Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

tnarduzzi · Jan 21, 2016

Anybody know what this part of the Platform Safety Report is about? Are they talking about areas where the train (or parts of the train such as the steps) overhang the platform edge?

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Action:
Trim certain sections of select platforms within the Union Station train shed where steps overhang into the yellow safety strip area to eliminate potential tripping hazards for individuals who are not obeying the no standing or walking rules for those areas.

Status:
Complete

Next steps:
Since platforms 24-27 have an embedded ice melting system, trimming work on those platforms will require further study. All yellow safety strips were refreshed throughout construction.

AlvinofDiaspar · Jan 21, 2016

tnarduzzi said:
@AlvinofDiaspar, I skimmed it on Tuesday. I agree with your sentiment entirely: reactive instead of proactive. I mean really; does it take a whole report to come to these conclusions? It is common sense, I would think that most people could have forseen that that 290,000 lb locomotives and overcrowded/congested platform conditions are dangerous for pax.

Don't even get me started as to how they plan to accommodate the increased ridership once RER goes live... In the future Union (T+10 years) rush hour is going to be pure insanity.

There is an even more fundamental question than whether it took a whole report to come to these conclusions - but whether this report would have been commissioned if not for the accidental death last April. Like pray tell, did they not realize there was an ongoing platform congestion issue before that? Don't tell me that not a single GO employee observed said conditions and reported said conditions - when it was widely reported on social media for one. It's right in their backyard, you know.

Hear no evil, see no evil - and when **** hits the proverbial fan, commission a nice report that comes up with suggestions that should have been considered, if not implemented years ago, and then let's pat ourselves on the back for a job well done.

AoD

Mercator · Jan 21, 2016

tnarduzzi said:
Quite frankly it would have been better to shut that station and open a temporary one for pax like they did at World Trade Center Transportation Hub. At least then when complete Torontonians would have something truly impressive.

That was my thought all along, since they originally announced the start of construction. They should have built temporary stations on either side at esplanade/Jarvis and Spadina and then completely demolished the entire block (kaboom!) .... perhaps only keeping the facade of the great hall..... and then excavated and rebuilt the entire station.

I would think that they probably could have rebuilt the entire thing in half the amount of time that this revitalization has taken while the station is still in use.

While using a temporary station(s) would have been irritating and a burden for some it would have been worth it to have this project completed quickly.

Also, I dare say that rebuilding the entire thing may very well have been cheaper than what they have done.

Iam still disappointed that the PATH extension along York street still hasn't been funded (re-funded?) since they announced they didnt have money for it. I know that the Royal York recently got new owners (again) and I hope that there are still plans with the new owners to revitalize the ground level and basement level of the hotel. If so, it will perhaps move the issue of the PATH extension along.

I would like to see that private club at the corner of York and Wellington redeveloped and, while we wait for the PATH extension, the sidewalks should rebuilt and expanded on the east side of York between Wellington and Front as this is a choke point for pedestrians during the rush hours..... all while there is very little traffic on this part of York.

AlvinofDiaspar · Jan 21, 2016

Mercator said:
That was my thought all along, since they originally announced the start of construction. They should have built temporary stations on either side at esplanade/Jarvis and Spadina and then completely demolished the entire block (kaboom!) .... perhaps only keeping the facade of the great hall..... and then excavated and rebuilt the entire station.

Because a) we need to "consult" Heritage Canada for that rusty shed (open-aired for what, the second if not third winter) and that dump of a VIA concourse; b) we will not consider any rebuilding that fundamentally realign the tracks/platforms and c) we'd rather go to extreme lengths to dig down and prop up said ensemble of tracks/platforms/rusty shed/dumpy VIA concourse, as if the GO Concourse space is the only issue worth addressing. And now I can't wait to see how the whole RER/Smarttrack is going to get shoehorned into this obsolete-before-even-finished arrangement.

AoD

tnarduzzi · Jan 22, 2016

https://twitter.com/tnarduzzi/status/690586931927859201

tnarduzzi · Jan 22, 2016

On Friday Jan. 22nd, both the north & south doors to the York East Teamway (YET), and the south doors the Bay West Teamway (BWT) were propped open — specifically they had been tied open with string.

Unfortunately the most-critical north doors to BWT were not tied open, although the jersey barrier in this area was gone.

Upon speaking with GO employees I learned the north doors to the BWT were not tied open on account of cigarette smoke entering the building. I suggested that the enforcement officers uphold the 9m no smoking bylaw and additionally reiterated this on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/tnarduzzi/status/690932639327506432

Overall I would have to admit that this overall attentiveness to the passenger experience/passenger movements is definitely an improvement when compared to earlier in the week. Let us hope that this becomes a permanent thing.

For their efforts on Friday I must applaud GO Transit and Union Station staff and contractors. Thank you, please keep up the good work.

MetroMan · Jan 23, 2016

The ticket booths on the north side of the Great Hall are being dismantled. This space is going to be such a gem once it's restored and buzzing with activity from the indoor restaurant patio.

Contra · Jan 24, 2016

Jonny5 · Jan 25, 2016

Access to the far west end of the moat from inside the station, beside the Tim Horton's booth, has been sealed off with drywall as of this morning. Outside, adjacent to the entrance of the new tunnel under University Ave., a flimsy plastic barrier and sign inform people that access is "closed to the public".

tnarduzzi · Jan 25, 2016

Jonny5 said:
Access to the far west end of the moat from inside the station, beside the Tim Horton's booth, has been sealed off with drywall as of this morning. Outside, adjacent to the entrance of the new tunnel under University Ave., a flimsy plastic barrier and sign inform people that access is "closed to the public".

AlvinofDiaspar · Jan 25, 2016

tnarduzzi said:
pon speaking with GO employees I learned the north doors to the BWT were not tied open on account of cigarette smoke entering the building. I suggested that the enforcement officers uphold the 9m no smoking bylaw and additionally reiterated this on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/tnarduzzi/status/690932639327506432

Indeed - that's a**backwards. You don't make accommodation for what's basically illegal activities and that degrade the functioning of what little circulatory space there is. What you should do is ensure appropriate enforcement to facilitate the full functioning of said space.

The 9 meter rule is useless - it gets violated with wild abandon outside hospitals (even at a cancer hospital). We love to call ourselves rule-followers, but really, we are rather laissez faire about it and always gets caught off guard when someone decided to break the rules and find that there is little or no consequences to doing so.

AoD

drum118 · Jan 25, 2016

Jan 23
Down at Union for the first time in months and noticed work has started in the Moat area for the level area from the subway to Union Station. Some of the stair have been removed to the west to allow the conversion.

Going out on the limb here, I expect temporarily stairs will be built where McD was to get to the current level. Once this is in place the rest of the stair will be removed in phases until all of them are gone. Once done, the existing entrance will be closed off so construction can start on removing it as well lowering it. Not sure what will happen to the Bay traffic other having it closed off.

No work has taken in months for the new overhead for the shed roof and most likely will not be complete until 2017, not the plan 2015.

As for the safety provision on the platforms, any railing will make it worse to get pass the stair well and the lift area than it is already. Seeing others platforms in Europe as well NA, this will be over kill. Union is also not the first station to see someone injure or kill and it will not be the last. If someone wants to be clueless on platforms, they are only asking for trouble.

tnarduzzi · Jan 25, 2016

drum118 said:
Going out on the limb here, I expect temporarily stairs will be built where McD was to get to the current level. Once this is in place the rest of the stair will be removed in phases until all of them are gone. Once done, the existing entrance will be closed off so construction can start on removing it as well lowering it. Not sure what will happen to the Bay traffic other having it closed off.

I agree with your assessment here. I can confirm that excavation is already taking place on both sides of the remaining entrance to the old Bay Concourse. Below are pics from behind the hoardings where Purdy's used to be located.