ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[danbrotherston]

Yeah. I have no idea what the reason for the difference is. It seems unnecessary.

[Viewfromthe42]

I've seen several drivers already at Charles St Southwestbound at Queen use the LRT right of way as a right turn lane. Put someone in it who's waiting for pedestrians, or for traffic on Queen northwestbound to clear, and you've got a blockage. Similarly, anywhere that there's a stop line more than a foot from the crosswalk (gaukel at King, Duke at Francis, Francis at King), and people will drive well past it.

[KevinL]

Bizarrely enough, the southbound LRT tracks across Ottawa at Mill - which had been entombed under asphalt back in the autumn - are now being dug back up. I had thought the treatment was intended for the entire winter, but am being proven wrong in the most adverse of weather conditions.

[Canard]

Weirdness all around!

Also: Central Fresh is running ads on 570 News saying King/Wellington is open, when it's not. I haven't been by here in a few days - what gives?

[Viewfromthe42]

Possibly a gamble on their part. Either they are correct, and get advertising to help bring sales up, or they are wrong, and delays in the reopening of that intersection get blamed for wasted advertising dollars, and we see more stories on 570 and in The Record, and they get advertising that way.

[Canard]

1/2 - Saturday, December 17, 2016

Not much going on, as expected - but that's more indicative of construction being nearly complete than the weather.

   
Frederick, between Duke and King.

   
The fire escape staircase awaits replacement (or total demolition).

   
Future Queen station

   
Future Queen station

   
Now would be a great time to practice snow removal techniques, instead of waiting to the last minute and then realizing it might not go all to plan.

[Canard]

2/2 - Saturday, December 17, 2016

   

   
The King St. Grade Separation looks about like it has for the past month or two.

[KevinL]

Not sure if you spotted it, Canard, but traffic signals are installed at King and Frederick/Benton. Gradually moving towards that being reopened...

[Canard]

There were a couple of guys there this afternoon tinkering with that one, yeah. So hard to tell with all the snow where things are at.

[DHLawrence]

That overpass doesn't look like it will translate into platforms and an LRT connection very easily.

[Canard]

That overpass doesn't look like it will translate into platforms and an LRT connection very easily.

I don't think the design of the transit hub has been finalized (or a developer even chosen).  Although I do remember seeing initial proposals having a staircase and/or elevator to get up there.  I don't think it's too far off from what other cities have, in my experience.  This was my transfer between the Tokyo Haneda monorail and the Yamanote line in Tokyo, for example - Down two escalators, through an intermediate faregate, down another escalator, up another set, and then down a final set of stairs to the platforms.

So going up one staircase to the railway platforms from the LRT platforms is really not so bad!

Edit: Here's the diagram I was thinking of:

[tomh009]

Although I do remember seeing initial proposals having a staircase and/or elevator to get up there.  I don't think it's too far off from what other cities have, in my experience.  This was my transfer between the Tokyo Haneda monorail and the Yamanote line in Tokyo, for example - Down two escalators, through an intermediate faregate, down another escalator, up another set, and then down a final set of stairs to the platforms.

So going up one staircase to the railway platforms from the LRT platforms is really not so bad!

Agreed.  In any major city I can think of, changing trains from one company to another (but still in one station complex) typically requires some combination of walking, stairs and/or escalators, and often multiples.  Union Station GO to subway, Tokyo metro to JR, Paddington Heathrow Express to tube etc.  It would be rare for two different companies to have neighbouring platforms on the same level.

[plam]

Although I do remember seeing initial proposals having a staircase and/or elevator to get up there.  I don't think it's too far off from what other cities have, in my experience.  This was my transfer between the Tokyo Haneda monorail and the Yamanote line in Tokyo, for example - Down two escalators, through an intermediate faregate, down another escalator, up another set, and then down a final set of stairs to the platforms.

So going up one staircase to the railway platforms from the LRT platforms is really not so bad!

Agreed.  In any major city I can think of, changing trains from one company to another (but still in one station complex) typically requires some combination of walking, stairs and/or escalators, and often multiples.  Union Station GO to subway, Tokyo metro to JR, Paddington Heathrow Express to tube etc.  It would be rare for two different companies to have neighbouring platforms on the same level.

Switzerland's transport system is amazingly integrated even if there are multiple operators. Zurich HB is still huge so you might get stairs/elevators/walking, but not necessarily because of mode.

I can't think of any integrated transfers in New York City.

[Canard]

1/2 - Sunday, November 18, 2016

   
The embedded track curve from Hayward, onto the Huron Spur.

   
The Huron Spur, looking off toward Mill.

   
Hayward Ave.

   
Courtland.

[Canard]

2/2 - Sunday, November 18, 2016

   
I was surprised to see a group of folks out clearing snow from the tracks on Courtland!

   
Light Rail construction in Canada brings some unique challenges.

   
I just loved how the late afternoon sun illuminated the work these guys were doing.

   
Almost like a scene from another planet.

   
Out of all the photos I've captured over the last couple of years of construction, I think this is my favourite.