ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Lens]

In ION related news, retaining wall blocks are now on site at Charles and Ontario. The wall area looks like it needs a bit of prep but I imagine they'll start working on it very soon.

[GtwoK]

Track on Duke is all rebar'd and framed from Water all the way past College (but not yet to Young). A pour should be happening any day now!

[Elmira Guy]

@ danbrotherston

No I do not object to my taxes going towards services elsewhere, especially when that same service is available to me here, so not quite an analogy.

Look, I get it. You and others feel township residents should pay for all the sane services as city residents without receiving those services. Message received.

[jwilliamson]

You mean the completed crossing at FDB/Caroline is now covered in gravel? Why?

Sorry, I meant the trail crossing from FDB to the Laurel Trail between PI and Laurel Creek.

[tomh009]

I don't think the region is, or has any future intentions to taking a serious look at improving transit connectivity to the cities, yet those fees will be ongoing.

I think that's exactly what Route 77 is, a serious look at the feasibility of connecting the townships.

[KevinL]

In ION related news, retaining wall blocks are now on site at Charles and Ontario. The wall area looks like it needs a bit of prep but I imagine they'll start working on it very soon.

This morning, I saw a cement truck on site and a deep trench had been dug. I think they were making a concrete base for the wall, which will consist of the blocks above ground level.

[tomh009]

The rebar is ready for the second pour at the Queen St station:
   

[Canard]

Sorry, I meant the trail crossing from FDB to the Laurel Trail between PI and Laurel Creek.

Ohhh, you mean the actual track crossing there?   Yeah, on Saturday that was still all just loose ballast.  So they've put down finer gravel on top of it?

I wonder what the final treatment here will be (or if that's it!).

[darts]

Taxes in general are levied against people who don't directly benefit from the services all the time, because we think it's something that benefits society as a whole.  That's just how taxes work.

It is obviously a little more subtle than that, and I don't specifically have an issue with pro-rating township taxes for no transit service, but I don't find the "I don't directly benefit from this service" argument very compelling.  I mean, everyone who lives in Canada pays federal taxes which support Via Rail but many Canadian's live in cities not serviced by Via Rail.  Same in Ontario for GO Transit I believe.

Transit is a region responsibility because the cities uploaded it to the region. The townships get taxed by the region for the library but they don't the cities for it, even though they could access the service.

[Canard]

http://m.therecord.com/news-story/683009...y-in-storm



Not familiar with the locations here (I've never heard of "Country Hills"), but saw Schnieder Creek and Culvert mentioned - hope this isn't at all related to LRT! This isn't the bit between Hayward and the Conestoga Parkway, is it?

Edit: looks like it's here: https://goo.gl/maps/zQYvJZQA9R82

[timc]

Ohhh, you mean the actual track crossing there?   Yeah, on Saturday that was still all just loose ballast.  So they've put down finer gravel on top of it?

I wonder what the final treatment here will be (or if that's it!).

That's a good question. Before construction it was a gravel trail, matching the TCT in that area. I don't remember seeing any plan to pave the trail as part of the ION project, but there is discussion about making some changes in the future.

[ert86]

Tracks were laid across Wilson Ave today, at least partially (not connected on either end.) I really hope this street reopens on time (next week)

[tomh009]

Some activity on Charles now, though nothing like the earlier construction frenzy .

Sod on the wider boulevard segments between Cedar and Stirling:
   

Rails being welded near Ottawa:
   

Ottawa now mostly paved between Charles and Courtland:
   

Concrete repairs in progress for the Ottawa St bridge over Schneider Creek:
   

[Canard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bombardier in final phase of manufacturing of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EglintonCrosstown?src=hash">#EglintonCrosstown</a> pilot LRV. Static testing has begun in Thunder Bay. <a href="https://t.co/wCzGVwTjXn">pic.twitter.com/wCzGVwTjXn</a></p>&mdash; BombardierRail (@BombardierRail) <a href="https://twitter.com/BombardierRail/status/771000750289879040">August 31, 2016</a></blockquote>

[bpoland]

Looks good! Did I read somewhere that this vehicle will be tested on our tracks, even though it's for Metrolinx? Or will we have to wait for them to make the first one for us?