ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Markster]

Does anyone have any more updates on how other streetscapes are coming along? Any new wider sidewalks appearing somewhere? I noticed that Victoria from Charles to King, next to School of Pharmacy is much wider, I wonder how it will be treated? It's a very significant piece of pedestrian realm.

There are wide multi-use (?) sidewalks installed on the west side of Caroline from William to Allen with some of the final top soil already being brought up to grade. Very nice.

The east sidewalk of King St between John and William is also gloriously wide.
The north side of Northfield got a new sidewalk. It didn't have one before.

[goggolor]

I used to ride Caroline to work daily, on the on-road bike lane. It's much more stressful now that the road is narrower and I'm forced to mix with traffic - not only that, I get stuck for multiple light changes breathing exhaust fumes when crossing William. I'm going to ride that trail whether or not it's officially marked, it's the safest and fastest option. Hopefully the region will get signage up faster than they did for Weber Street.

I noticed the super-wide sidewalks on King St as well... is there any chance this is another "stealth" MUT intended to hook up to the on-road bike lanes starting north of William?

[Markster]

I noticed the super-wide sidewalks on King St as well... is there any chance this is another "stealth" MUT intended to hook up to the on-road bike lanes starting north of William?

My secret hope is that they've realized that this is how wide sidewalks are supposed to be.

I'm still waiting for the sidewalks on University Ave to be widened to this size.

[timc]

My only wish, as a recreational cyclist, is that signage will be added designating these routes as such (Multi-Use Trails). I would happily use them if they were (signposted), but will not ride on them their current state, and instead stay on the road, because I don't want to make anyone angry if there is any confusion as to wether or not they're actually just reaaaaaly wide sidewalks.

They actually continue well past William, past the Willis Way station as well.

I did notice a MUT signpost on Caroline today. Just one, but I assume that more will come.

[MidTowner]

My secret hope is that they've realized that this is how wide sidewalks are supposed to be.

I'm still waiting for the sidewalks on University Ave to be widened to this size.

Do we know how much of King will get this width of sidewalk?

[bpoland]

According to the design plans, it's supposed to be a multi-use trail (continuing the Iron Horse Trail) on the west side of Caroline from Allen up to Erb, to connect to the Laurel trail.

[Pheidippides]

Lots of sod plantingand line painting along king and Caroline today.

As a pedestrian the Ottawa closure at mill is getting very frustrating. If you are trying to cross the middle of Kitchener east to west or west to east legally and obey all the construction signage, particularly challenging during work hours, you either have to go up to 1km north to Stirling or 2km south to block line, a distance of 3km between crossing points. When the sites are not being worked on you can at least cross at Ottawa, ardelt, or Hayward but it does not feel safe or right.

[tomh009]

Grading the road at Victoria and King this afternoon:

   

[KevinL]

Lots of sod plantingand line painting along king and Caroline today.

As a pedestrian the Ottawa closure at mill is getting very frustrating. If you are trying to cross the middle of Kitchener east to west or west to east legally and obey all the construction signage, particularly challenging during work hours, you either have to go up to 1km north to Stirling or 2km south to block line, a distance of 3km between crossing points. When the sites are not being worked on you can at least cross at Ottawa, ardelt, or Hayward but it does not feel safe or right.

Are the workers not able to accommodate a crossing if they see you? I would think they understand the need for pedestrian access, especialy on Ottawa given the character of the neighbourhood.

[Canard]

They should be able to - on the Facebook group, one of our members lives right there and she's always able to cross to get to her bus stop on the other side of the tracks.

[KevinL]

Just took a walk past Cameron - the crossover components (switches, frogs, etc) are now laid in place, but are not yet welded or precisely aligned.

Looks good, but light was too poor for a picture.

[tomh009]

For those not on Twitter, it looks like I've caused a ruckus again.

Say hello to Queen St's new ridiculous pedestrian bottleneck pic.twitter.com/2WdY9Vnwm8

— Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) September 18, 2016

CTV Kitchener's updated story says it's not permanent:
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/small-sidewa...-1.3080831

I'm really not quite sure how they can make it accessible.  They can change the radius to make it wider, but there is an elevation difference of about 20 cm between the Charles St sidewalk and the Queen St one.  Even with a wider radius and a wider sidewalk, that'll be a steep slope for a wheelchair.

Unless they reprofile the Charles St sidewalk, but that'll have to go a long way toward the Full Circle entrance.

[tomh009]

Retaining wall in place now on Charles near Ontario, including sidewalk and parking lot pavement repair.  I wonder whether they'll put a railing on there?

   

[Canard]

I can't imagine why they would - the pavement is flush with the far ends of each step on the other side.

[Markster]

It's a bit of a drop as you get closer to The Working Centre.
I imagine a railing will be installed.