north side of the north platform and would involve a simple extension of tunnels with a new north entrance building. Probably just the east tunnel would even have to be extended.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Kerr Street underpass project derailed

Budget overrun of more than $100 million leads province to abandon project

oakvillenews.org

Looks like the official price tag given for Kerr Street was $233M compared to the original planned price tag of 130M, and as such Metrolinx shelved the project.

Yikes.

Interesting - also shows that the Burloak underpass is $177 million. Yikes indeed- that's extremely expensive for a single, relatively straightforward grade separation.

Hard to believe MTO built the 401 collectors widening from Hurontario to the Credit River for less than half that just a few years ago, a far more complex project..

Makes me a little scared to see what OnCorr closes for.

 

[crs1026]

yikes - at least we see that the Burloak seperation is $177 million, which really is incredibly expensive.


looks to me that the 4th track would go on the north side of the north platform and would involve a simple extension of tunnels with a new north entrance building. Probably just the east tunnel would even have to be extended.

That north side has a watercourse hidden under the bullrushes - not saying it can't be done, but the cost to grade and provide drainage might be higher than just a simple widening.

The Brown's line bridge may be the bigger challenge for the fourth track. And of course the bridge over the creek west of the station will need widening..

- Paul

 

[wopchop]

This underpass is fairly crucial to allow that plaza to be developed and for the new construction on Shephard Rd to go ahead. I could see the province trying to get developers to kick in to pay for it. An alternative is the MPP will "save" the project as an election promise.

I am a bit torn. I live in the area. Redevelopment of the plaza would probably be a good thing, but it also would mean the loss of an affordable grocery store, and the Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy & post office, for at least the duration. Both are well patronized by locals, including on foot.

This is also one of the poorest neighborhood in Oakville, with lots of low-income families, including refugees. So that's really important.
Given the Town's track record, I have little faith they would extract some sort of commitment on those.

The other part of this project that a lot of people disliked was the massive increase to the size of the Kerr & Speers intersection. This may be the busiest in Oakville for pedestrians, and given traffic volumes, it is often quite dangerous. Widening it by 2 lanes with bullshit painted bicycle gutter wasn't exactly popular locally, unless you were a driver coming down from Glen Abbey.