Grand River Transit

[bpoland]

King and Wellington is closed, probably until spring (the rails aren't even laid across Wellington yet).

[ijmorlan]

King and Wellington is closed, probably until spring (the rails aren't even laid across Wellington yet).

They could temporarily pave the centre of the intersection. The rest of it is already paved. If they’re not working on it actively the intersection should be opened up. Or they could finish up laying the rails through the intersection and then it would be done. We’re talking several months here, not just a few days.

[bpoland]

Yep, I agree. But it doesn't seem likely given that they didn't pave the centre of the intersection when they paved the rest of it.

[Viewfromthe42]

I think many people would be fine with having north/south only travel on King at that spot, and having to u-turn to get back to the intersection if you were hoping to make a left turn. When compared to having no through access at all.

[KevinL]

So it looks like no stops on King between Erb and William. Is this for the time being, or permanently? If the latter, there are a lot of questions to be answered.

[timc]

So it looks like no stops on King between Erb and William. Is this for the time being, or permanently? If the latter, there are a lot of questions to be answered.

That can't possibly be right.

[Pheidippides]

Probably permanent. The two bus bays they were to be built for NB busses along King did not get built and they were not ideal to begin with (busses would have had to have crossed right across the LRT tracks to get to the bus bay then crossed back left across the LRT tracks to get back in to the travel lane). That is a lot of potential interactions with LRVs. There is some space between where the LRT turns in to the public square and the freight tracks, (in front of the new McCabe's), but I am not convinced it would be enough space for a bus to fit safely (depending on the various regulations and necessary clearances). If that is the case I wonder if they might permanently detour the seven up Caroline to Erb to King (if post 2018 intersection geometry might make that turn possible).

[Viewfromthe42]

It should be just as concerning if there aren't going to be good connections between ION and other GRT routes in UpTown as there has been TriTAG-voiced concern about the 202 not going to the ION stops.

[timc]

Routing the bus up Caroline would improve connections to ION. Maybe that would work. But it would be a loss for Uptown businesses along King Street.

[Markster]

Routing the bus up Caroline would improve connections to ION. Maybe that would work.

Huh. I could imagine them doing that.

King<->William<->Caroline<->Willis<->King

With stops:
King (at Allen)
William (at King)
Caroline (at Willis/southbound LRT station)
King (just north of railway tracks/south of Erb/at northbound LRT station)

On the other hand, it's only 550m from Allen to Erb, so it's not impossible to simply skip William as a stop for the 7. Though, it's kinda funny that the 7 and LRT would then have the same stop spacing in south Uptown.

[Markster]

Regina makes more sense.

Not if the idea behind detouring off King is to connect with LRT

[KevinL]

The 7 and ION more or less travel the same corridor. Unlike the situation at UW with the 202, I don't really see the issue here.

It's the walking distance to the uptown Ion stations from a 7 stop - if you have to get off at King and Erb (or William) and walk all the way to the Ion platform, that's not good connectivity.

[Viewfromthe42]

In part, it's for people for whom the difference between expected ION and non-express stop spacing matters. It's also important for anyone traveling along King between UpTown and Conestoga Mall, for whom an easy transfer is very important.

[Markster]

Good point though, transfers to and from the 7 should be made at Allen.

[KevinL]

The one lynchpin missing is southbound 7 to northbound Ion, I think. A southbound 7 stop at Willis/ the square should be doable, no tracks on that side.