ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

...most people get frustrated waiting for the walk signal that they just cross when the "coast is clear".

I hate to say it, but as a motorist this is one of the most annoying things ever.  We don't mind stopping for pedestrians who have requested a signal - but nothing is more wasteful than when a pedestrian comes up to a crosswalk, hits the button, looks both ways and crosses on the flashing red hand anyway.   They're long gone and traffic comes to a standstill, forcing them to decelerate, idle, and then accelerate - needlessly wasting fuel.

I also believe firmly that if a light has been priority green in one direction for a long time (because no cross-traffic triggered a light change at a smart signal), a pedistrian cross request should be effected immediately, not after a delay. There's no reason to make a person stand there and wait (except entice them to dangerously cross traffic against the signal). There is no penalty to the traffic (who wouldn't know otherwise that there was a delay or not). The only timer that is required is a recycle timer that doesn't permit requests to occur to close together.

Construction on the Waterloo Spur north of Columbia Ave.

You have an awesome view of construction!

[timio]

I also believe firmly that if a light has been priority green in one direction for a long time (because no cross-traffic triggered a light change at a smart signal), a pedistrian cross request should be effected immediately, not after a delay.  There's no reason to make a person stand there and wait (except entice them to dangerously cross traffic against the signal).  There is no penalty to the traffic (who wouldn't know otherwise that there was a delay or not).  The only timer that is required is a recycle timer that doesn't permit requests to occur to close together.

This.  Yes.  Please.

[ookpik]

I hate to say it, but as a motorist this is one of the most annoying things ever.  We don't mind stopping for pedestrians who have requested a signal - but nothing is more wasteful than when a pedestrian comes up to a crosswalk, hits the button, looks both ways and crosses on the flashing red hand anyway.   They're long gone and traffic comes to a standstill, forcing them to decelerate, idle, and then accelerate - needlessly wasting fuel.

How would you waste any less fuel or idle for less time if the pedestrian waits patiently for the light to turn red and only then begins to cross?

I also believe firmly that if a light has been priority green in one direction for a long time (because no cross-traffic triggered a light change at a smart signal), a pedistrian cross request should be effected immediately, not after a delay.  There's no reason to make a person stand there and wait (except entice them to dangerously cross traffic against the signal).  There is no penalty to the traffic (who wouldn't know otherwise that there was a delay or not).  The only timer that is required is a recycle timer that doesn't permit requests to occur to close together.

Here's one situation. Suppose there's a series of traffic lights along a main artery that are synchronized so that someone driving at the speed limit gets a so-called "green wave." In this case if pedestrian crossings get triggered when the button is pushed then this signal would defeat the green wave effect. That would frustrate drivers who were travelling at the speed limit so as to catch that wave.

This is one of my frustrations as a driver coming into Waterloo along Bridgeport Rd. The lights at Margaret, Weber, Regina, King and Albert are all synched into a green wave. But the lights at Bluevale and Ellis aren't. Cars travelling on those streets trigger sensors at those intersections causing those two lights to change colour out of synch with the green wave on Bridgeport. So even the few of us who actually try to keep to 50km/h along Bridgeport end up being stopped at Bluevale or Ellis. This is a very stupid design because it frustrates far more drivers on Bridgeport than it helps on Bluevale or Ellis. I wouldn't want this sort of traffic light behaviour to be carried over to pedestrian crossings too.

[Canard]

Agreed with everything above and I knew someone would call me out on the wasting less fuel if the pedestrian just waited. I give up. Let's talk more about trains.

[plam]

I hate to say it, but as a motorist this is one of the most annoying things ever.  We don't mind stopping for pedestrians who have requested a signal - but nothing is more wasteful than when a pedestrian comes up to a crosswalk, hits the button, looks both ways and crosses on the flashing red hand anyway.   They're long gone and traffic comes to a standstill, forcing them to decelerate, idle, and then accelerate - needlessly wasting fuel.

How would you waste any less fuel or idle for less time if the pedestrian waits patiently for the light to turn red and only then begins to cross?

Feels like a waste, since the wait is now no longer necessary. Objectively, of course not, as pointed out by someone.

[Canard]

I hope Bombardier or the region release some "final design" renderings of the trains. I hope there are no changes to the production model FLEXITY Freedom from what we've seen in the mockups. The nose design is far better than what Toronto has on the Outlook (though I know they were going for that more "classic" look). I'd also love to know what the final colour scheme will be - I hope it's what they've shown so far, I really love that blue. As a transit enthusiast, I think these are some of the nicest looking vehicles I've ever seen.

[KevinL]

I'm wondering if there's something further that can be started to give the community even more of a sense of ownership of the system.

This thought is inspired by my learning of what the English city of Nottingham did when they launched their LRT system 10 years ago: they named each train, after a local personality. This was for those famous (figure skaters Torvill and Dean, writers D.H. Lawrence and Lord Byron), legendary (Robin Hood), or simply locally prominent (a respected bike store owner, charity campaigners).

I'm not saying this *exact* idea should be followed, but it's a point of inspiration to see what we could do.

Anyone have thoughts?

[BuildingScout]

I'm in favor of naming things after people. Enough meaningless and cryptic remembrances ("Memorial", Erb St) and more specific tributes. Let's name the things, using full names and small bio printed on the side. Town founders, University founders, local NHL hockey players, local Olympians, local entrepreneurs, famous politicians (Mackenzie King), charity campaigners, local artists and actors. I think it would be great to take the Lazaridis on the way to University while riding back on the Jill Hennessy.

Additionally, we could have the Seiling express, which would honor all three NHL playing brothers of RoW chairman Ken Seiling. How's that for local connection?

[Canard]

Absolutely!

• In Washington DC, when it came time to update the automated announcements for the Metro, a contest was held and the public voted.  Randi Miller, an Acura dealership receptionist, is now the voice of the trains. I smile every time I ride that system!
  
  
• In Besancon, France, each of the new CAF trains on their system have been decorated with a person of significance for the region, with a silhouette and writeup about them (it sounds silly, but looks fantastic in execution - this is France, after all!):
  
  
  

I'd love to see the team here work with Bombardier to offer up some different door-closing chime options (even let the public submit their own!), and have a public vote on it. As a transit enthusiast, one of my favourite things when riding a new system is hearing the door close chime. Some cities have horrible buzzers (boring!), and others have nice, pleasant, two or three-tone chimes to signal door-closing. It's a simple thing that most people will overlook (why spend any time thinking about that?), but really, it's something that people will hear dozens of times per day while riding the system, so it should be non-intrusive but pleasant. Look how iconic the TTC's three-tone chime is (which is really the UTDC chime - if you want to know the history, I'd be happy to go into it!).

[ookpik]

I'm wondering if there's something further that can be started to give the community even more of a sense of ownership of the system.

This thought is inspired by my learning of what the English city of Nottingham did when they launched their LRT system 10 years ago: they named each train, after a local personality. This was for those famous (figure skaters Torvill and Dean, writers D.H. Lawrence and Lord Byron), legendary (Robin Hood), or simply locally prominent (a respected bike store owner, charity campaigners).

I'm not saying this *exact* idea should be followed, but it's a point of inspiration to see what we could do.

Anyone have thoughts?

I've taken the cable car up the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel on several occasions. Each car is named after someone who's won the Hahnenkamm World Cup downhill ski race, including three of the "Crazy Canucks," Ken Read, Steve Podborski(*) and Todd Brooker. I've seen but not ridden in all three of the cars named after them. It certainly does instill a sense of pride in Canada, perhaps more so because it's in a foreign country. 

I'd welcome similar recognition of people who made significant contributions to Waterloo Region. A public poll/contest to nominate people would be a good way to generate publicity for the LRT prior to the official inauguration of service.

(*)  They also have the national flag above each name but for some reason it's missing above Podborski's.

[DHLawrence]

Naming LRTs is a nice idea, but from there it's a short jump to naming rights. The first round of Manchester Metrolink trams were all named, but most of them ended up named "Virgin Megastore" in the end.

[MidTowner]

Naming LRTs is a nice idea, but from there it's a short jump to naming rights. The first round of Manchester Metrolink trams were all named, but most of them ended up named "Virgin Megastore" in the end.

That made me shudder.

[KevinL]

Naming LRTs is a nice idea, but from there it's a short jump to naming rights. The first round of Manchester Metrolink trams were all named, but most of them ended up named "Virgin Megastore" in the end.

Yes, there's a tricky line there that I have every hope we will NOT cross. My proposal is for making a community connection, not for selling out.

[BuildingScout]

The name Erb St. without explanation is pretty much useless. This is a cryptic reference. We can look at Paris for inspiration where signs are being changed to this form:



Pardon the Brunswick Films Ltd. watermark.

[Canard]

You lost me, what's the connection to Erb St. and our trains?