ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Markster]

The Conestoga anchor wall is the first one that I don't like.  In the above photo, at least, the colours strike me as a bit "cheap" looking.

It is much better in person, I think you might change your mind. The vibrant colours tie the station in with the bright colours on the facade of the mall.

Not sure if that is why those colours were chosen, but it works!

For reference:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Even on a hella cloudy day, the Conestoga Mall <a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt">@rideIONrt</a> station is very colourful. I only just noticed it's an extension of the mall art <a href="https://t.co/L0EIIZ2zjo">pic.twitter.com/L0EIIZ2zjo</a></p>&mdash; Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) <a href="https://twitter.com/Markster3000/status/843872771616718848">March 20, 2017</a></blockquote>

[drum118]

April 08
Finally got all of the 250 photos I shot of the system that day as well the new LRV up on site.

A number of things standout from my Feb visit and doing some head scratching on them. On Northfield they have cut into the ROW an emergency u-turn with barriers between the tracks and assuming they are there until service start, otherwise, need to be replace if the u-turn is used. The other thing at the crossover at Conestoga Mall station is signals for the switches in the pit area. There are also snow melting blowers for each rail. To date, all the ramps for the station have been groove as a safety protection, but the Northfield station is saying concrete or X material is to go on it as well the platform. At each end of the platform is a 6-8" slab with a ramp area to cross the track. There are also a fair number of cameras on each light post.

As to when King underpass is to be open, I have being saying end of May or early June as there is only a small section of track work to be pour this week and will take a few weeks for the sidewalk. Will not take long to get the base of the road ready for the base coat of Asphalt. Traffic lights at intersection at the street where traffic lanes move from the centre to the side could hold things up without having that side street being close until done. 

[drum118]

[drum118]

[Canard]

A number of things standout from my Feb visit and doing some head scratching on them.

...probably because you don't frequent this site enough, which often has all the answers!  

On Northfield they have cut into the ROW an emergency u-turn with barriers between the tracks and assuming they are there until service start, otherwise, need to be replace if the u-turn is used.

Huh?  There's no replacing anything.  They're there for emergency vehicles.

To date, all the ramps for the station have been groove as a safety protection, but the Northfield station is saying concrete or X material is to go on it as well the platform.

None of the platforms have their top surfaces or tactile edges on yet.  The corrugated concrete surface you see is just roughed up (the "have been groove" you speak of) so that the final layer sticks to it.

You also seem to be really hung up on UrbanToronto about this two-operator thing. What does it matter to you? This is a big deal for us and something totally new here. Did it ever occur to you that for the first ~6 months they might want to have an operator in the back to keep an eye on things, or take care of customer service issues until all the kinks are worked out?

You're hyper-critical of our system without knowing all the answers (or bothering to look into them).

For the record: the Conestoga and Fairview crossovers are not "incomplete", either - they will not be embedded. Look closer at the design.

[danbrotherston]

@drum118 the barrier you speak of is flex posts. They're supposed to appear impossible to drive through but if you drive over they just fold down. They're actually cheap and easy way to protect bike Lanes too.

As for cameras, I think those are speakers.

[Canard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Not really sure what part of this sign pedestrians aren't understanding. Cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt">@rideIONrt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Grandlinq">@Grandlinq</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RegionWaterloo">@RegionWaterloo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/oplifesaver">@oplifesaver</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/ejvhhc9vjU">pic.twitter.com/ejvhhc9vjU</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/853615438160416768">April 16, 2017</a></blockquote>

[C Plus]

That sign is not posted at the King St. entrance. Looks like that sign is posted for pedestrians trying to exit the plaza. Doesn't do much for people entering at King and Wellington. Even the construction fencing around the perimeter of the plaza bordering the construction area is littered with gaps which I am guessing is purposeful. Good ol' path of least resistance is in effect.

[KevinL]

The average member of the public has, I think, a loose relationship with this kind of prohibition. If it's solidly closed and clearly looks dangerous, they will gladly keep out. But if the fence has gaps, the ground is level and relatively unobstructed, and it's a much faster path to where they are going - well, it's hard to convince them not to.

[ijmorlan]

The average member of the public has, I think, a loose relationship with this kind of prohibition. If it's solidly closed and clearly looks dangerous, they will gladly keep out. But if the fence has gaps, the ground is level and relatively unobstructed, and it's a much faster path to where they are going - well, it's hard to convince them not to.

Well said. I would further suggest that maybe part of the problem is precisely that people have an understanding of what certain words mean, and when they constantly see things labelled as “active” construction sites which plainly are not (on the weekend, say), they go more with what appears safe than with what the sign says. Most of the time they’re not even wrong. Certainly in this case I’m having trouble envisioning a viable argument that the people in the picture are actually behaving in an unsafe manner. In this particular case, does the fence even block off the entire site, or only certain directions of entry?

[Canard]

It's not blocked even everyehere, no. And I mean, that's part of it... it's impossible to block off the whole area, it's so huge.

I just want it to be consistent. I want to go through (it's exciting!), but I can't, because I won't break the rules. So it pisses me off when I see others doing it without a care in the world. So they should either say "everyone can go through!", or "no one can go through".

So far the answer I have received is "no one can go through".

[embe]

Anyone else think the grade of the tracks looks incredibly steep @ King & Victoria? from the pictures I mean. Sure electric motors put out a lot of torque but without traction = spinning wheels?

[embe]

and what's with the lower case letters at the LRT stops? noticed some street signs are also being replaced with non-capitalized versions.

[KevinL]

Mixed case is, in fact, easier to read than all caps - there have been extensive usability studies. The font for this, Clearview, also lives up to its name b being very readable, even from a distance by someone in a hurry.

[KevinL]

Possibly related to the still-unactivated lights at that intersection?

Car collides into building in Kitchener, causes road closure