Waterloo Region Transit Developments (ION LRT, new terminal, GRT buses)

[mpd618]

He actually said this out loud a couple of years ago. "This is a K-W project and Cambridge taxpayers will pay for it!"

This has been and continues to be a frequent narrative from Cambridge. That city (which has its own internal amalgamation tensions) frequently believes it is slighted by the Region, whereas the Regional Chair has made it clear that Cambridge actually gets a higher per capita amount of regional spending than do the other cities.

I've never heard of "aBRT" (what does the 'a' stand for?). To me it does not seem like true BRT because it doesn't have its own ROW, but it could very well be good enough for now.

It stands for "adapted", i.e. watered-down. BRT in the context of the environmental assessment for the project meant a full dedicated busway.

 

[TOareaFan]

adapted BRT, it'll do everything except grade separating the route. It's mostly a mixture of ITS technology implementation, modified stop spacing, better vehicles (marketing) and higher frequencies, along with generally faster trip times.

It is sometimes very appropriate and quite effective in driving additional ridership....see Zum in Brampton.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Correct. The Mayor of Cambridge wanted LRT from the start, and as he couldn't get that, he was dead against the whole idea of LRT. Nose. Spite. Face.

He also wants a GO Train and has been wailing about it for some time. This is one thing I don't get about the aBRT though. There is a stop at Dundas/Coronation ("Delta") which is ~400m north of the old CP Rail station, where it would logically terminate. Even if the GO doesn't come until they decide to upgrade to LRT, wouldn't you want to locate a station there to build up ridership?

 

[TOareaFan]

He also wants a GO Train and has been wailing about it for some time. This is one thing I don't get about the aBRT though. There is a stop at Dundas/Coronation ("Delta") which is ~400m north of the old CP Rail station, where it would logically terminate. Even if the GO doesn't come until they decide to upgrade to LRT, wouldn't you want to locate a station there to build up ridership?

Are there passenger trains stopping at that train station now?

 

[gweed123]

This whole "build Phase 1 now and build Phase 2 later" has quite a few parallels to Ottawa, although in Ottawa's case, the BRT already exists. Many in the west end were against the LRT project, because Phase 1 stopped at Tunney's Pasture (not very west end at all). But Phase 2 will extend the line to Baseline and Bayshore.

Phase 1 in Ottawa is scheduled to open in early 2018, with the Western LRT extension in 2020 or 2021. Hopefully, with the Cambridge extension study starting soon, Waterloo Region can have a similar gap between Phase 1 and Phase 2 openings. The last thing you want, especially if you're in Cambridge and a supporter of the LRT project, is to see Phase 1 open and see Phase 2 sitting on a shelf somewhere.

 

[mpd618]

Are there passenger trains stopping at that train station now?

No, there is no passenger train service in Cambridge.

 

[TOareaFan]

No, there is no passenger train service in Cambridge.

Didn't think so but wasn't sure....so I wonder how would extending the service 400m to a train station with no passengers build ridership (or am I totally missing the point?)

 

[mpd618]

Didn't think so but wasn't sure....so I wonder how would extending the service 400m to a train station with no passengers build ridership (or am I totally missing the point?)

I don't think it's really much of a consideration, and I don't see any way that a stop at the non-functioning train station would do much except better serve Galt CI; there's nothing else around.

 

[gweed123]

Didn't think so but wasn't sure....so I wonder how would extending the service 400m to a train station with no passengers build ridership (or am I totally missing the point?)

It wouldn't, but it would strengthen the political case for GO service to Cambridge. "Look, we already have a rapid transit connection to the station, now all we need are the trains!"

 

[TOareaFan]

It wouldn't, but it would strengthen the political case for GO service to Cambridge. "Look, we already have a rapid transit connection to the station, now all we need are the trains!"

different motivation than the one I responded to though.

 

[BMO]

I'm unfamiliar with the CP rail location in Cambridge, but if there's no passenger train service, I doubt the stop would really build up anything other than dust. If there was a VIA station then for sure, but until there's actually some form of a destination or trip generator there it's not worth putting a stop in. It's important to acknowledge the potential future of GO service, though, to ensure it's not completely botched when the times comes.

 

[mpd618]

It wouldn't, but it would strengthen the political case for GO service to Cambridge. "Look, we already have a rapid transit connection to the station, now all we need are the trains!"

I don't think there's much else needed to bolster the political case for GO service to Cambridge - if you ask Cambridge, it is the most important thing they could get. Cambridge, with the support of the Region of Waterloo, is working on a case for that extension. But what's missing is funding, interest from Metrolinx, and co-operation from CP - all of which comes up occasionally in one of the GO threads here.

 

[ShonTron]

I'm unfamiliar with the CP rail location in Cambridge, but if there's no passenger train service, I doubt the stop would really build up anything other than dust. If there was a VIA station then for sure, but until there's actually some form of a destination or trip generator there it's not worth putting a stop in. It's important to acknowledge the potential future of GO service, though, to ensure it's not completely botched when the times comes.

There is a station - called Galt - on Malcolm Street which is used for yard crews. The last passenger service here was in 1970 (I think) when CP's daily Toronto-London-Windsor train was cut.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

This whole "build Phase 1 now and build Phase 2 later" has quite a few parallels to Ottawa, although in Ottawa's case, the BRT already exists. Many in the west end were against the LRT project, because Phase 1 stopped at Tunney's Pasture (not very west end at all). But Phase 2 will extend the line to Baseline and Bayshore.

Phase 1 in Ottawa is scheduled to open in early 2018, with the Western LRT extension in 2020 or 2021. Hopefully, with the Cambridge extension study starting soon, Waterloo Region can have a similar gap between Phase 1 and Phase 2 openings. The last thing you want, especially if you're in Cambridge and a supporter of the LRT project, is to see Phase 1 open and see Phase 2 sitting on a shelf somewhere.

Does the West End in Ottawa's case mean the former city, or Nepean/Kanata or places like that?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

This has been and continues to be a frequent narrative from Cambridge. That city (which has its own internal amalgamation tensions) frequently believes it is slighted by the Region, whereas the Regional Chair has made it clear that Cambridge actually gets a higher per capita amount of regional spending than do the other cities.


It stands for "adapted", i.e. watered-down. BRT in the context of the environmental assessment for the project meant a full dedicated busway.

Not surprised at all. He probably does not realize even the BRT will actually raise the case of all day service to Cambridge because of higher demand.