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

[Leo_Chan]

Given the LRT car is with a new GO car that comes down by CP through Sudbury, presumably the Waterloo car will come the usual route.
View attachment 99088

That GO car in the background looks cute in the background. I just realized that the Flexity Freedom is longer than the BiLevel Coach, surprisingly.

 

[P0per]

Quite simple answer to your concern. There is currently not enough existing density in Preston/Galt to justify LRT. The only way that the city as a whole can justify LRT is to look at future growth. If you want bus service by all means keep the existing density.

But if you want LRT to Galt you need added density along the route. It's a long way from Kitchener to Galt to have an LRT with zero demand along the entire route until you get to the end.

And yes, Preston is nice. But a 4 block strip of worn down stores with large parking lots behind and no residential/commercial density. Not a hot spot for LRT.

There are some very practical reasons for the alignment, outside of the potential for development on Hespeler Rd.

First, Hespeler Road alignment will stop near Smart Centres, which provides a connection to the 25 GO Bus. It's a bit of a walk from where the LRT would enter Hespeler Rd, but its' valuable. A route through Preston does not permit this.

Second, Cambridge Centre is a major hub for GRT busses. Skipping this is makes LRT far less accessible to many Cambridge routes.

Third, there is residential development on Hespeler Rd. immediately South of Dunbar St., including a new development in early stages.

Fourth, King St. in Preston is about the same width as King St. in downtown Kitchener, which required a one-way alignment to preserve traffic. The same would have to happen in Preston, but there is no reasonable route for the second half of the one-way alignment.

Pathetic as they are, Cambridge Centre and SmartCentres Cambridge have important transit connections that a spine like the propose LRT cannot reasonably bypass.

 

[crs1026]

OK, a rivet counter's nitpick.....is it actually numbered "One" ?

- Paul

PS - earlier this week an official used the word 'interchange' regarding the pickup from T Bay..... which is how the Winnipeg thing may have propagated....but 'E' Yard is indeed where 420 does its work, so that would suggest the usual CP routing. We will know in the morning.

 

[Edward Skira]

White River

 

[micheal_can]

White River

View attachment 99238

Sometime tomorrow they should be here in Sudbury. How can I track it?

 

[Kitsune]

Sometime tomorrow they should be here in Sudbury. How can I track it?

Its on the CP tracks so it will be in downtown Sudbury sometime tonite most likely I believe.

 

[micheal_can]

Its on the CP tracks so it will be in downtown Sudbury sometime tonite most likely I believe.

Those tracks go by my house. That's why I ask.

 

[Transportfan]

Same with QQ, unfortunately I think it will take someone getting hurt or killed before they will come to their senses and put up fences on the pedestrian side and higher curbs and or bollards on the car side.

By that logic they should put up fences along all streets as pedestrians sometimes step into traffic. Death may be the last taboo, but its a taboo that's certainly gone into high gear among the urbanist crowd.

 

[Steve X]

By that logic they should put up fences along all streets as pedestrians sometimes step into traffic. Death may be the last taboo, but its a taboo that's certainly gone into high gear among the urbanist crowd.

You can't help stupidity. The next time someone will get injured because they weren't paying attention and falling off a bike scraping against the fence.

The lack of danger promotes lower sense of awareness for danger. People would be more careful with more danger around.

 

[Aylmer]

You can't help stupidity. The next time someone will get injured because they weren't paying attention and falling off a bike scraping against the fence.

Hence the need for a second fence to protect people from the first fence.

 

[P0per]

Feb 19.

Last look before test train arrives.

Crossovers complete at Conestoga Mall station
IMG_1890 by ION Construction, on Flickr


North of Uptown Waterloo, the route looks ready. Snow/Ice melters for switches installed at all crossovers.
IMG_1942 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Completed transition from Northfield to Waterloo Spur.
IMG_1907-1909 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Yard is ready and waiting for first train.
IMG_1914-1923 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Crossing protection was active at Laurel Creek pedestrian crossing. Assuming just a test.
IMG_1947 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Heaters used to complete curing for last sections of remaining rail.
IMG_1955 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Precise speed limit.
IMG_1962 by ION Construction, on Flickr

This stretch of King from Union to Central Fresh Markets is an ugly mess.
IMG_1966 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Tracks being laid under Guelph Sub now.
IMG_1984 by ION Construction, on Flickr

Crossover by Pandora
IMG_2002 by ION Construction, on Flickr

LRT tracks now complete alongside Huron Park Spur from Ottawa to Hayward...
IMG_2022 by ION Construction, on Flickr

... including Highway 7 underpass.
IMG_2024 by ION Construction, on Flickr


View entire album on Flickr

 

[P0per]

A video was posted yesterday by the region asserting that 96% of track is laid and 100% of underground utilities are complete.

Slightly misleading. The track figure is probably correct, but most of the OCS has not been installed South of Wellington. So even once the last 4% is complete, there's a bunch more work before that can be used for testing.

 

[micheal_can]

What do the yellow number signs mean?

 

[P0per]

What do the yellow number signs mean?

They are speed limits (in km/h as debated previously)

 

[Leo_Chan]

They are speed limits (in km/h as debated previously)

For the LRVs right?