ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Well, we have a nice chance now to fix things up and make it better. I also hope there will be some sharing of the catenary poles with utilities, as I've seen in other parts of the world. It takes a bit more paperwork and behind-the-scenes handshaking, but it's absolutely possible, and helps clean up the urban landscape.

[Viewfromthe42]

Well, we have a nice chance now to fix things up and make it better. I also hope there will be some sharing of the catenary poles with utilities, as I've seen in other parts of the world. It takes a bit more paperwork and behind-the-scenes handshaking, but it's absolutely possible, and helps clean up the urban landscape.

There aren't enough keystrokes for me to laugh at this happening. Could or should it happen? Yes.

Will it? Not a chance in our region.

[Canard]

No? I actually take the temporary wooden poles as a sign that it is happening. If they were not going to merge services onto single posts, wouldn't they be placing permanent additional posts, not temporary ones? The temporary ones are probably supporting services that could get moved over onto the OCS poles.

[KevinL]

No? I actually take the temporary wooden poles as a sign that it is happening. If they were not going to merge services onto single posts, wouldn't they be placing permanent additional posts, not temporary ones? The temporary ones are probably supporting services that could get moved over onto the OCS poles.

The trend I've been seeing is temporary poles going up outside the zone of work to allow everything to proceed (excavation through installation), then the new permanent poles go in, often in a place that had been dug up earlier in the process.

[megabytephreak]

What is the reasoning for thinking that wooden poles are temporary? I know Waterloo North Hydro definitely still uses wooden poles in new permanent installations, I can see some from my office. Is Kitchener different? I don't really think wood vs concrete makes much of a difference aesthetically.

[Canard]

Ok, I guess I'm just really picky. I personally think wooden poles are the absolutely most hideous thing on the face of the planet, especially when you get a long row of them, they just make this wall of crooked disgusting misalignment that looks 100 years out of date.

[The85]

Ok, I guess I'm just really picky. I personally think wooden poles are the absolutely most hideous thing on the face of the planet, especially when you get a long row of them, they just make this wall of crooked disgusting misalignment that looks 100 years out of date.

Waterloo North Hydro LOVES wooden utility poles including for streetlights with overhead wiring (not underground) along arterials. Kitchener Wilmot Hydro has traditionally favoured concrete utility poles including using underground wiring to concrete poles for streetlights, but even they recently (last 2-3 years) have switched to wooden utility poles as their standard. Waterloo North Hydro only seems to use concrete poles for streetlights in new subdivisions. I would not be surprised if the pole line reconstruction along King Street between Union and William is with ugly wooden poles. The old poles here were concrete, but were likely 40+ years old and from a time when Waterloo North Hydro was more willing to use nice things.

I really hope all the new utility and lighting work being done for the LRT will make Waterloo North Hydro explore using concrete poles, especially in the more urban portions of the route such as along King between John and William. But I wouldn't hold your breath.You can likely expect their controversial ( http://www.wnhydro.com/en/your-home/reso...earned.pdf ) wooden obtrusive pole line conversion being done in the Uptown West and Westmount neighbourhoods to spill over to King Street ...

[darts]

Ok, I guess I'm just really picky. I personally think wooden poles are the absolutely most hideous thing on the face of the planet, especially when you get a long row of them, they just make this wall of crooked disgusting misalignment that looks 100 years out of date.

I like the look of wooden poles, it breaks up having to look at nothing but concrete and metal.

[Rainrider22]

Ok, I guess I'm just really picky. I personally think wooden poles are the absolutely most hideous thing on the face of the planet, especially when you get a long row of them, they just make this wall of crooked disgusting misalignment that looks 100 years out of date.

Wooden Poles have a much longer life span than concrete poles.  They are renewable and don't leave the carbon footprint of cement poles...just food for thought.  Kitchener Wilmot hydro is getting away from cement poles.  Look at the corrosion of the pole along Ottawa Street South, they are  literally disintegrating before your eyes during the winter.

[Pheidippides]

The aforementioned wooden pole in front of Wildfire:
   

[Canard]

OMG, I can't believe anyone with any sense of design would say they like the above wooden pole more than a steel or concrete one. I can't even.

[Canard]

Oh thank god we're on a new page so I don't have to see them anymore.

Please enjoy some photos of not wooden hydro poles.

   

   

   

[Rainrider22]

The aforementioned wooden pole in front of Wildfire:

The answer is very simple,  just very expensive, underground !!

[timio]

A quick glance to the left while driving past King/Victoria today suggested the lack of any structure at the former site of the dome.

[timio]

The aforementioned wooden pole in front of Wildfire:

Not sure what that pole would be for. It's not replacing any other poles. Perhaps temporary pole to support the wires of the streetlights?

https://goo.gl/maps/BzebUMPuBGA2