08-28-2014, 01:20 PM
LRT construction to starts at seven sites
August 15, 2014 | Paige Desmond | Waterloo Region Record |Link
August 15, 2014 | Paige Desmond | Waterloo Region Record |Link
Quote:WATERLOO REGION — And now the work begins.
Street sections in Kitchener and Waterloo will be torn up or closed simultaneously as officials prepare to lay tracks for the light rail system starting in 2015.
"Building a light rail system is an enormous undertaking. There will be temporary disruptions and inconveniences," said Marty Harris, vice-president of operations for GrandLinq, construction consortium charged with building the region's LRT.
At a media briefing Friday, officials laid out plans for the first four months of light rail construction.
Work will take place at seven sites in Kitchener and Waterloo by the end of the year, including construction of an operations and maintenance facility on Dutton Drive.
"This is the only way it's going to happen," Coun. Tom Galloway said. "You can't build this a foot at a time."
No tracks will be laid this year, with mostly preparatory work being done including infrastructure relocations and clearing of vegetation.
In Waterloo, the most disruptive work will be on Caroline Street from Erb Street to Allen Street and Allen from Caroline to King Street South.
On about Sept. 8, sections of Caroline will be closed to traffic as water and sewer infrastructure is relocated. Access to local businesses and homes will be maintained, but through traffic will be cut off.
The work is scheduled for about four months.
In Kitchener, the most disruptive work will be at Borden Avenue from Charles Street East to the CN Railway tracks. That's expected to start Sept. 15.
Work and access issues will be similar to that of Caroline.
Officials have created a website, www.rideion.ca, hotline and email address for residents to stay informed and raise concerns about construction.
Galloway expects this first round of construction will set the tone in the community for the rest of the project.
"Getting it right the first time is going to be very important," he said.
In an attempt to get it right the first time, Harris said GrandLinq does advance training with its supervisors for each neighbourhood where work will take place.
"The boots on the ground people have kind of a planning book," he said.
Those books outline expected issues and sensitivities in the neighbourhood. Those briefings also include safety training.
The light rail system is expected complete by the end of 2016 with trains running 19 kilometres in 2017 from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park mall in Kitchener.
Construction is expected to get underway soon in Cambridge for express buses that will travel 17 kilometres from Fairview Park mall in Kitchener to the Ainslie Street transit terminal.
That work includes installation of bus stops and road work. It's being completed by a separate contractor, not part of the light rail consortium.
The rapid transit hotline is 1-844-625-1010 and the email is connect@rideion.ca.