Union Station Rail Corridor Improvements

[Allandale25]

Part of me say 'too bad, you live by the bloody USRC for crying out loud.' But another part of me is baffled with Track E0 and I do not see the need for it or the impacts it will have. Why exactly is a 3rd track from the Richmond Hill line required? If you need capacity for staging/layover within the USRC, why isn't Metrolinx expanding further south?

They are already building more tracks to the south. They are also hemmed in by the Gardiner and hydro towers.

The E0 extension is needed because of a conflict between the Barrie Line movements and Richmond Hill, not because Richmond Hill all along its route needs more track. There's going to be a service level different between Richmond Hill and Barrie.

 

[smallspy]

The E0 extension is needed because of a conflict between the Barrie Line movements and Richmond Hill, not because Richmond Hill all along its route needs more track. There's going to be a service level different between Richmond Hill and Barrie.

E0 is a storage track, nothing more. As it is, trains are stabled on E1 or E2 at rush hours for a couple of hours. Building E0 will allow them to free up E1 and E2 for service.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Allandale25]

^ Thanks Dan. Appreciation the clarification for why E0 is needed.

 

[raptor]

UNION STATION RAIL CORRIDOR EAST ENHANCEMENTS TPAP

Notice of Commencement (Dated April 19, 2018):
http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rer/NOC_USRC_EastEnhancements_EN.PDF

We thank everyone for their feedback to date. As we begin the TPAP on April 19, 2018 and build on Public Meeting #1 held on June 28, 2017, we invite you to attend Public Meeting #2 on May 3, 2018. At this meeting, Metrolinx will present the findings of the draft technical/environmental studies undertaken for the proposed USRC East Enhancements Project. Members of the public, government agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested parties are encouraged to participate in the TPAP by attending Public Meeting #2 and/or contacting the project team directly with feedback or questions.

Date : Thursday, May 3, 2018 Time : 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Presentation to begin at 7:00 p.m.)
Location: Residence & Conference Centre – George Brown College Grand Room & Session Room* 80 Cooperage Street, Toronto, ON M5A 0J3

 

[Allandale25]

Some platform work on the west side of Union. Some pavement removed on platform 11-12. New concrete siding. Sorry for picture quality.

 

[raptor]

Materials from last night's public meeting (6MB file):
https://www.metrolinxengage.com/sites/default/files/usrc_ee_publicmeeting2_final.pdf

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Materials from last night's public meeting (6MB file):
https://www.metrolinxengage.com/sites/default/files/usrc_ee_publicmeeting2_final.pdf

Looks decent - and reasonable, not excessive.

AoD

 

[DSC]

Looks decent - and reasonable, not excessive.

AoD

Yes, and no. The main local concerns are:

1. Noise and vibration right behind the homes that are immediately north of the corridor and
2. Not enough being done to make the expanded bridges better for pedestrians and cyclists. While the plans show better 'openings' the actual 'tunnels" are longer and no wider.
3. The lack, so far anyway, of any action on creating a ROW for the Cherry Street streetcar through the berm at the same time as all the bridge work is going on. Residents fear that there will be x years of work on the road bridges and then y more years on the streetcar one.

 

[TransitBart]

Yes, and no. The main local concerns are:

1. Noise and vibration right behind the homes that are immediately north of the corridor and
2. Not enough being done to make the expanded bridges better for pedestrians and cyclists. While the plans show better 'openings' the actual 'tunnels" are longer and no wider.
3. The lack, so far anyway, of any action on creating a ROW for the Cherry Street streetcar through the berm at the same time as all the bridge work is going on. Residents fear that there will be x years of work on the road bridges and then y more years on the streetcar one.

Cherry ROW should be tunnelled to the east of Cherry Street behind the new streetcar loop and then brought down to Cherry at Lakeshore.

 

[DSC]

Cherry ROW should be tunnelled to the east of Cherry Street behind the new streetcar loop and then brought down to Cherry at Lakeshore.

That is the idea but local residents do not want to see two separate projects. One to widen the existing bridge and then another to deal with the ROW. There will be disruption and noise with both so better to 'get it over with' and best to plan both projects together as they are (at the least) adjacent and can maybe be combined.

 

[TransitBart]

That is the idea but local residents do not want to see two separate projects. One to widen the existing bridge and then another to deal with the ROW. There will be disruption and noise with both so better to 'get it over with' and best to plan both projects together as they are (at the least) adjacent and can maybe be combined.

Except one is fully planned and funded and the other remains pie-in-the-sky.

 

[Allandale25]

^ Would any of the Waterfront transit money announced this week in the MOU between the province and City go to the Cherry Street Extension? And yes, I realize it's right before the provincial election and the outcome of the provincial election could change everything.

 

[KevinT]

Except one is fully planned and funded and the other remains pie-in-the-sky.

Like when they added a subway deck to the Bloor St viaduct? What shameless government waste!

 

[muller877]

^ Would any of the Waterfront transit money announced this week in the MOU between the province and City go to the Cherry Street Extension? And yes, I realize it's right before the provincial election and the outcome of the provincial election could change everything.

Only if it announced by Wednesday. The province can't really sign long term agreements after the writ is dropped. The gov't becomes a caretaker gov't and only day to day decisions are made. There has been times where this was not respected. The largest transit related one of these was the privatization of Pearson in 1993 (which was subsequently cancelled).

Although I don't think Wynne will follow these rules and will continue to violate protocol.

 

[gweed123]

Except one is fully planned and funded and the other remains pie-in-the-sky.

It's not as if they alignment under the ROW isn't already pretty well defined. We know it's going on the east side of Cherry St as it goes under the ROW. Beyond that is still up in the air, yes, but they can at least get that part done at the same time.

For comparison, look at the discussion in the GO construction thread about all of the extra space included in the Centennial Parkway underpass at Confederation Station. The exact same logic should apply here.