ION Phase 2 - Cambridge's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Public consultation centres in Cambridge rescheduled, more info:

https://twitter.com/rideIONrt/status/829028018928615430

[KevinL]

Wil this delay the announcement of the preferred option (which we were supposed to get this Friday, the 10th)?

EDIT: Answered my own question - the delay is due to the public workers' strike in Cambridge and has no Regional basis, so we should get the report on time.

[Canard]

Yeah, that's what Mike Boos was saying on facebook. It'll be nice to see that!

[drum118]

CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-...-1.3970421
The new dates and locations are:
Thursday, Feb. 23 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Lions Arena (Hall), 20 Rittenhouse Rd, Kitchener.
Tuesday, Feb. 28 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kin Club of Cambridge, 1400 Hamilton St., Cambridge.
Wednesday, March 1 – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Newfoundland Club, 1500 Dunbar Rd., Cambridge.
The region said there would be a second round of public consultations in late 2017, after which a preferred route will be chosen and sent to regional council.

[MidTowner]

Thanks for pointing out the rescheduled times and locations, drum!

[GtwoK]

We're supposed to get the Phase 2 plans today, right? Where do we keep an eye out for that?

[Canard]

Just released!

http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...uments.asp

[Waterlooer]

Very happy that the Maple Grove segment is not being preferred, and happy there will be a stop in Preston

[Section ThirtyOne]

Nice! I like the proposed alignment.

Question: Why so much more than Phase 1 to build? Is it the two river crossings and required bridges?

[Viewfromthe42]

Also: using C1a to avoid two grade separations that would move the stop by ~1 block.

[JJTL]

Nice! I like the proposed alignment.

Question: Why so much more than Phase 1 to build? Is it the two river crossings and required bridges?

One of the reasons is that the cost is being quoted in future dollars and assuming construction of phase 2 taking place 2025-2028. Assuming about 2% inflation, then $1.25B in 2025, would be roughly $1B in today's dollars.

[Canard]

Overall, I'm fairly pleased, but wished N1 was the winner.  It would have been beautiful riding through that valley.

C1a is really interesting...!

...and did you catch this?!

   

[GtwoK]

I don't understand what the road-interaction is supposed to be @ River Rd. I'm picturing the plans for the extension in my head - there's supposed to be a new bridge over Hwy 8 here. Would the bridge just be built wider to accommodate LRT as well? That would significantly impact the planned ramp access for the River Rd / Hwy 8 exchange. Not sure what they're planning to do here.

Also very surprised at the lack of a River Rd stop. There's a considerable neighbourhood RIGHT there as well as Chicoppe. Thought it'd be a shoe-in for a stop.

How in the world will they manage the Shantz Hill situation? I like thsis route over the Mapl Grove / CP corridor options (because of stop locations), but this is going to have a HUGE impact on the road layout, loss of the Petro Canada station, a new bridge over the river, LRT, cutting through wetlands and a park, and LRT cutting through a very old neighbourhood

A little disappointed by the lack of stop directly at Pinebush, but understandable considering the existing rail crossing on Hespeler would've been difficult to navigate.

Extremely pleased with the workaround route they've drawn to get to Ainslie. The other options were dreadful. A stop in Sober Park would've been nice, but might've been a bit too close to the Ainslie EOL.

[GtwoK]

Overall, I'm fairly pleased, but wished N1 was the winner.  It would have been beautiful riding through that valley.

C1a is really interesting...!

...and did you catch this?!

Interesting... are there really that many pedestrians in that are though? cyclists I understand, but there aren't exactly destinations within walking distance

[danbrotherston]

Interesting... are there really that many pedestrians in that are though? cyclists I understand, but there aren't exactly destinations within walking distance

That bridge is a crossing for the Grand River Trail, which does see more pedestrians than you'd expect. Right now, there's a <2 meter sidewalk/bike trail which is poor at best.

Besides, the bridge is plenty wide enough to accommodate both, so why not.