ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[timio]

The Waterloo Park master plan has a path/bridge near the tpss to cross the creek and come out by the skate park.

Also, people would stay on the south side because, in general people are (a) creatures of habit (b) not very observant, and © more likely to continue moving forward to find a way across the tracks than to turn around when they find their planned route blocked.

When construction is complete, this issue will likely go away, but in the interim state, it's feasible that this would occur regularly.

[timc]

Why would they stay on the south side?  The trail is on the North side.  They should cross over at Seagram before even crossing it... I just don't get (even before construction) why anyone would be walking on the South side of the tracks.  There's nothing there and if you got to "B" there's no bridge, crossing, anything.  It's never been anything but a dead end.

It was previously possible to stay on the south side and cross the tracks at Central. That crossing is now blocked. But it's only temporary, so I'm not that concerned (although it is a pain to go down that way and have to turn back). I was also somewhat confused originally, because I thought the comment was about the road being blocked (but it isn't -- it's only a detour), and I wasn't really thinking about pedestrian access at all.

Anyway, the Waterloo Park master plan is a nice thing in theory, but I don't think it's anywhere close to being implemented, is it? And when it is, maybe there will be a bridge over by the skate park.

[Canard]

Ohhhhhhh, so this is the problem?  A is the start, B is the point of realization of the closure, and C is eventually where they're headed? Would a simple "Trail Closed - Please turn Left" sign at the North end of the ion platform (Seagram at the Trail/Tracks) not solve 100% of this problem?

   

Gosh.  I think the Traynor Ave folks might like to have a word on this discussion!

[plam]

Yes. I did the long detour all the way to the creek yesterday. First, Seagram didn't look especially open with machinery operating, though the detour signs say to cross there. Also there's no level crossing so you actually have to lift your bike over the tracks. So it's not just the sign that's missing, but also making Seagram look open. I continued, hoping to find a better crossing.

After finding that Central Drive (by the tennis courts) was closed, I was thinking there would be some other way across, but there was just the river. And there were at least two other people going the same way. "Unless you're planning to swim, there's no way across."

[jamincan]

A more likely scenario would be coming from the trails to the west, going south to cross at Central, continuing south thinking there is a crossing further ahead, and then having to back track all the way to Seagram.

[Viewfromthe42]

Since sidewalk is only on the south side of seagram, you're likely already there. If you're already there, you're likely to try to cut diagonally across the soccer pitch, which leads you into this trouble. Detour signs for this likely scenario would be needed.

[Pheidippides]

More uptown updates:
-curbs at Erb and Caroline are now in on the south east, north east, and most of the north west (recall south west are already in)
-the SB track now connects to the embedded track on Caroline and swings around the corner
-this corner is really rounding into form quickly; the original scheduled closure was may 16 for four months (which is next week) which they will not meet but probably won't be too long after that then William will close again
-it looks like they are fixing another whoops just north of the willis station on Caroline; a whole pile on concrete was jackhammered out around the embedded track
-according to eating well organically new sidewalks are going in on at least part of the east side of king starting September 12
   
   
   
   

[Canard]

Love your photos, Brian!  You have an incredible vantage point - much appreciated.

In other news, the Rapid Transit team has released a new map, this one showing which streets the system will operate on.  For someone as directionally-challenged as me, this is a great help.

   

http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...access.pdf

[danbrotherston]

Love your photos, Brian!  You have an incredible vantage point - much appreciated.

In other news, the Rapid Transit team has released a new map, this one showing which streets the system will operate on.  For someone as directionally-challenged as me, this is a great help.



http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...access.pdf

That's an interesting map, although for me, it was somewhat cut off.

I think there is a small error though.

The Huron Spur begins at the end of Borden, and that Borden does not turn south and meet Ottawa.

Unrelated, does anyone know if the tracks alongside Courtland will be embedded or ballasted?

[plam]

Seagram didn't look especially open with machinery operating, though the detour signs say to cross there. Also there's no level crossing so you actually have to lift your bike over the tracks. So it's not just the sign that's missing, but also making Seagram look open.

"A portion of Seagram Drive will be closed for ION-related construction work until approximately September 20. The section, from the Ring Road to Lester Street, will have pedestrian access maintained at all times."

So you are allowed to walk across but there are a whole bunch of active machines... doesn't seem like the best thing to do!

[MacBerry]

Cat poles being installed at the Queen St station.  I didn't think this would happen until the rest of the concrete was poured for the station platform, but here we are ...

I always think of this downtown parking garage as a prison building given it's wired windows look.

[MacBerry]

So you're saying people are doing this (heading from North to South)?  A is start, B is point of realization of error, C is finish:



Why would they stay on the south side?  The trail is on the North side.  They should cross over at Seagram before even crossing it... I just don't get (even before construction) why anyone would be walking on the South side of the tracks.  There's nothing there and if you got to "B" there's no bridge, crossing, anything.  It's never been anything but a dead end.

I think eventually it might be closer to take our new LRT from Waterloo Square to Laurier station 

[ijmorlan]

Seagram didn't look especially open with machinery operating, though the detour signs say to cross there. Also there's no level crossing so you actually have to lift your bike over the tracks. So it's not just the sign that's missing, but also making Seagram look open.

"A portion of Seagram Drive will be closed for ION-related construction work until approximately September 20. The section, from the Ring Road to Lester Street, will have pedestrian access maintained at all times."

So you are allowed to walk across but there are a whole bunch of active machines... doesn't seem like the best thing to do!

The quotation is incorrect. Pedestrian access is not being maintained. Which doesn’t upset me itself, but I fail to see why they can’t be accurate and why they can’t have clear signage. Also, why they can’t have the new crossing south of the platform open before closing Seagram Dr. to pedestrians. It’s just a lack of caring really as far as I can tell.

[Canard]

I'll take some photos over the weekend and get in touch with my contacts and see if they can get some signage or clarity here. If somebody could make me a map/diagram of the problem better than my MS Paint hack job images, it's probably help.

[tomh009]

Lots of work happening on the E end of Charles.

Charles St, looking toward Borden Ave:
   

Embedded track concrete has now been poured at the Borden Ave intersection:
   

Most of the stretch between Borden Ave and Ottawa St is also poured.  A small gap remains, plus the Ottawa intersection is not yet started: