ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Markster]

My druthers for station placement would have been: University, Columbia, Bearinger, Northfield. But yeah, politics ruled the day.

Route 9 really is going to need some updating in the post-ION world, but I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do with it. The road network and station placement really do not work well together.

I think part of what's just going to happen is that McCormick will be slightly less desirable for students, and after a few years, you'll see some of the buildings become less student focused. Back in 2004, before the iXpress and before the #9 extension to UW, the people who moved up there either had a car, or were willing to do the walk down the Laurel Trail.

[Canard]

I wonder what the timing will be for all the bus route changes, too - like, do you think on ion opening day, boom, everything will shift over to a new map? Or will most of it be incremental, with the bus lines that parallel the route either shifting or be eliminated?

[Markster]

I wonder what the timing will be for all the bus route changes, too - like, do you think on ion opening day, boom, everything will shift over to a new map? Or will most of it be incremental, with the bus lines that parallel the route either shifting or be eliminated?

GRT has me pretty convinced of their penchant for risk aversion, and preference for schedules. The ION launch will be a moving target, and it's hard to schedule major updates around that.

I wouldn't be surprised if the only Day 1 change is that the 200 stops running Conestoga to Fairview. Other changes, like Route 7 rationalization, would follow at the next regular seasonal schedule update.

Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe the ION launch date will be set in stone well in advance, and GRT will be able to plan a mid-season update around it.

[KevinL]

The launch is set for autumn 2017; usually the schedule changes are rolled out on Labour Day weekend. If the two don't coincide we could have a bit of a wonky period where the two services are not working together as expected. Then again, they could arrange for them to coincide if they can get a concrete enough Ion launch date.

[MidTowner]

My druthers for station placement would have been: University, Columbia, Bearinger, Northfield. But yeah, politics ruled the day.

Route 9 really is going to need some updating in the post-ION world, but I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do with it. The road network and station placement really do not work well together.

I think part of what's just going to happen is that McCormick will be slightly less desirable for students, and after a few years, you'll see some of the buildings become less student focused. Back in 2004, before the iXpress and before the #9 extension to UW, the people who moved up there either had a car, or were willing to do the walk down the Laurel Trail.

You are right on all counts. That is the logical station placement because those are the major cross streets, allowing for good bus routes that actually connect with Ion. Connections are going to be hard with the current station placement, but the ship is sailed.

And that's exactly what is going to happen with McCormick. It's popular with students right now because of the iXpress stop, but without that it will naturally become less so except for folks willing to walk. I can't see what rerouting of the 9 would happen to serve it nearly as well as it is served now (I want to see a Weber express because it would be truly fast, but a lot less so with the detour chutten describes above). I think that residency choices will just change, and there's no population who can do that faster than students.

I do think that, even with the current station placements, an Ion station at the McCormick Centre would have been called for. But, again, what's done is done.

[KevinL]

Work on Charles is WELL under way, witnessed by the giant long tent over the right of way - which stretches from north of Water, to well under the Manulife building.

[mpd618]

I think part of what's just going to happen is that McCormick will be slightly less desirable for students, and after a few years, you'll see some of the buildings become less student focused.  Back in 2004, before the iXpress and before the #9 extension to UW, the people who moved up there either had a car, or were willing to do the walk down the Laurel Trail.

And that's exactly what is going to happen with McCormick. It's popular with students right now because of the iXpress stop, but without that it will naturally become less so except for folks willing to walk. I can't see what rerouting of the 9 would happen to serve it nearly as well as it is served now (I want to see a Weber express because it would be truly fast, but a lot less so with the detour chutten describes above). I think that residency choices will just change, and there's no population who can do that faster than students.

Yeah, I agree with this. With the massive amount of housing being built in the university district, my understanding is that these more outlying areas are returning back to non-student use. That'll continue, and the student population will shift to where the transit is pretty quickly.

[timc]

Yeah, I agree with this. With the massive amount of housing being built in the university district, my understanding is that these more outlying areas are returning back to non-student use. That'll continue, and the student population will shift to where the transit is pretty quickly.

But what does this mean for the non-student residents of the area?

[chutten]

Yeah, I agree with this. With the massive amount of housing being built in the university district, my understanding is that these more outlying areas are returning back to non-student use. That'll continue, and the student population will shift to where the transit is pretty quickly.

But what does this mean for the non-student residents of the area?

It means they'll be forced to walk some double-digit minutes of time to the nearest transit stop.

Like me :(

[Pheidippides]

Route 9 really is going to need some updating in the post-ION world, but I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do with it.  The road network and station placement really do not work well together.

Plans from years ago called for route 9 to be rerouted through the R & T Park with a new route between UW and Northlake via Hazel, Albert, and Weber

Isn't that what the route 9 late night loop already does?

GRT seems to be fairly incremental about the system wide changes; I expect that will continue. I don't think we will go to bed one night and the next morning when Ion is up and running have a completely different network.

I think after the #7 rationalization takes place they could probably re-route the 201 from King/Columbia to follow the current 200's route through Northfield/Parkside/North campus; especially if we end up with an "express" 7 going straight down King.

I could also see an new express running from the Boardwalk north, up Erbsville and across Conservation down Westmount and across Northfield and down Weber, especially once that Beaver Meadows District is built out.

Recognizing that I am also contributing, but perhaps this conversation needs to be moved over to the GRT thread; it is drifting a little bit off of Ion.

[mpd618]

But what does this mean for the non-student residents of the area?

They're returned to the baseline subdivision kind of transit service, plus an ION stop within a bit further walking distance. Which is kind of crappy, and a reason to redesign Route 9 and add corridor service through that area. An ION stop near the current McCormick one would be a pretty natural infill.

[ookpik]

Another Outhit strike out: Your rail transit bill has now reached $473 

To date, there's no evidence that rail transit is getting people out of cars or drawing jobs to all 19 future stations. 

Well, d'oh! Is it possible that's because the LRT hasn't been built and isn't in operation?

But there are job sparks at King and Victoria streets in Kitchener. There's evidence of housing drawn to stations. 

I'm not sure why "job sparks" (whatever they're supposed to be) are restricted to one intersection. There's ample evidence of new building construction all along the LRT route.

Trains won't run until 2017, so rail transit ambitions have time to come true.

Again, how would "rail transit ambitions" "come true" before the LRT is in operation?

Then he goes on to bash GRT for providing needed services to those with mobility issues, students and others who can't afford their own cars.

Meanwhile Jeff's bosses are wringing their hands over why they have to close down newspapers, most recently The Record's sister publication in Guelph. If only they'd read one of Jeff's pieces the answer would become instantly clear.

[BuildingScout]

Another Outhit strike out: Your rail transit bill has now reached $473 

To date, there's no evidence that rail transit is getting people out of cars or drawing jobs to all 19 future stations. 

Well, d'oh! Is it possible that's because the LRT hasn't been built and isn't in operation?


Meanwhile Jeff's bosses are wringing their hands over why they have to close down newspapers, most recently The Record's sister publication in Guelph. If only they'd read one of Jeff's pieces the answer would become instantly clear.

Exactly. It's garbage like Jeff Outhit's that stop me from being a subscriber to The Record. I don't mind seeing opinions different than mine, but drivel such as blaming an unbuilt LRT for not being used is beyond the pale. I wonder how it ever got past the editor.

[Canard]

Last week, the inyard area of the OMSF was pretty empty and flat.  Today, it's jam packed with equipment and workers.

   

   

   

   

[Canard]

Laurier/Waterloo Park/Seagram (I can never remember what they finally decided for this station's name) is coming along.

   

   

   

   

   
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