ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Pheidippides]

Is the GRH platform designed to be accessed from the north? I ask because I was looking at it the other day and there are no curb cuts that align with that end of the platform’s ramp and there are at least eight (8) different levels of concrete and track to traverse (see diagrams below) without a proper ramp and level crossing. Would that mean you’d have to walk up the middle from Mt. Hope to access the north end of the platform or is it only to be officially accessed from the south (at Pine St)? Has this type of design, with so many different levels on the cross-section, been used in other winter climates? The more I see this design the greater my concerns for snow and ice clearing grows.
   

   


Also, a similar question about the UW platform. How are they expecting users to access the platform from the south, say when you are coming from east campus/E5 to the platform or going from the platform to east campus/E5? The drawings (http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...df#page=10) seem to suggest that a path was supposed to be built on the east side (yellow line in diagram below), but that no longer seems to be the case since the retaining wall and fence are now complete. The path they expect users to take (green line in diagram below) which is a longer route. I expect that many users will simply take a risky shortcut (red line below).