ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Here are some shots from the OMSF up on Dutton.

   
I don't remember if the last time I was up if these round footers were in place.  At a first glance they look just like the OCS pole (Catpole) foundations along the rest of the line, but I'm also wondering if maybe these ones are just for overhead lighting (street lamps).  I suspect it's the latter.

   
This new controls electronic box sits just North of the site, on the East side of the tracks.

[KevinL]

The Charles track work is advancing enough that Gaukel is planned to be closed (if it hasn't been already). Buses will officially be detouring around that intersection from today until March 11.

[Canard]

Confirmation from the rapid transit team that the silver box (second photo of mine above) is a signal/controls box, not a Traction Power Sub-Station (TPSS).

[Markster]

The Charles track work is advancing enough that Gaukel is planned to be closed (if it hasn't been already). Buses will officially be detouring around that intersection from today until March 11.

I really like this. I'm looking forward to parts of Charles being substantially complete, when they can start opening it up fully. OCS installation may still be yet to come, but it will be mercufully quick after everything else that has occurred.

[GtwoK]

Queen supposed to be reopening on Friday as well! There's no closure date in sight for Ontario (track-wise), but that'll come soon enough. In 2 or 3 months time, We might have track right from Benton to Water!

[KevinL]

Had a look at the work at Gaukel this morning. The LRT lane is torn up through the intersection:


And they're preparing space further up:


All the way to Ontario:

(Not sure what's under that tarp, but it mus have curing concrete based on the heaters.)

Also checked out the work at Queen:


Looks busy from that angle, but most of it is away from the intersection:

[GtwoK]

Finally, some real progress being made! No doubt thanks to the melting snow today.

I'd hazard to guess the tarp between ontario / gaukel is for a storm drain piece of curbing. They seem to leave those for a while after the normal curbs.

[GtwoK]

Just noticed the new Ion update as of a few days ago. Of note:

Both Gaukel and Ontario will be closed at the same time. That sounds like hell for the bus drivers.
King from Erb to William will be completely closed for 9 MONTHS. Wow.

[Canard]

Yep, we were talking about the King closure a few pages ago. Avril Fiskin confirmed on 570 that when it reopens, it will be 100% complete. So there's that.

[nms]

Let's hope that the businesses on King Street between Erb and William can hold on.

[chutten]

Let's hope that the businesses on King Street between Erb and William can hold on.

With Caroline open from Erb, all of the parking lots west of King are still available. So long as there is West-East pedestrian access, I think they should do just fine.

[GtwoK]

Caroline/Erb is scheduled to re-close in February, though. The only vehicle access will be from North of King, and from Erb and Bridgeport. Quite limiting to people coming form Kitchener, though University students should be fine.

[timc]

Caroline/Erb is scheduled to re-close in February, though. The only vehicle access will be from North of King, and from Erb and  Bridgeport. Quite limiting to people coming form Kitchener, though University students should be fine.

If Caroline/Erb is going to be closed, and King is closed from Erb to William, how do you get to the Uptown parking lots? My google power is failing me, because I can't find anything about Caroline re-closing.

[Canard]

The uptown parking lots are accessible from Caroline, so if you're coming from Waterloo you just go down Regina and curve around William and come up Caroline. (I hope I have those road names right!)

[GtwoK]

Yep, you've got that right. The being said, I'm sure they must have thought it through more than just allowing traffic form the one obscure side; there will probably be left turning traffic from Caroline N onto Erb, allowing access from the Erb entrance.