01-01-2017, 10:50 PM
I built a little tool to show the impact of increasing train and vehicle traffic on the level crossings in Kitchener. Please note I assumed a near-term future state of all GO trains operating out the Shirley yard (or from the east) and servicing the future transit hub location. Please let me know if I have made any errors or bad assumptions.
Budgeting for future grade separations
I understand that with having two recent grade separation projects, Weber and King, one of which is still underway, there may not be much public patience for similar projects, but I believe this is of great importance to the safety and further enhancement of our transportation network, and betterment of our community. All the more reason to start planning now.
Currently, Transport Canada has no formal recommendation for a cross-product threshold to consider a crossing for grade separation, but until recently it has used a threshold of 200,000 (although apparently this value was not based on evidence). Following the recent OC Transpo/VIA rail crash in Ottawa in 2013 Transport Canada reviewed its standards and is in the process of adopting, "specific guidance as to when grade separation should be considered;" for example, the US Department of Transportation thresholds of 400,000 (passenger trains only) and 500,000 (all trains) in urban areas as the thresholds for consideration as a grade separation.
For example, take the near-term future state of Lancaster St W. If we assume that 22 trains a day use the crossing (2 freight + 4 VIA (2 trains X 2 directions) + 16 GO trains (4 trains X 2 directions X 2 crossings to/from Shirley yard to future hub) and the annual average daily traffic (AADT) volume of vehicles passing through the crossing is 17,002 (Source: Region of Waterloo, 2014). The cross-product, or potential daily crashes, can be calculated as: 22 x 17,002 = 374,044, which is already above the Transport Canada threshold (200,000) and approaching the US DoT thresholds (400,000 and 500,000) for consideration as a grade separation before further GO expansion has even begun. Plus, if high speed rail (HSR) ever comes to fruition grade separations will be a requirement; so best to get ahead of the game especially if it means Metrolinx, the province, and/or the federal government would then contribute to the grade separations.
Budgeting for future grade separations
I understand that with having two recent grade separation projects, Weber and King, one of which is still underway, there may not be much public patience for similar projects, but I believe this is of great importance to the safety and further enhancement of our transportation network, and betterment of our community. All the more reason to start planning now.
Currently, Transport Canada has no formal recommendation for a cross-product threshold to consider a crossing for grade separation, but until recently it has used a threshold of 200,000 (although apparently this value was not based on evidence). Following the recent OC Transpo/VIA rail crash in Ottawa in 2013 Transport Canada reviewed its standards and is in the process of adopting, "specific guidance as to when grade separation should be considered;" for example, the US Department of Transportation thresholds of 400,000 (passenger trains only) and 500,000 (all trains) in urban areas as the thresholds for consideration as a grade separation.
For example, take the near-term future state of Lancaster St W. If we assume that 22 trains a day use the crossing (2 freight + 4 VIA (2 trains X 2 directions) + 16 GO trains (4 trains X 2 directions X 2 crossings to/from Shirley yard to future hub) and the annual average daily traffic (AADT) volume of vehicles passing through the crossing is 17,002 (Source: Region of Waterloo, 2014). The cross-product, or potential daily crashes, can be calculated as: 22 x 17,002 = 374,044, which is already above the Transport Canada threshold (200,000) and approaching the US DoT thresholds (400,000 and 500,000) for consideration as a grade separation before further GO expansion has even begun. Plus, if high speed rail (HSR) ever comes to fruition grade separations will be a requirement; so best to get ahead of the game especially if it means Metrolinx, the province, and/or the federal government would then contribute to the grade separations.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.