02-17-2018, 02:05 PM
Strange that Councillor Galloway is claiming the rate limiting factor for start of revenue service is Bombardier when it has been said from other sources (and himself I think) that it is the region that is requesting that the LRVs be held in Kingston:
As for the odd curb alignments at Frederick and Willis stations. Those were pointed out long ago (back when TriTag did that survey of Ion fixes - what ever happened to that data anyway?).
It does seem like an oversight given that it is pretty explicit in the Project Agreement:
(viii) Frederick Street
A. Urban context considerations: Urban environment. Civic centre, downtown Kitchener.
B. Stop Design requirements:
Integration with sidewalks, crosswalks and consideration of pedestrian flow to Stop required.
A side note the station naming in this particular document of the project agreement is a bit confusing. The "special stop" named "Waterloo Town square" seems to have its design elements swapped with the "other LRT stop" named "Willis Way".
"(viii) Provide convenient and accessible Rapid Transit (RT) Stops: ...incorporating safety, ... and convenience for system users"
"(iv) Make transit safe, secure, friendly, fun and accessible to all, including users with disabilities."
"(i) Provide a safe, efficient, barrier free accessible and convenient LRT Stop configuration that facilitates the movement of passengers within the LRT Stop and from one transit mode to another."
Note the use of the plural approaches:
"(d) Accessibility
(i) The application of design guidelines and criteria, standards and practices must accommodate the needs of persons with physical, sensory, and mental disabilities.
(ii) LRT Stops, and their approaches, must facilitate the barrier-free movement of passengers to and from the LRV and other transportation modes in the most convenient and cost effective manner possible.
(iii) Project Co should be proactive in the application of barrier-free standards to address the accessibility concerns of persons with physical, sensory and mental disabilities and not wait for changes to the Building Codes.
(iv) LRT Stops are to comply with all aspects of accessibility requirements for the disabled, including:
A. Provision of ramps or sloped walkways as required;
B. Provision of adequately sized openings in areas such as platform shelters for wheelchair access and egress;
C. Provision of handrails as required, of proper design, diameter and height requirements;
D. Provision of features necessary for use by the sight and hearing impaired."
14.7 Site Access & Egress
(a) Pedestrian
(i) Good pedestrian circulation to, from, and across platforms is essential for the smooth and safe operation of LRT stops. Circulation patterns should be as simple, obvious, and comfortable as possible. Some of the points that warrant careful review for applicability and consideration in achieving good pedestrian orientation and circulation follow:
A. Avoid unnecessary turns and dead ends.
B. Pedestrian access and circulation shall provide direct, convenient, safe and delineated approaches to/from platforms and bus loading areas
...
L. Discourage pedestrian crossing of LRT tracks.
...
N. Passenger circulation routes should be direct. Disorientating dead-ends and unnecessary turns, blind corners, unnecessary barriers, bottlenecks and areas of congestion should be avoided.
(xii) If secondary access or exit points are provided, they should be clearly visible, inviting and safe.
(xiii) Barriers should be designed to discourage, not prevent, patrons from crossing the tracks and should not trap anyone between the barrier, LRV or vehicular traffic.
(xiv) Clear and unobstructed pedestrian access across platforms should be provided wherever modal interchange occurs.
(e) Central Platforms
(i) Central platforms to have access off the pedestrian cross walks as indicated in Appendix L.2. Refer to Appendix L.1 and L.2 for exceptions.
Based on the original drawings in looks like Willis is definitely not as orignally planned, but, rightly or wrongly Frederick seems to conform to the original plan.
Although there is also this line which is probably enough legal wiggle room, but works exactly counter to all of the above design principles:
"B. At least one barrier-free entrance at every stop "
As for the odd curb alignments at Frederick and Willis stations. Those were pointed out long ago (back when TriTag did that survey of Ion fixes - what ever happened to that data anyway?).
It does seem like an oversight given that it is pretty explicit in the Project Agreement:
(viii) Frederick Street
A. Urban context considerations: Urban environment. Civic centre, downtown Kitchener.
B. Stop Design requirements:
Integration with sidewalks, crosswalks and consideration of pedestrian flow to Stop required.
A side note the station naming in this particular document of the project agreement is a bit confusing. The "special stop" named "Waterloo Town square" seems to have its design elements swapped with the "other LRT stop" named "Willis Way".
"(viii) Provide convenient and accessible Rapid Transit (RT) Stops: ...incorporating safety, ... and convenience for system users"
"(iv) Make transit safe, secure, friendly, fun and accessible to all, including users with disabilities."
"(i) Provide a safe, efficient, barrier free accessible and convenient LRT Stop configuration that facilitates the movement of passengers within the LRT Stop and from one transit mode to another."
Note the use of the plural approaches:
"(d) Accessibility
(i) The application of design guidelines and criteria, standards and practices must accommodate the needs of persons with physical, sensory, and mental disabilities.
(ii) LRT Stops, and their approaches, must facilitate the barrier-free movement of passengers to and from the LRV and other transportation modes in the most convenient and cost effective manner possible.
(iii) Project Co should be proactive in the application of barrier-free standards to address the accessibility concerns of persons with physical, sensory and mental disabilities and not wait for changes to the Building Codes.
(iv) LRT Stops are to comply with all aspects of accessibility requirements for the disabled, including:
A. Provision of ramps or sloped walkways as required;
B. Provision of adequately sized openings in areas such as platform shelters for wheelchair access and egress;
C. Provision of handrails as required, of proper design, diameter and height requirements;
D. Provision of features necessary for use by the sight and hearing impaired."
14.7 Site Access & Egress
(a) Pedestrian
(i) Good pedestrian circulation to, from, and across platforms is essential for the smooth and safe operation of LRT stops. Circulation patterns should be as simple, obvious, and comfortable as possible. Some of the points that warrant careful review for applicability and consideration in achieving good pedestrian orientation and circulation follow:
A. Avoid unnecessary turns and dead ends.
B. Pedestrian access and circulation shall provide direct, convenient, safe and delineated approaches to/from platforms and bus loading areas
...
L. Discourage pedestrian crossing of LRT tracks.
...
N. Passenger circulation routes should be direct. Disorientating dead-ends and unnecessary turns, blind corners, unnecessary barriers, bottlenecks and areas of congestion should be avoided.
(xii) If secondary access or exit points are provided, they should be clearly visible, inviting and safe.
(xiii) Barriers should be designed to discourage, not prevent, patrons from crossing the tracks and should not trap anyone between the barrier, LRV or vehicular traffic.
(xiv) Clear and unobstructed pedestrian access across platforms should be provided wherever modal interchange occurs.
(e) Central Platforms
(i) Central platforms to have access off the pedestrian cross walks as indicated in Appendix L.2. Refer to Appendix L.1 and L.2 for exceptions.
Based on the original drawings in looks like Willis is definitely not as orignally planned, but, rightly or wrongly Frederick seems to conform to the original plan.
Although there is also this line which is probably enough legal wiggle room, but works exactly counter to all of the above design principles:
"B. At least one barrier-free entrance at every stop "
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.