Towered
Superstar
The extension to downtown Cambridge? That would be awesome.
|
|
|
Waterloo Region Transit Developments (ION LRT, new terminal, GRT buses)
The extension to downtown Cambridge? That would be awesome.
jamincan
Active Member
Just to end the speculation, it's $8.5 million towards an expansion of the House of Friendship shelter in Kitchener.
reaperexpress
Senior Member
This is the kind of well-intentioned but poorly implemented redesign which is sadly common in Ontario. I suspect that this type of half-thinking is also why Toronto's vision zero safety program has not improved safety at all.
- Eliminating left turn lanes also eliminates the possibility of fully-protected turning signal phases. I did a review of collisions at this intersection a few years ago, and the majority involved left-turning vehicles - including one where two cars crashed in the intersection and flew onto the sidewalk injuring three pedestrians. Usually the situation was a car waiting to turn left misjudging whether or not the oncoming car was going to stop at a yellow. This situation is completely eliminated with fully-protected signal phases since nobody is looking for a gap to turn left during the straight-through yellow.
- A scramble crossing at this intersection would require an insanely long flashing don't walk, and as a result the signal cycle length would also be insanely long. This would massively increase delay for all road users, including pedestrians. The safety benefits of scramble crossings depend on the assumption that pedestrians don't walk during the normal green for car traffic, but that is not realistic. If you're willing to sacrifice massive amounts of motor vehicle capacity (which an enormous scramble crossing would do), then you'd be better off requisitioning one of the lanes as a right-turn lane to provide fully-protected right-turn phases simultaneous with the left-turn phases mentioned above, and having pedestrians cross simultaneously with traffic going straight.
- There is absolutely no measure to manage the conflict between right-turning cars and cyclists. Again, if there were a right-turn lane, there could be fully-protected right-turn signal phases which temporally separate turning cars from cyclists going straight.
The sidewalks in the area are already quite wide. I'd be much more interested in seeing the space used to maintain and/or introduce dedicated turning lanes and dedicated turning phases, so pedestrians and cyclists can consistently traverse the intersection without getting run over. The issue here is likely that the design was made by urban designers with no understanding of traffic operations and only the vaguest concepts of ideas which are trendy "safety" improvements.
emphurent
Active Member
The (I assume is finished) University of Waterloo bus terminal looks quite nice at night, already seeing some use.
For as cold as it was, the warm pallets really makes it look warm, even though more enclosed spaces would've been nice to see.
To me the standout feature is lighting, bright with some style, but lots of subtle accents to evenly light the space such as the lighting accenting the Platform sign (not just indirect lighting).
Photos taken this evening.
For as cold as it was, the warm pallets really makes it look warm, even though more enclosed spaces would've been nice to see.
To me the standout feature is lighting, bright with some style, but lots of subtle accents to evenly light the space such as the lighting accenting the Platform sign (not just indirect lighting).
Photos taken this evening.
Amare
Senior Member
It's hard to judge based of these pictures, but the least they couldve done is provide more shelter space from the elements. As far as im concerned this just looks like a glorified bus stop.
awaterwell
New Member
The glass shelters are heated, and platforms 3-6 each have two!
KevinT
Senior Member
Mostly finished, apparently. This CTV News post details a staged opening with only some of the platforms currently operating:
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/buses-roll-into-grt-s-new-university-of-waterloo-transit-hub-1.5726802
Thanks for the photos. I live here and had totally missed this...
Streety McCarface
Senior Member
Still didn't think it was possible for the region to botch a bus terminal this badly since Central station...nope. Still botched as all hell.
Streety McCarface
Senior Member
That's pretty much all it needs to be, at least for GRT. It's a transfer point between semi-frequent buses and the frequent iON. Generally, worst case scenario, you won't be waiting more than 8 minutes for a frequent bus.
If you're a 31 rider, or transferring after 7 pm, you're SOL.
For GO? I'm surprised a full building wasn't considered, but this is what we got.
sacred
Active Member
Can you elaborate on why you think the terminal is “botched”?
Streety McCarface
Senior Member
Few reasons:
1. This station is 3 years late (It was supposed to open when iON opened originally)
2. This terminal does not serve the University Avenue Bus routes (the 8, 12, 29, 202, in fact, those routes may not have direct transfers to iON anywhere except at terminal stations)
3. The terminal took years to complete, and the contractor had to be replaced a few times (reportedly)
4. No substantial GO waiting area
5. Poor stop design, with no defined stops for individual routes
6. Planned bus frequencies aren't as high as they need to be
7. No looping facilities for buses are included (buses have to loop around Ring Road or Philip Street, adding to the trip time)
awaterwell
New Member
UW Station will open fully on Monday, with most GRT routes moving to platforms 3 and 4 - not the 9 and 13, for some reason, although they are still closer to the train platforms (EDIT: It's occurred to me that platforms 3 and 4 may not be long enough to accommodate all the routes). No date for GO service yet (they did move the Ring Road stops 20 metres south though?) More info: https://www.grt.ca/en/about-grt/university-of-waterloo-station.aspx
Now that the station is FULLY open, look out for new routing on route... 200? Wait, that can't be right...
(from the 2017-18 system map, last pre-LRT edition)
Now that the station is FULLY open, look out for new routing on route... 200? Wait, that can't be right...
(from the 2017-18 system map, last pre-LRT edition)
Streety McCarface
Senior Member
I can't believe they even bothered putting that route in the map.
Allandale25
Senior Member
CanadianNational
Senior Member
Some photos from around the proposed King St. Kitchener terminal site.
1) Looking south, King St. W on the right.
2) Looking north, King St. W on the left, Google Headquarters.
3) From Google Headquarters' west side, looking across railway overpass south down King St. W
4) Looking roughly south from west side of site, with King St. W on the right.
5) Looking east across the site from King St. W
6) Also looking east across the site from King St. W
7) aerial view of the proposed transit terminal lot.
1) Looking south, King St. W on the right.
2) Looking north, King St. W on the left, Google Headquarters.
3) From Google Headquarters' west side, looking across railway overpass south down King St. W
4) Looking roughly south from west side of site, with King St. W on the right.
5) Looking east across the site from King St. W
6) Also looking east across the site from King St. W
7) aerial view of the proposed transit terminal lot.