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ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit
(08-04-2017, 12:53 PM)Canard Wrote: Have just been informed concrete for the Rapidway can't be painted until the sealing is finished. That's where they remove the white plastic spacer strips and put in the black goop.

Thanks for pushing the question until the answer came. That is interesting to know. Also good to know they can answer the question even if it takes a while. Do you know if the sealing is just for the gaps where the spacers were, or is there a component of the process that applies to the entire concrete surface?
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(08-04-2017, 04:06 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(08-04-2017, 12:53 PM)Canard Wrote: Have just been informed concrete for the Rapidway can't be painted until the sealing is finished. That's where they remove the white plastic spacer strips and put in the black goop.

Thanks for pushing the question until the answer came. That is interesting to know. Also good to know they can answer the question even if it takes a while. Do you know if the sealing is just for the gaps where the spacers were, or is there a component of the process that applies to the entire concrete surface?

I assume sealing means the gaps.  I have seen crews going around, scraping out the rocks and sand from the gaps, taking off the white caps and putting black tar (I think tar) in the gap.

This would be inhibited by painting because there would be paint in the gap.

That being said, I've never seen this (or any other kind of sealing) done on new concrete anywhere else, does anyone know why it's required?
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(08-04-2017, 04:06 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: Thanks for pushing the question until the answer came. That is interesting to know. Also good to know they can answer the question even if it takes a while.

For the record - it wasn't any official channel that replied - it was one of my friends on the inside.  They're still "officially" silent on the issue!

To answer your other question, it's for expansion. I can't remember the numbers but it's something like every 8 m there is a break for expansion between the large sections of concrete.

Welp, that didn't last long:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That's cute, but I'll still play dumb and safe and ride on the sidewalk on Northfield. Way too unsafe on the road. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BikeWR?src=hash">#BikeWR</a> <a href="https://t.co/lYBYwrddzu">pic.twitter.com/lYBYwrddzu</a></p>&mdash; Iain Hendry (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/893581907677544450">August 4, 2017</a></blockquote>

Looks like it all washed away in the rain.
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Speaking of painted surfaces like that, I haven't experienced it myself, but it has a reputation for being very slippery when wet. Has anyone experienced this on the bike?

With regard to sealing concrete, I know my parents recently poured a new concrete floor in their garage and the entire surface was sealed. I don't know if this is similar to what they will being doing with ION though.
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No no, it's not sealing - it's removing the plastic strips between the concrete sections, and replacing it with a rubber goo.

I'll take some close-up photos sometime this weekend, it's happening throughout the whole route now.
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(08-04-2017, 07:21 PM)jamincan Wrote: Speaking of painted surfaces like that, I haven't experienced it myself, but it has a reputation for being very slippery when wet. Has anyone experienced this on the bike?

With regard to sealing concrete, I know my parents recently poured a new concrete floor in their garage and the entire surface was sealed. I don't know if this is similar to what they will being doing with ION though.

Oh yeah most of the paint on the road gets really slippery in the wet, I've noticed even the white stop lines on the road get like that when they are wet. The only solution I can think of off hand would be a grit paint of some sort but even that will wear smooth if it's driven over a lot.
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Good news out of Kingston (Millhaven)!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Of course. Pilot 2 speed trials ongoing in Kingston. Tested recently at 50 km/h. Should reach top speed of 80 km/h in the coming weeks.</p>&mdash; BombardierRail (@BombardierRail) <a href="https://twitter.com/BombardierRail/status/890549178253811713">July 27, 2017</a></blockquote>

Hopefully some video soon.
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The trail in front of the University of Waterloo station has been bumped out a little, allowing for some plants to be installed in front of the Signal House!  I think it's a nice touch, and don't mind the extra 14 cm of distance it adds to the trip.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The trail through <a href="https://twitter.com/UWaterloo">@UWaterloo</a> has been reconfigured to bump out slightly allowing plants to hide the signal house. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bikeWR?src=hash">#bikeWR</a> Cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/TriTAG">@TriTAG</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wpm1bsl08t">pic.twitter.com/Wpm1bsl08t</a></p>&mdash; Iain Hendry (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/893863814986444801">August 5, 2017</a></blockquote>

Oh, and would you look at that!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Well shoot! First sightings of lane markings on Rapidway? Finally!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/4kfpO9ZUjK">pic.twitter.com/4kfpO9ZUjK</a></p>&mdash; Iain Hendry (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/893860367214022656">August 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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An insider is alluding that the Driver's Facility at Fairway has to move, due to some kind of property issue.  Interesting...

   
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Far as I can tell, it's within the Hydro right-of-way, which the mall does not own. I'm sure before anything for the system (tracks, stations, other buildings) was built the Region would be certain to have full permission to build.

And if they don't, why is it coming up now? That thing's been there for months.
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That's quite the audacious claim this late in the game.
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I don't think I've ever seen a U-Turn arrow painted on the road like this anywhere, so this was a new one for me:

   
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A u-turn-only lane in itself is new to me, let alone painted as such.
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I'm pretty sure the only ones I've ever seen just have signs on poles - but never paint on the ground like this.  I'm trying to figure out if GrandLinq just "made something up" for this, or if it's an actual, very rarely used MTO standard!

(Also, disclaimer, photo taken from bike - not from behind the wheel!)
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U-Turn only lanes definitely exist elsewhere, particularly on divided highways in Michigan (Michigan Left) and in places with lots of rural one-way of frontage Roads. I think there are also a few planned for Eglinton for their LRT. Here, labelling it as a U-Turn is appropriate as the entrance to the KCI lot has been moved away from the intersection with Central Fresh.
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