Calgary Public Transit II

[fusili]

I know this has been asked before, but why does it take the City more than a year to build a LRT platform? It should be done in 3 months, max. They just have to put more people on the job.

[mersar]

Some of its due to the fact that certain things have to be timed with line closures, but yeah, things shouldn't take as long as they do. Hopefully the WLRT will set an example of how things should be done in the future in terms of the schedule for getting things done, especially for future extensions and even rebuilds of other stations as they will be happening over time.

[frinkprof]

Yeah there's a lot of different steps to those 7th Avenue platforms, and hence a lot of different contractors (demolition, prefab concrete construction and installation, electrical work, steel, glass, etc.), which can be hard to coordinate. With these stations the electrical is probably the most complicated part due to the work that has to be done under the platform, plus the catenary work along the Avenue and the substation.

But yeah, I don't see why it couldn't be pushed to be done in a single construction season and be opened by the late fall.

I too hope that extensions like Aspen Woods and the future South line extension can be done a lot faster than it took to do Crowfoot and McKnight-Westwinds.

[Ferreth]

Hopefully they can get the south / northwest platforms upgraded to 4 cars by the time City Hall is done - although I'm doubting it's going to happen. Crossing my fingers some of that Federal Stimulus money will get those platforms started this year as well.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[eggbert]

Stupid question maybe, but what do they mean by "twinned"?

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^Very much doubt the south and northwest stations will be done by 2011. Likely started on, but certainly not finished. I doubt it would even be possible, since necessary closures would have to be coordinated and you probably wouldn't want to have more than 1 or maybe 2 stations on a line closed concurrenty. The completion date for 4-LRV platforms for the south and northwest lines is 2014.

I've either read it online or heard straight from the City, but I thought there were no closures planned for any of the suburban station extensions. Other than some weekend work, but that happens all the time anyway.

If the will was there, this could be done in a year. Easily. If you can build 8 stations + track + everything else in 3 years, you sure as heck should be able to extend a couple dozen concrete aprons in 1.

I suspect it's still a funding thing, like everything else.

[TETT2]

Originally Posted by fusili

I know this has been asked before, but why does it take the City more than a year to build a LRT platform? It should be done in 3 months, max. They just have to put more people on the job.

more people = more money and more disruptions.

Who knows to be honest with you. You can also say that about many other projects such as Tuscany/RR Station which got pushed back a couple of years.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[mersar]

I also got a reply from the city about Centre Street, it won't need to be closed to do the work according to what the person who replied was told by TI, but no word on when the actual work will happen.

[freeweed]

frink, I know the official story (and I'm sure I'm over-simplifying things just a a tad) but until I see a 7th Ave station that doesn't regularly sit with zero construction activity, I'm chalking this mostly up to poor planning and funding models.

I've gotten so obsessed with this that for quite some time now it's been my mission to count how often I see crews working on the platforms as they're constructed. At *best* 50% of the time, but it's more like 30%. There are days and days and days where no one's there, morning or afternoon. 4th St W was taken down (feels like weeks ago already) and all I've seen since then is construction fencing put up.

I realize I'm not exactly watching them 7x24 but again, with planning, there's no reason some work shouldn't be happening at a steady clip (certainly mornings and afternoons would be common times for construction work...). Look at the pace EAP is going - that's because every single day I've looked, including Sundays, they have workers on site. Maybe not till 4 am, but long days generally.

There's a financial penalty if EAP doesn't open on time. What happens if a platform is closed for a few more weeks/months than necessary? C-train riders are a captive market for the most part.

[mersar]

4th Street has actually been about the most active station I've seen being worked on. Pretty much every day theres something happening when I'm past htere in the morning, though that may be due to the fact that this station isn't being done by the city, rather its the province's contractor doing the work and I don't think they've been involved in any of the other stations

[DarkKeyo]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

There will pretty much have to be closures. Whitehorn for example will be closed down for a period this summer. If for the south and northwest lines, only short station closures are necessary, there are still track closures/disruptions that most likely will be necessary. This is because there are scissor crossover tracks that will need to be removed/relocated due to the platform extensions in a few areas.

I'm kind of interested in what stations you think will require having the crossover tracks removed. I've spent plenty of time calculating how platform extensions would fit while riding the train (it passes the time) and I'm pretty sure all of the stations have enough room between the end of the platform and the switches for a 4 car platform, just not a 5-car one.

The NE stations (and Canyon Meadows and Brentwood) have what look like foundations or preparations for platform extension covering a good distance between the platform and the switches. Erlton, and Chinook south to Anderson have long walkways from the platform end to the level crossings, which would be replaced with platform, and in some cases the level crossings moved. Although they wouldn't be wheelchair accessible during extension coinstruction. Sunnyside has space between the platform and level crossing on the south side, but the wheelchair ramp would be moved here too. Lions Park would just need the east level crossing moved. Banff Trail is easy. 39th will require some creative platform cramming into a small space, but won't interfere with crossovers or exits. Victoria Park has room on the north side, though the third platform's track may be in the way. The only ones I see as a problem are Fish Creek, which seems to have ramps/stairs at both ends, and SAIT, which has an indoor shelter at the west end that will have to go (they were doing something to that shelter during the closure last weekend).

I don't see how any of this requires closing all of the station, and I know they've had stations be non-wheelchair-accessible during construction before. Unless they're going to renovate the stations themselves... I'd really like to know what that open house at Whitehorn said about what they were doing there.

Edit: 100 posts! And a long-winded one, too. Sorry

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[You Need A Thneed]

Construction Update on the NE extension:

The new sound wall along the LRT right of way is mostly complete. Probably wont take too much longer.

Piling for both stations is underway. You can see rebar sticking up at Saddletowne station. The retaining walls at Saddletowne station have been complete for a while, so if you drive by, you can see exactly where the tracks will go.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Suicide jumper today at SAIT Station at around 12:30.

The evening news only described it as a pedestrian being hit; did any information actually come out about this?

As for the 57 - They better deal with this well. I'm not of the belief that air travelers will use much transit, so I don't think we need the LRT or 50 bus routes, but still - I'm sure plenty of employees take that to work. How the hell are the expected to get to work?