ION Phase 2 - Cambridge's Light Rail Transit

[danbrotherston]

I think this is way optimistic. Other sources were saying eight years until construction starts with a finish in 2032.

Or to put it another way...much much too late to deal with climate change.

We surely won't be done with climate change issues by 2032.

Maybe by the time they build it, they can figure out how to do an embedded track with less concrete (which generates massive CO2).

Will we be done with solving? No. But we could be done with failing, if we run business as usual till 2032, it won't matter what we do.

[Bytor]

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...ridge.html

Waterloo Region begins dollars-and-cents case for expanding LRT into Cambridge

[bravado]

Radio silence on this project for a while until this rather bland bit of news about moving proposed stations around in downtown Galt.

https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news...ge-5657945

[SF22]

I think this is way optimistic. Other sources were saying eight years until construction starts with a finish in 2032.

Or to put it another way...much much too late to deal with climate change.

We surely won't be done with climate change issues by 2032.

Maybe by the time they build it, they can figure out how to do an embedded track with less concrete (which generates massive CO2).

How amazing would it be if they prioritized a green track for the route into Cambridge? I've seen pictures of trams in Europe where there is grass growing underneath the trains, and it just looks like two rails cutting through a bit of green space. So much nicer-looking that an endless concrete pad.

[ac3r]

Even Toronto is using green track on Line 5! No reason we can't do that here...other than short sightedness.

[SF22]

Even Toronto is using green track on Line 5! No reason we can't do that here...other than short sightedness.

Right?? This looks great, I'd love if we adopted this!

[KingandWeber]

Even Toronto is using green track on Line 5! No reason we can't do that here...other than short sightedness.

And cost. I personally think it would be worth that cost though since it looks great and has environmental benefits. 

I also really wish they had done this from Allen to Central stations at minimum.

[tomh009]

So, could we not add sod on top of the concrete we have now? The trains surely have enough ground clearance.

[danbrotherston]

So, could we not add sod on top of the concrete we have now? The trains surely have enough ground clearance.

Sod on top of concrete won't survive long. I'm not sure what the structure of green tracks are, but they must have more than just sod on concrete.

[ac3r]

It's too late for us to add it in. You need to include irrigation channels/systems to maintain the grass and manage water. As such, you need to dig much deeper (see image below) to support that as well as provide sufficient soil for the roots of the grass and the ecology underneath it to keep it alive.

We'll just have to live with rusty concrete on the Kitchener-Waterloo line. Maybe the Cambridge line could include it in some places. I think it would look particularly great there, especially in Galt.

[timc]

Plus, there was the whole aspect of allowing emergency vehicles to use the rapidway, which totally happens all the time.

[Spokes]

That looks great. Would love that.

[jamincan]

Halfway seriously, how much does it cost to lay astroturf compared to real turf? It's not like anyone would be having a picnic there.

[ac3r]

Real greenery is a benefit though. It provides drainage, encourages insects and lessens the heat island effect. There may be fake grass that can also achieve that but real grass will always be superior.

[bravado]

I think there’s a real argument to be made for a green track - not even necessarily grass, just something green and alive. Clover? Bee-friendly grasses?

Surely the existing rocks as the surface have a pretty hefty cost and ongoing maintenance costs, could soil and seed be a similar cost in the end?