ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[bgb_ca]

I just wish people would give it up on the dome already.

[Bytor]

Many people familiar with basic concrete construction felt it was unnecessary, given their understanding of the dynamics. This was a different project in a number of ways, due to the sheer bulk of the structure and that it was built from the surface down, so the engineer on the tour was able to highlight those differences and indicate why it was indeed needed.

One would hope that people familiar with concrete construction would know that it needs to be above 10°C to cure properly, and that chemical admixtures that provide an exothermic reaction to keep it warm can only take that down to -7°C. Anybody who lives around here knows that February gets a lot colder than -7°C. :-)

The argument that dome was not needed because a summer time rail stoppage could have been negotiated is plausible (though not provable without inside knowledge of the negotiations), but that's got nothing to do with concrete. The concrete argument, though, is implausible.

[Rainrider22]

The King St Grade Sep is the focus of 3 guided tours today, at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. It’s great, and worth a stop by! Lots of interesting facts shared. I had no idea there was a huge underground water vault that can store flash flood water and trickle it back out into the Schneider Creek!

Was also pleased to see a know-it-all concrete worker get schooled about the Dome when he brought up how it was totally unnecessary.

...what was the misconception/correction regarding the dome?

What was his reasoning for the dome being totally unnecessary ?  I gotta here this !!!

[panamaniac]

I just wish people would give it up on the dome already.

Me too.  I never really understood why it was such a "thing".

[danbrotherston]

There are two groups of people I hear opposing the dome:

The first group, believe they know better than the engineers, for various reasons, and the argument they frequently give is that a) it never snowed (false), b) it never got cold (false), and c) that they should have foreseen that a) and b) would occur in January and February in southern Ontario (ridiculous), and finally d) that they didn't do any work on it anyway (also false).

The second group, which I feel is more reasonable, simply argues that the need for the dome should have been avoided, either by delaying construction, which given the further delays in the overall project maybe reasonable, although given that construction company has deadlines independent of ours, that's maybe not feasible in our particular construction contract--although that is an argument that the company should cover the cost of the dome, or that the construction should have been done earlier...which is also maybe the case, but I'm not privvy to the particular negotiations with Metrolinx on that.

[ijmorlan]

I just wish people would give it up on the dome already.

Me too.  I never really understood why it was such a "thing".

It’s big and visible, and there is the little hook of the fact that ideally it wouldn’t have been needed — it was needed as a way to work around a schedule problem, as I understand it. The fact that a certain amount of schedule trouble is expected in a project like this, and that sometimes extra expenditures are needed to work around the trouble isn’t really part of the thinking, if one can dignify it with that word.

Also, I suspect some of the “concrete experts” may only be experts in landscaping — front walks, borders, etc. Not at all the same thing as building a bridge with a massive design capacity over a substantial gap. I’m sure there are lots of people who could do a perfectly competent job of landscaping around your house who would not be able to build that bridge at all.

[tomh009]

Yes … sidewalks and driveways are very much not the same thing as structural (engineered) concrete.

[highlander]

Tom Galloway tweeted a link to this map backing up the $2B+ in development happening along the CTC.

[jeffster]

Tom Galloway tweeted a link to this map backing up the $2B+ in development happening along the CTC.

OK, but some of that stuff was built and/or designed well before the ION, like the Kingsway/Wilson Towers.

[danbrotherston]

Tom Galloway tweeted a link to this map backing up the $2B+ in development happening along the CTC.

OK, but some of that stuff was built and/or designed well before the ION, like the Kingsway/Wilson Towers.

The legend notes which buildings were approved before 2011, when ION was approved, the initial page indicates that the 2.1 billion number only includes developments that were issued building permits after 2011, so none of the before 2011 buildings would be included.

I suspect they're only listed for context.

[Coke6pk]

I was wondering if someone would notice I left the LRT off the end of the rideion account.  Eagle eyed bunch in here.

Coke

I did but I didn't get around to replying this weekend... but now that it's pointed out I feel like now I also need to point out it's just RT at the end, not LRT 

So even if I didn't intentionally make a mistake, I would of made one anyway....  Done in true Trump style!  LOL

Coke

[trainspotter139]

If what I'm hearing is correct 505, 506, 507 & 509 are all out today

[Ace]

Tom Galloway tweeted a link to this map backing up the $2B+ in development happening along the CTC.

What a great map!

Someone put a lot of work into that compiling all of the photos & renderings. Hopefully they keep it updated.

[jason897]

I’m the opposite, and a minority, I guess - I dread when this is all over. I’m loving every minute of this and the last few years have been some of the best of my life.

They’re not testing South of Cameron because the crossings at Mill/Ottawa and Hayward still aren’t integrated properly to the freight line, from the rumblings I hear. They can’t go there unless with a police escort.

But hey, what do I know? According to regional staff today at the tour of the grade sep, the delay is 100% Bombardier’s fault!

If what I'm hearing is correct 505, 506, 507 & 509 are all out today

Followed 506 down this morning and seems crossing gates at Mill, along Courtland and in front of Fairway all seem to work well. Issues resolved?

[Canard]

Sounds like it! Great to hear. It's the ones at Mill/Ottawa and Hayward that were the issue.