ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Spokes]

aBRT construction gets underway on Hespeler Road
August 19, 2014 | Bill Jackson | Cambridge Times | Link

CAMBRIDGE – Traffic safety drums lined the sidewalk on Hespeler Road near the Pinebush Road/Eagle Street intersection on Monday (Aug. 18) where construction for new adapted bus rapid transit (aBRT) is slated to begin.

With people on their way back to school or work following summer holidays, construction for public transit upgrades will be ongoing along Cambridge’s main thoroughfare.

“We’re desperately trying to minimize impact,” said the region’s manager of rapid transit co-ordination, Samer Inchasi.

According to a news release, construction to accommodate the region’s rapid transit services will be underway at 12 locations during the next six months – five along the Ion aBRT corridor in Cambridge and seven along the Ion light rail transit (LRT) corridor in Kitchener and Waterloo.

Regional council awarded the construction contract in June and Ion community relations manager Kimberly Moser explained it took a few weeks to meet with the contractor and confirm the schedule and staging of work.

Moser said earlier that rolling lane closures can be expected during the installation of aBRT stops, queue jumps and receiving lanes.

Construction in Cambridge will take place during the next few months along Hespeler Road at four intersections – Pinebush Road/Eagle Street, Can-Amera Parkway, the Delta (Coronation Boulevard/Dundas Street) and Munch Avenue – as well as the Ainslie Street terminal.

Access to local businesses and residences and the transit terminal are expected to be maintained.

“There won’t be any closures of entire roads,” said Inchasi. “It will be lane closure to allow for the work zone at curb locations.

“That could include a bit of widening to allow for a queue jump lane or to install the actual stops or any additional work that’s required to make that happen.”

According to the news release, Ion staff will continue to meet with stakeholders, including residents, business owners and community groups, to keep them informed of construction and how road restrictions and road closures could impact them.

“Once construction details are finalized, each resident and business owner within 100 metres of Ion construction will receive a written notification before work begins. Road signage, including detour information and way-finding for businesses (how customers can access stores), will go up before construction commences.”

The website http://www.rideION.ca will feature the most up-to-date information.

Noise bylaw exemptions are in place to accommodate work during the night time and evening hours, Inchasi noted.

All aBRT construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with service starting next year.

Right-turn and bus-only lanes will allow buses to bypass traffic queues at busy intersections.

“The goal with adapted bus rapid transit is to build the ridership and increase the frequency of service that comes through there,” Moser stated in a past interview.

Grand River Transit’s iXpress service runs from Fairview Mall in Kitchener to the Ainslie Street terminal, but there are currently few stops in between, she noted.

“So this guarantees that we stop at four locations along Hespeler Road, which is high traffic for ridership and where a lot of people are going for destinations, whether it’s shopping or work,” she explained.

“It’s not necessarily about the speed of the service, it’s the importance of the service and the destinations that the Ion aBRT will go to.”