ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[chutten]

In many European systems, trams operate in effect in mixed foot and bicycle traffic, with little to no boundaries and barriers to inhibit mobility by the latter two groups. They go slow through city centres where people will be crossing the tracks, and from what I've observed, it works.

I can anecdotally confirm this is the case on Banhoffstrasse in Zurich (which I guess was a bit more streetcar than tram?), and Leiderstraat in Amsterdam

[ijmorlan]

I’m trying to come up with a joke involving fencing preventing Jay walking but I can’t make it work.

Walking doesn’t prevent Jay Fencing…

[ookpik]

In many European systems, trams operate in effect in mixed foot and bicycle traffic, with little to no boundaries and barriers to inhibit mobility by the latter two groups. They go slow through city centres where people will be crossing the tracks, and from what I've observed, it works.

I can anecdotally confirm this is the case on Banhoffstrasse in Zurich (which I guess was a bit more streetcar than tram?), and Leiderstraat in Amsterdam

Yes and also in smaller, KW-sized communities like Innsbruck.

In Zurich giving people and public transport priority over private cars has been a much longer and much more comprehensive project than we're undertaking. See Zurich's Policies Favor People & Transit, Not Cars and especially the video. Now about 1/3 of residents use the trams (LRTs) to get around, another 1/3 use their feet, 1/4 drive and the rest bike. The relatively low car usage is achieved by limiting the number of cars that can enter the city as well as the number of parking spaces available to those who do get in. Also because walking and public transit are so convenient only about half the residents even have cars in the first place.

As attractive and refreshing as Zurich's approach may be, unfortunately it's not going to happen here any time soon.

[GtwoK]

I'm trying to figure out how the Waterloo Park section is going to be laid out in the end, for the purpose of remapping it in Google Maps.

• So the parking lot adjacent to the Seagram stop will be no more, correct? The technical drawings (page 14 and 15) seem to imply that, but yet they still show an in/out lane for vehicles that is connected to Seagram in that spot. Where is that supposed to be headed, if the parking lot doesn't exist? How will the trail be organized around this area? 
  

• The Ion blog mentions that the "Central Drive" rail crossing will be removed which connects to the parking lot, and that a trail will be replacing it. The mentioned drawins show a staircase at that crossing — for what? There's no grade change here, why are there stairs?
  

• "Central Drive" is also supposedly being rerouted to run along the east side of the tracks and connect to Seagram. The drawings make no note of this though, nor do the stop plans and renders. Where is it supposed to be connecting? My guess would be either where the eastern side of the trail meets Seagram, or in-between those 2 parking lots on Seagram. Interested to know which though, so that I can edit it in on Google Maps.
  

• Also... "Central Drive"? The road technically does not exist according to the City's official GIS and plans — is it simply the road running from Central St to the parking lot? Does it include the section running from Young up to Central St, and/or the section from Young to the splash pad parking lot?
  

[Markster]

I'm trying to figure out how the Waterloo Park section is going to be laid out in the end, for the purpose of remapping it in Google Maps.

So the parking lot adjacent to the Seagram stop will be no more, correct? The technical drawings (page 14 and 15) seem to imply that, but yet they still show an in/out lane for vehicles that is connected to Seagram in that spot. Where is that supposed to be headed, if the parking lot doesn't exist? How will the trail be organized around this area? 

Eventually, the parking lot will be no more, at least according to the Waterloo Park master plan.
However, it's likely to continue to exist, until there is money for implementing said plan. GrandLink will restore access to the existing lot, such as it exists.

The Ion blog mentions that the "Central Drive" rail crossing will be removed which connects to the parking lot, and that a trail will be replacing it. The mentioned drawins show a staircase at that crossing — for what? There's no grade change here, why are there stairs?

At the south end of the future LRT platform, there will absolutely be a grade change to the path to the east. (up, in the drawing). The existing path on the east side is very low, and regularly floods during rainstorms.

"Central Drive" is also supposedly being rerouted to run along the east side of the tracks and connect to Seagram. The drawings make no note of this though, nor do the stop plans and renders. Where is it supposed to be connecting? My guess would be either where the eastern side of the trail meets Seagram, or in-between those 2 parking lots on Seagram. Interested to know which though, so that I can edit it in on Google Maps.

I don't believe that the master plan calls for this. I think the plan is to close Central Dr to traffic.
Currently, Central Dr is being detoured up the Laurel Trail, to the Curling Club's parking lot.

Also... "Central Drive"? The road technically does not exist according to the City's official GIS and plans — is it simply the road running from Central St to the parking lot? Does it include the section running from Young up to Central St, and/or the section from Young to the splash pad parking lot?

I would presume that it's just the section from Central, past the tennis courts, to the Seagram parking lot. But that's just a supposition.

[Canard]

I sure hope the North Lot isn't going anywhere. That's usually where we park when we head there, although lately I've been sneaking in off of the Young entrance, off Albert, and using the "high-up" lot next to the splash pad and burger house.

[Markster]

Is the Laurel Trail open north of University now?

The Laurel Trail is basically a mess.

It's mostly closed from Columbia to...  well, it's hard to describe.  Here's a map:

Oh man, so I took a quick look at the state of the trail yesterday, and it was a lot more closed than I had previously thought.
I've updated my map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z...sp=sharing

[ijmorlan]

The Laurel Trail is basically a mess.

It's mostly closed from Columbia to...  well, it's hard to describe.  Here's a map:

Oh man, so I took a quick look at the state of the trail yesterday, and it was a lot more closed than I had previously thought.
I've updated my map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z...sp=sharing

Great map. Now why isn’t GrandLinq producing anything like that? Their signage and barrier management leave a lot to be desired.

[Canard]

They release a very detailed construction update every week or two via an email list. You can subscribe to it at www.rideion.ca .

[Pheidippides]

The minutes of the June 25th all council meeting are now available. There was a short presentation about ION, but it does not reveal anything not already known (especially now that the information is 2 months old). There is a photo of the girder used on the Huron spur that is impressive though.

According to the minutes council expressed concerns about the Caroline St work, and signage in general.
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...pdf#page22

[Canard]

First catpole foundations are in!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">First catpole foundations are in on Borden!! <a href="https://twitter.com/WRConnected">@WRConnected</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt">@rideIONrt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="http://t.co/zmTa1aFNCq">pic.twitter.com/zmTa1aFNCq</a></p>&mdash; Iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/634123051597172736">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>

They were not there on Sunday, but now all of Borden between the CN tracks and Courtland is populated.

[Spokes]

I still find myself amazed that track is going down, and this is actually happening!!

[Canard]

I pinch myself daily. The pace is insane now - I'd like to think I'm fairly in touch with what's going on at every point of the route... Then suddenly, bam - there's been a whole section finished that went under my radar. Loving this forum so we can all keep each other appraised!

[Square]

Is it me or my eyes are deceiving me with those pictures on Borden?  Will the track really fit in that space??  Thank you.

[Canard]

Yes; keep in mind, that on Bordon it's a single direction, so just one pair of rails.