ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[clasher]

Just a little note; the Mill/Ottawa intersection is partially open. One can still turn left from Ottawa onto Mill heading north for now so that's kind of convenient. It looks so much different here now!

[Markster]

As for that new Bombardier building, I sure hope they aren't building any of our LRVs there!

I kinda want them under construction now, not in a year!

[Canard]

As for that new Bombardier building, I sure hope they aren't building any of our LRVs there!

They are. The first few will come from Thunder Bay, with the remainder coming from Millhaven.

[Canard]

Erb/Caroline opens today!

The only hitch is that you can't go onto Caroline if you're coming from Erb or Bridgeport; the lane there closest to the tracks, between Erb and FDB, will still be closed while they work on the track there. Detour is Erb to FDB to Caroline.

[Viewfromthe42]

But will our LRVs be coming from the new building, or does the new building perhaps let them focus the old building on our products, while having the new building pick up any compression in the Crosstown schedule created in doing so?

[Canard]

We don't have information that specific... and it's doubtful we ever will. When I'm by next I'll try and sort out the track configuration - my guess is the new building's tracks will exit North (instead of South) with a connector line up to the MOVIA (now MOVIA/FLEXITY) high speed test track along the North edge of the property. Our trains cannot/will not run on the original ICTS test loop, which is currently what the 5 tracks in the existing hall connect to.

My understanding is our trains will get built in Thunder Bay until Millhaven's new expansion is ready.

[GtwoK]

Northfield is set to open September 30! INCLUDING Kumpf AND the highway ramps! This is so exciting, the ramps closed the same time King did at the grade separation, this must make it the longest closure that's reopening that we've had so far, no? Highly anticipated, I'm sure. They also are 2 months ahead of schedule there, which is great.

King between William and Union is ALSO finally opening September 30th (as is the Allen intersection)

Victoria reopens next Wednesday, September 28th

Charles from Victoria to Benton will be reopened ("for realisies this time") September 30th, traffic lights and all.

Most of the closures on Duke are supposed to open "late September" as well, which would imply by September 30th - Ontario, Young, and College should all be open in a week!

[timc]

Northfield is set to open September 30! INCLUDING Kumpf AND the highway ramps! This is so exciting, the ramps closed the same time King did at the grade separation, this must make it the longest closure that's reopening that we've had so far, no? Highly anticipated, I'm sure. They also are 2 months ahead of schedule there, which is great.

I've been waiting with bated breath for this opening, and the subsequent complaints about what they've done with the highway interchange. :-)

[Section ThirtyOne]

Wow, this is great progress and will open up a lot of the points causing grief in travelling around the city.

[MidTowner]

Excellent news about Northfield, and the other openings.

King and Wellington wasn't on the list. It was supposed to be closed "approximately six weeks" starting August 15, which would see it opening next week as well. I guess this will be a lot less of an issue once Victoria is back open, though.

[Markster]

For those not on Twitter, it looks like I've caused a ruckus again.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Say hello to Queen St's new ridiculous pedestrian bottleneck <a href="https://t.co/2WdY9Vnwm8">pic.twitter.com/2WdY9Vnwm8</a></p>&mdash; Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) <a href="https://twitter.com/Markster3000/status/777613091743866880">September 18, 2016</a></blockquote>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sidewalks at <a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt">@rideIONrt</a> corners.<br>Who poured it better?<br>(Charles St on left, Duke St on right) <a href="https://t.co/UMMnbgoaTl">pic.twitter.com/UMMnbgoaTl</a></p>&mdash; Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) <a href="https://twitter.com/Markster3000/status/777627993107759104">September 18, 2016</a></blockquote>

Which inspired TriTAG to write this, about the problem of auto-centric street design, and how there are some upcoming meetings to help change the transportation priorities:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This corner shows what's wrong with transportation planning in Waterloo Region <a href="https://t.co/zUrb7NBmki">https://t.co/zUrb7NBmki</a> <a href="https://t.co/HQ83jtkwt5">pic.twitter.com/HQ83jtkwt5</a></p>&mdash; TriTAG (@TriTAG) <a href="https://twitter.com/TriTAG/status/777931755734958082">September 19, 2016</a></blockquote>

And this morning, I was interviewed by CTV and they say that a segment will run during the 6 o'clock local news!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This Queen St sidewalk issue got traction!<br>I was just interviewed by <a href="https://twitter.com/CTVKitchener">@CTVKitchener</a>, and should be on TV at 6pm-ish! (maybe even noon?) <a href="https://t.co/vS0POEgKgi">https://t.co/vS0POEgKgi</a></p>&mdash; Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) <a href="https://twitter.com/Markster3000/status/778258186063253505">September 20, 2016</a></blockquote>

Oh! And a segment for the noon news is already live:

http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=955138

[danbrotherston]

Great raising awareness Mark.

the before and after images in the video make the problem very apparent even if the video still fails to capture the substantial grade present as well.

The before and after shots also show how much bigger the traffic signal pole is. I wonder why the increase. I have noticed in other places poor placementioned of overly large poles as well. even along King some of the new decorative lights are placed in the sidewalk instead of in the utility space. I have no idea why. I noticed in Europe this type of infrastructure was far smaller.

[Markster]

The before and after shots also show how much bigger the traffic signal pole is. I wonder why the increase.

It's probably the "standard" size of pole they use these days. The kind of pole that is designed to stay standing after taking a direct hit from a car going 70km/h.

The old pole was much simpler, narrower, and didn't have the big concrete base. It seemed to be simply bolted to the sidewalk. It would topple in a high speed collision, but if you managed to hit it, you were also hitting a building.

[danbrotherston]

I though modern utility poles were meant to sever in the case of collisions, so that they don't kill vehicle occupants.

Either way, you're right about it being "standard". So much for context.

[GtwoK]

Wow, this is great progress and will open up a lot of the points causing grief in travelling around the city.

What's great is that with all of those intersections being completed, they'll be moving those work forces to other portions of the construction. We're really about to see work speed being picked up. Homestretch!

Excellent news about Northfield, and the other openings.

King and Wellington wasn't on the list. It was supposed to be closed "approximately six weeks" starting August 15, which would see it opening next week as well. I guess this will be a lot less of an issue once Victoria is back open, though.

The Wellington closure was extended until the end of October (though street signage hasn't reflected this, for whatever reason). Presumably to complete track installation.