ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[ijmorlan]

This is a problem created by the hospital's decisions, I think they should be involved in fixing it.

Before we go off and blame the hospitals, they don't have smoking structures because the Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits (a) Smoking within 9m of any entrance or exit of a hospital and (b) Smoking on the outdoor grounds of a hospital. 

The province banned smoking on hospital property (and within 9m of the doors if it abuts public property), and the hospitals are being compliant with the law.  No different than when the province banned smoking on school property.  [Or when they banned smoking in malls, or when the Fed's banned smoking on planes]

As for smoking in bus shelters, this is handled by the Regional By-Law Enforcement and Regulatory Services branch.  I believe they have two full time Tobacco officers who deal with not only the Regional By-Law, but the SFOA.

Coke

The “within 9m” part is perfectly reasonable. My only quibble is that the line should be painted on the ground so one has something to point to when telling somebody they are too close.

The “on the outdoor grounds of a hospital” part is unreasonable to the extent that it prohibits the hospital from even establishing a specific place, appropriately sited with proper facilities provided (shelter, butt disposal).

If I were running a hospital I would transfer the smoking shelter area to a separate entity so that it would not technically be owned by the hospital any more and therefore not technically be part of the grounds of the hospital. Of course I would plan the location carefully to keep the nauseating fumes away from everybody else.

Hmmm, what about a bus shelter structure with a door? It’s not the hospital building but it’s also not “outside”?

[plam]

The “within 9m” part is perfectly reasonable. My only quibble is that the line should be painted on the ground so one has something to point to when telling somebody they are too close.

The “on the outdoor grounds of a hospital” part is unreasonable to the extent that it prohibits the hospital from even establishing a specific place, appropriately sited with proper facilities provided (shelter, butt disposal).

To derail this a bit, I've also suggested a painted 9m line outside University of Waterloo buildings but it was believed to be infeasible. I have seen campuses with such lines in Quebec, but they may have fewer perimeters. However, putting ashtrays more than 9m away does help a bit.

[Canard]

Messenger wire is up all down Charles, from Borden to Benton.

[ijmorlan]

The “within 9m” part is perfectly reasonable. My only quibble is that the line should be painted on the ground so one has something to point to when telling somebody they are too close.

The “on the outdoor grounds of a hospital” part is unreasonable to the extent that it prohibits the hospital from even establishing a specific place, appropriately sited with proper facilities provided (shelter, butt disposal).

To derail this a bit, I've also suggested a painted 9m line outside University of Waterloo buildings but it was believed to be infeasible. I have seen campuses with such lines in Quebec, but they may have fewer perimeters. However, putting ashtrays more than 9m away does help a bit.

At UW, “infeasible” usually just means that the person you’re talking to in IST or Plant Ops doesn’t like the idea. You’ll be lucky to even get a coherent explanation of why they don’t like it, never mind a rational re-consideration of whether it is actually a good idea. The idea that painting a few lines around even the major entrances is “infeasible” on a campus full of $100 million building projects is simply absurd.

[Coke6pk]

Before we go off and blame the hospitals, they don't have smoking structures because the Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits (a) Smoking within 9m of any entrance or exit of a hospital and (b) Smoking on the outdoor grounds of a hospital. 

The province banned smoking on hospital property (and within 9m of the doors if it abuts public property), and the hospitals are being compliant with the law.  No different than when the province banned smoking on school property.  [Or when they banned smoking in malls, or when the Fed's banned smoking on planes]

As for smoking in bus shelters, this is handled by the Regional By-Law Enforcement and Regulatory Services branch.  I believe they have two full time Tobacco officers who deal with not only the Regional By-Law, but the SFOA.

Coke

The “within 9m” part is perfectly reasonable. My only quibble is that the line should be painted on the ground so one has something to point to when telling somebody they are too close.

The “on the outdoor grounds of a hospital” part is unreasonable to the extent that it prohibits the hospital from even establishing a specific place, appropriately sited with proper facilities provided (shelter, butt disposal).

If I were running a hospital I would transfer the smoking shelter area to a separate entity so that it would not technically be owned by the hospital any more and therefore not technically be part of the grounds of the hospital. Of course I would plan the location carefully to keep the nauseating fumes away from everybody else.

Hmmm, what about a bus shelter structure with a door? It’s not the hospital building but it’s also not “outside”?

I'm not arguing the merits of the law, just stating it's not the hospitals fault.   Why didn't the school board go out and find loopholes in the law so that students didn't ashtray up the sidewalk?  As a health care provider, I'm sure they were not going to go above and beyond to test the limits of an anti-smoking law.

There were many establishments that thought our Regional by-law would fail, and spent thousands of dollars in creating "covered patios" which were still deemed to be part of the non-smoking portion of the establishment.  [My memory serves the Stampede Corral had a gap of about 1' between the solid wall and roof, and therefore was determined to be indoors, and patrons were charged smoking there.  Even the establishments that reached out to us (Yup, I was a Regional Tobacco By-Law guy in 2000-2001) were "approved" as smoking patio's, but the SFOA changed that, and that was wasted money too.

A bus shelter structure with or without a door would be treated like a building, and therefore be smoke free.

Coke

[I apologize for the smoking conversation.... we are getting a little off-track [pun intended] .... need more update pictures, STAT!]

[Canard]

Lots of trackwork going on in UpTown Waterloo at the future Town Centre station!

[nms]

Do you have any details on the "winter enclosure" that the other platforms will get?  I don't remember seeing anything about that before.

From: http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...mittee.pdf

Is it just me, or does the shelter in this render seem absurdly small for the level of traffic that might be expected along the line?  The shelter shown here, with it's three seats, looks like a shelter meant to handle the capacity for a lower-volume iXpress stop. My expectation is that the stops would be getting as much volume as the iXpress stops at University and Seagram.  Even with a larger shelter (double or triple length I believe), there is still quite a crowd waiting there for a bus to show up.  Are there general metrics for how much platform space is needed per passenger?

[tomh009]

Messenger wire is up all down Charles, from Borden to Benton.

Traffic lights are also almost all operational on Charles, except for the Ottawa and Cedar intersections.

[Canard]

Speaking of signals, here's a great video from Gold Coast, Australia showing how signal priority works on their system, called G:Link.



Note that in some cases, the tram signals actually hold a train back, for schedule adherence.

(This system runs 7-module Bombardier FLEXITY 2 LRV's, if you were wondering. They had problem with noise in the curves (no track lubricators) and I suspect that's why our system got them from the get-go - some of the same system partners that built that line are involved in ours. Lessons learned!)

[Canard]

Does anyone recall when we'll find out which art pieces were selected for the stations?

I've got ferrets about some of my favourites not making it through, and I can't wait to find out!

[Pheidippides]

"The artwork selection process will conclude with the jury making a recommendation to Regional Council in January 2017 on the artworks to be commissioned."

The public art committee met last Thursday, but there is nothing in their agenda with the selections:
http://calendar.regionofwaterloo.ca/Coun...7-0127.pdf

[Canard]

So... it's supposed to be January, but not on a schedule?

[KevinL]

Traynor walkway consultation was today. Elizabeth Clarke posted a summary to Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...=686822111

The current proposal is to locate the Fairway side between Swiss Chalet and Michael's. Further comments are welcome before the plan is finalized.

[Pheidippides]

One Mark IV and one ballast sweeper on each track down at the Scherer dealership this morning mostly working on the alignment in the lead up to and from where the road deck plates are at the dealership entrance. Looks like they may have been working all night.

Also came across this damage to fencing along Mill at Ottawa. Looks like the vehicle left the scene. The tracks weren't covered in snow, so it must have been very recent.
   

[KevinL]

That is an odd little spot there; just wide enough between the fence and the road for a sidewalk, but as there is no sidewalk further down Mill I'm not sure what they intend to put there. A bus platform?