ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[KevinL]

The asphalt MUT along Block Line (which is a City of Kitchener implementation, not Regional) at least has cycling icons painted along it. Not sure how easy that is to do on concrete.

[jamincan]

Perhaps if they painted a centre line on it, that would make it more clear?

[Canard]

That's usually the visual cue I look out for... This is a really interesting discussion. Especially for a novice cyclist like me who is just trying to get used to it all. What are my triggers for knowing if it's OK to ride on an off-road bit of infrastructure?

-If it's just concrete, I usually assume it's a sidewalk and avoid it because it's illegal for me to ride on.
-If it's pavement, I generally assume it's meant to be a trail for everyone ("MUT"), and I'll ride on it.
-If I see cycle lanes on the road and also a pavement trail, I get confused, because why would there be both? In this case I generally ride on the road for fear of getting a ticket or ticking someone off, even if I don't feel as safe doing so.

I really wish they had put their money into signage designating this instead of signage warning of the $110 fine for riding on crosswalks.

With regard to ion, the future Northbound Courtland lanes are now paved in the Manitou/Block Line area.

[eizenstriet]

... the visual cue...

A really cool and unmistakable visual cue for MUTs would be to use some sort of corduroy road material.

[GtwoK]

Anyone gonna point out we've hit #page300?

[tomh009]

Anyone gonna point out we've hit #page300?

Thanks for doing it for us!

• First 100 pages: 12 months
  
• Second 100 pages: 5.5 months
  
• Third 100 pages: 4 months
  

At this rate, we may hit 1000 pages by the time the LRT is operational!

[Canard]

I should be good for at least 1/3 of those when the first train arrives later this year. Brace yourselves.

(Joking/not joking lol)

(And I'll use this post as my "Thank you" for anyone involved in keeping this forum running, financially, time-wise or otherwise - it is absolutely fantastic that we have a resource like this to discuss our interests!)

[tomh009]

Lots of work happening to tidy up loose ends on Charles.  No sign as of yet of finishing the concrete between Queen and Ontario, though.  And some welding still needs to be done in front of Cameron Heights.

Between Queen and Benton: New concrete strip between the tracks and the curbs.
   

At Cedar: Intersection closed and almost ready to pour the concrete.
   

Between Stirling and Borden: Working on the forms so the concrete can be poured
   

[Canard]

There is still some trackwork to go in, in 2 places, between Cedar and Borden (right around Cameron Heights, and that "weird hill" road.

I hope Charles opens soon.

[tomh009]

Weird hill road? I think that's Madison maybe.

Yes, some of the rails on the south/east side of the station still need welding.

[Canard]

Not just welding - they need rails, period! That's what I keep getting at. There are two big gaps with no track at all. One large, one smaller.

[tomh009]

There are some spare (?) rails sitting next to the curb in that area.  I don't know whether those are for the gaps.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, traffic lights and LRT signals are being installed at Queen and Charles:
   

[chutten]

This morning they were laying track on the ties and ballast for the northern track at Waterloo Town Square (nothing that extends into Caroline or King, just through the parking lot). It's a lot lower than the existing track, and I'm not sure why. I guess there might be a little bit of raised pavement on King where the freight line crosses, which they could remove with a lower grade... eh. I just hope they replace those brick segments of "trail" between the buildings. They're too narrow and too uneven to meet regs, near as I can tell.

[Canard]

They're laying the new freight line right now, which is separate from ion. I posted a bunch of diagrams a few weeks ago on the fb group explaining. Will cc: here later tonight when I get a chance.

Edit: see if this works for you: https://www.facebook.com/groups/81680629...244474051/

[Markster]

I just hope they replace those brick segments of "trail" between the buildings. They're too narrow and too uneven to meet regs, near as I can tell.

Be careful what you wish for... if they were to make that area meet regulations, I'm pretty sure it would be closed entirely to pedestrians. And/or tear down some adjacent buildings.