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

[mpd618]

As for quality of service after X hours to be 30 minutes, whats the logic in building this LRT in the first place, as its far cheaper doing it with buses than LRT. Anything over 20 is a waste of resources as well cost. What is the goal for this line if quality of service is not there??

Goals for this line: 1) Help guide urban growth to happen around the LRT corridor. 2) Provide sufficient transit capacity along the corridor at a 20-50 year horizon. Capacity during peak hours for the current bus system would be hit much sooner than capacity during off-peak hours.

 

[ShonTron]

It also looks like the have all the proper signage along the right of way warning people about tracks crossing ther pat. The TTC and the city of Toronto should look at putting those in along Cherry Street and Queens Quay. If people know to treat it like a railroad they probably will..

Instead the TTC bows to the stupidity of the worst motorist, with 10 km/h speed limits at intersections on the Queensway, lest a car make an illegal left turn in front of a streetcar. The TTC now also has a stop and proceed at 10 km/h at every intersection with a track junction, because they haven't fixed the switches yet.

It almost makes me wish the TTC abandoned streetcars back in the 1970s, and came back in the 1990s with plans for a modern surface rail system for the waterfront, the suburbs, and maybe Spadina Avenue.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Instead the TTC bows to the stupidity of the worst motorist, with 10 km/h speed limits at intersections on the Queensway, lest a car make an illegal left turn in front of a streetcar. The TTC now also has a stop and proceed at 10 km/h at every intersection with a track junction, because they haven't fixed the switches yet.

It almost makes me wish the TTC abandoned streetcars back in the 1970s, and came back in the 1990s with plans for a modern surface rail system for the waterfront, the suburbs, and maybe Spadina Avenue.

Has to be remembered that the TTC has been underfunded for decades. Fixing the legacy switches (for example) means they have to spend money, and spending money is against the orders of city council.

 

[Allandale25]

I've been told the following: "Region of Waterloo staff confirm the date of the 15th is not accurate. Details of the departure from Thunder Bay and arrival in the Region will be announced closer to the actual date."

Mark your calender to do train watching Feb 15, as that is the day the first car is to arrive at the yard. Can't tell you if it day or night delivery. A day delivery would catch people eyes, that will become big and start the conversation that trains will be running next spring.

Stop off on my way home and surprised to see incomplete work that was to be done by the year end. This project will be lucky to be complete by June.

In fact, they are enclosing all of Fairview station to complete it in a heated area.

More to come with photos

 

[drum118]

I've been told the following: "Region of Waterloo staff confirm the fate of the 15th is not accurate. Details of the departure from Thunder Bay and arrival in the Region will be announced closer to the actual date."

I was going to post "Don't Hold My Feet to the date since BBD is great for changing date" and going by what was told to me this week when I was in K-W. If its to be here for the 15th, it will have to leave Kingston Feb 10. If coming from Thunder Bay, could be a few days more.

Anyway, it will be here this month at some point, fingers cross.

 

[Allandale25]

That's why it can be helpful to add qualifiers/other words (IE "potentially" "approximately" "may") when stating a specific date for something like this, unless it's a public quote from a public source.

Agreed, fingers crossed.

I was going to post "Don't Hold My Feet to the date since BBD is great for changing date" and going by what was told to me this week when I was in K-W. If its to be here for the 15th, it will have to leave Kingston Feb 10. If coming from Thunder Bay, could be a few days more.

Anyway, it will be here this month at some point, fingers cross.

 

[drum118]

On Tuesday, the Region of Waterloo announced it was rescheduling public consultations on the draft route, citing ongoing labour negotiations. They were originally planned for mid-February, but now will be at the end of the February and early March.

The new dates and locations are:

• Thursday, Feb. 23 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Lions Arena (Hall), 20 Rittenhouse Rd, Kitchener.
• Tuesday, Feb. 28 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kin Club of Cambridge, 1400 Hamilton St., Cambridge.
• Wednesday, March 1 – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Newfoundland Club, 1500 Dunbar Rd., Cambridge.

The region said there would be a second round of public consultations in late 2017, after which a preferred route will be chosen and sent to regional council.

 

[micheal_can]

On Tuesday, the Region of Waterloo announced it was rescheduling public consultations on the draft route, citing ongoing labour negotiations. They were originally planned for mid-February, but now will be at the end of the February and early March.

The new dates and locations are:

• Thursday, Feb. 23 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Lions Arena (Hall), 20 Rittenhouse Rd, Kitchener.
• Tuesday, Feb. 28 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kin Club of Cambridge, 1400 Hamilton St., Cambridge.
• Wednesday, March 1 – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Newfoundland Club, 1500 Dunbar Rd., Cambridge.

The region said there would be a second round of public consultations in late 2017, after which a preferred route will be chosen and sent to regional council.

Is this for the next phase?

 

[Markster]

Is this for the next phase?

Correct. The extension from Fairview Mall to downtown Galt. (via... uh... well that's what we're trying to figure out)

 

[micheal_can]

Correct. The extension from Fairview Mall to downtown Galt. (via... uh... well that's what we're trying to figure out)

Ok, I will bite, where is considered Downtown Galt?

 

[Markster]

Ok, I will bite, where is considered Downtown Galt?

I think you're confusing the joke of "Where is downtown Cambridge?" with the actual historic town of Galt, which is a well-defined downtown on the Grand River toward the south of the modern City of Cambridge, which was formed out of the towns of Preston, Galt, and Hespeler.

Preston, Galt and Hespeler each have a downtown.
Cambridge has 3, and they are Preston, Galt and Hespeler.

 

[micheal_can]

I think you're confusing the joke of "Where is downtown Cambridge?" with the actual historic town of Galt, which is a well-defined downtown on the Grand River toward the south of the modern City of Cambridge, which was formed out of the towns of Preston, Galt, and Hespeler.

Preston, Galt and Hespeler each have a downtown.
Cambridge has 3, and they are Preston, Galt and Hespeler.

I knew that Galt was a part of Cambridge. I don't know the area well enough to know where the former town's downtown was. Thank you for the link.

 

[Markster]

Aha, no problem.

And I don't think it's been posted here, but this is the set of routings that they put in the notice for the public consultation.

Last year, the big shocker was the appearance of the Maple Grove/Speedsville routing. This would take the LRT through low density industrial lands in order to avoid rail-rail conflicts with an active spur that serves a large Toyota plant, and avoid steep grades on the approach to Preston. It would also make the trip longer, less direct, and skip Preston entirely.

Frankly, I'm of a mind that the Maple Grove/Speedsville route is worse than just staying with the existing BRT-lite solution (iXpress 200). It will be slower than the BRT (which uses the 401), while still failing to serve Preston (a current drawback of the BRT).

 

[nfitz]

The Ainslie Street Terminal is Galt. Downtown Hespler is off the top of the map by a bit.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From link: