Ottawa Rapid Transit Network developments

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

As with most other cities, track maintenance is done after hours when the trains are not running. This is almost up there as "OMG it's going to run underneath the water in the canal!"

Mostly true, but there are times when there are service interuptions. Most of the time this can be restricted to weekends.

[Richard Eade]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

As with most other cities, track maintenance is done after hours when the trains are not running. This is almost up there as "OMG it's going to run underneath the water in the canal!"

So, I'm curious; if track maintenance is normally done at night, why is it that such routine maintenance is shutting down the O-Train for five weeks? Would not the track leveling, ballast tamping, etc., have been done during the 'down hours'? Also, since we have three trains, of which one is used to allow un-interupted rail service during maintenance work on another, shouldn't there be no interuption in service due to transmission replacements?

In other cities, I agree that the majority of the maintenance work is done when the trains are not running, but this is Ottawa; and I think the facts speak for themselves. Statements like 'We contract the service and we had to fit into their schedule.' will not disappear just because we are spending $2.1B on a new LRT system. If anything, I expect it willl get worse until OC Transpo requests several hundred million dollars more tax dollars to buy their own equipment.

[Davis137]

Besides what you've just mentioned above, I've noticed that road crews don't seem to do much in the way of construction in Ottawa at night time, if at all. They seem to work on construction of roads in the peak hours, which is odd, as a majority of road and highway construction that takes place in Southern Ontario takes place overnight now. Which is actually better for the workers in terms of cooler temps, fresher air, and lower risk of sunburn,etc.

A lot of things done here, seem to be done the opposite of effective...

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

As with most other cities, track maintenance is done after hours when the trains are not running. This is almost up there as "OMG it's going to run underneath the water in the canal!"

No, it's "underneath the water in the canal in an earthquake zone with terrorists near the prime minister's office!"

[Mille Sabords]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

No, it's "underneath the water in the canal in an earthquake zone with terrorists near the prime minister's office!"

Oh for God's sake. And why not a locust infestation while we're at it. Or an accidental rupture of a sewer line dumping miasmatic fluids into the tunnel instead of the river.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by McC

fair enough, I was just talking about the way the federal infrastructure programs generally work at this time; I was not making a normative argument about how they ought to work.
That said, the "even shares" cost-sharing model seems to have worked well for the Canada line and is being repeated for the Evergreen line in Vancouver, as well as other transit projects in Edmonton and Calgary. But those cities have fewer local social programs that are funded by property taxes than we do in Ontario, so it might be easier for the local tax base to fund 1/3 of major transit infrastructure (Vancouver's Translink has a gas tax, a land development role, and other funding mechanisms available, which have helped as well).

Edmonton's south LRT extension was 100% federally funded, whereas Calgary's West LRT is 100% provincially funded. Edmonton borrowed money to be paid off with the gas tax transfer over a number of years. Calgary used a provincial transfer called the MSI or Municipality Sustainability Initiative that amounts to just short of $400 million a year being transferred to the city directly from the province with no strings on what it can be spent on (as long as it is a capital project).

If Alberta waited for the feds to fund their 1/3rd, there would be a lot less infrastructure construction in the province - so much is being built, almost 4 times the $ amount on a per capita basis than Ontario of public infrastructure.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

So, I'm curious; if track maintenance is normally done at night, why is it that such routine maintenance is shutting down the O-Train for five weeks? Would not the track leveling, ballast tamping, etc., have been done during the 'down hours'? Also, since we have three trains, of which one is used to allow un-interupted rail service during maintenance work on another, shouldn't there be no interuption in service due to transmission replacements?

In other cities, I agree that the majority of the maintenance work is done when the trains are not running, but this is Ottawa; and I think the facts speak for themselves. Statements like 'We contract the service and we had to fit into their schedule.' will not disappear just because we are spending $2.1B on a new LRT system. If anything, I expect it willl get worse until OC Transpo requests several hundred million dollars more tax dollars to buy their own equipment.

Because it is a freight railway, and the economies of scale aren't there to justify an inhouse maintenance crew with such a small line. I'd imagine that the maintenance tender was also done looking for cost savings, and thinking that during the summer, with no (or little) Carleton students, impact would be minimal. In Calgary on a long weekend sometimes they have a section closed to replace overhead wire, sometimes just reduced service as one of the two tracks is out of service.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Mille Sabords

Oh for God's sake. And why not a locust infestation while we're at it. Or an accidental rupture of a sewer line dumping miasmatic fluids into the tunnel instead of the river.

Mine were sarcastic quotation marks, just so we're clear.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Western LRT – Planning and Environmental Assessment Process Has Begun

Western LRT Corridor, Planning and Environmental Assessment, Study Design and Schedule Document (PDF)

Just for kicks, here's a video of the most logical route from Dominion to Cleary, which covers half the distance to Lincoln Fields. Wait a minute, I could lose all this fun — time to start a "Friends of the Singletrack Trail"

• Video Link

[McC]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Just for kicks, here's a video of the most logical route from Dominion to Cleary, which covers half the distance to Lincoln Fields. Wait a minute, I could lose all this fun — time to start a "Friends of the Singletrack Trail"

• Video Link

Nice video, but I take issue with the "most logical route" part -- I think that the "most logical route" would be to cut southwest from Dominion through/under the park, and under Richmond at Denbury/Fraser and then along/under Richmond-Byron to Lincoln Fields... but then again, I also have the crazy idea that it would be "most logical" for DOTT Phase 1 to go all the way to Richmond at Denbury/Fraser too (which would be equally useful as a permanent or temporary terminus, so it doesn't "bias" any western route), and then during the EA and construction of the Western Route, OC transpo could balance out the termini for bus routes from the West and Southwest, with a limited number of routes using a temporary turnaround stop at Richmond and Denbury/Fraser (Westboro-West? ) , a larger number of routes using the Parkway without stopping from LF all the way Tunney's (accessed directly from the Parkway, allows for a smaller-scale station at Tunney's) and some routes using the Parkway without stopping all the way to Lebreton (for direct transfer to Gatineau)... An idea that's so crazy that obviously I don't really know from "logical"!

[McC]

Originally Posted by McC

Nice video, but I take issue with the "most logical route" part -- I think that the "most logical route" would be to cut southwest from Dominion through/under the park, and under Richmond at Denbury/Fraser and then along/under Richmond-Byron to Lincoln Fields... but then again, I also have the crazy idea that it would be "most logical" for DOTT Phase 1 to go all the way to Richmond at Denbury/Fraser too (which would be equally useful as a permanent or temporary terminus, so it doesn't "bias" any western route), and then during the EA and construction of the Western Route, OC transpo could balance out the termini for bus routes from the West and Southwest, with a limited number of routes using a temporary turnaround stop at Richmond and Denbury/Fraser (Westboro-West? ) , a larger number of routes using the Parkway without stopping from LF all the way Tunney's (accessed directly from the Parkway, allows for a smaller-scale station at Tunney's) and some routes using the Parkway without stopping all the way to Lebreton (for direct transfer to Gatineau)... An idea that's so crazy that obviously I don't really know from "logical"!

If Carling were eventually chosen as the primary western corridor for long-haul rapid transit, I'd add at least one stop on this Bayview to Richmond spur between Western-Northwestern and Carleton (serving the west side of Tunney's, the mosque, Champlain Park and that rapidly intensifying stretch of Wellington West). The gap between Tunney's and Westboro stations is (too) long, especially if this old stretch of transitway becomes more of a local service with the long-haul routes using a different corridor.

[McC]

Eric Darwin has news on the community involvement in the Western LRT Corridor planning here: http://westsideaction.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/western-leg-lrt-from-bayview-to-lincoln-fields-via/

[Ice Hockey 87]

Latest update on the downtown lrt tunnel EA:

Ontario approves environmental assessment for Ottawa light-rail tunnel
By Robert Sibley, The Ottawa Citizen August 17, 2010 10:15 PM


OTTAWA — It’s full steam ahead for Ottawa’s LRT, says Mayor Larry O’Brien, following the McGuinty government’s acceptance of the environmental assessment on the multi-billlion dollar transit project.

“Environmental assessment approval is a major milestone for this critical project,” Mayor Larry O’Brien said Tuesday.

In a memo Tuesday afternoon, John Jensen, the city’s director of rail implementation, informed the mayor and council that the provincial environment ministry approved the LRT’s environmental assessment.

The assessment examined the potential impact of a 12-kilometre light-rail transit line from Tunney’s Pasture to Blair Station, including a three-kilometre tunnel through the downtown from LeBreton Flats to the University of Ottawa. The project is estimated to cost $2.1 billion.

Ottawa has secured funding commitments of $1.2 billion from the provincial and federal government. For its part, the city has to raise at least $900 million.

The city submitted its environmental project report to the province in June. The report examined everything from noise and vibration levels to air and water quality. It also considered the preservation of vegetation, wildlife and heritage sites along the route, including the Rideau Canal.

Project proponents were quick to applaud the province’s decision.

“This, combined with $600 million in previously announced provincial funding, and matching support from the federal government, is a strong indication that the city’s light rail vision is on track,” said O’Brien.

The mayor praised city staff and fellow councillors, particularly Counc. Alex Cullen, for their work on fast-tracking the environmental assessment. “He (Cullen) has done a splendid job on the transit.”

For his part, Cullen, chairman of council’s transit committee, said the province’s endorsement “represents an important step to bringing this project to construction. A rapid rail line through a downtown tunnel is the solution to Ottawa’s transit challenges, and the project’s approval by the province is a significant step forward in making Ottawa’s LRT future a reality.”

O’Brien, meanwhile, said that with the environmental assessment in hand, along financial commitments from the provincial and federal governments, the city will proceed with obtaining engineering design bids for the rail line, tunnel and stations.

The Tunney’s Pasture-Blair Road project is first phase of a larger, $5.6-billion transit master plan that’s been split into two parts over the next two decades.

The first phase, costing about $3.7 billion, is itself divided into three parts — the $2.1-billion Tunney’s-to-Blair line, which is to be completed by 2018 and operational in 2019; a second phase that includes extending a rail line from Tunney’s Pasture to Baseline Station (assuming there’s money available); and, third, a line from Bayview to South Keys that would replace the existing diesel O-Train with electric rail. These latter two projects are estimated to cost about $1 billion each.

O’Brien expressed confidence the first-phase project will be kept within budget. “I think we’re on pretty solid ground” regarding project costs, he said. “Financing is always an issue but we’ll cut the suit to fit the cloth as we go foward. But as far as I’m concerned this project is a go.”

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa...+tunnel/3409731/story.html#ixzz0wvRh7Ym8

[Cre47]

Document regarding to the Terry Fox to Fernbank stretch. Note the title at the top of the screen and the page tab (opening into a new window) says Hospital Link / Cumberland Transitway

http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/cit...ransitway%20-%20TFox%20to%20Fernbank.htm

The following shows three options in regards to the portion at Maple Grove and Hazeldean

Option 1



Option 2



Option 3

[Cre47]

From the Hospital Link/Cumberland document (or looking at the first image more like the Hurdman/Cumberland link)

http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/cit...0-ICS-PGM-0155%20-%20hospital%20link.htm

Recommended corridors and stations



St-Laurent at Railway pass



Innes/Blair Station



Blackburn By-Pass West station



Blackburn By-Pass East station



Blair/Meadowbrook Station





---------------------------------------------
Not to add another post, here's a new document for the Bayshore/Moodie portion

http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/cit...20Extension%20Bayshore%20to%20Moodie.htm

[Dado]

Uggh.

The West Transitway in Kanata West is going to have elevated 4-lane stations at Hazeldean, Maple Grove and Scotiabank Place. Because of this, it's also going to be a bit of a roller coaster: from the east, it goes over the Queensway and Palladium, down to grade, up and over Maple Grove, back down to grade, then up and over Hazeldean, then back down to grade, across Abbott at grade (wait... that's the former railway corridor... guess we can't grade separate that one... that might give rail nutters ideas; so what if TransCanada Trail users have to cross the busway at grade - we'll just give'em a stop sign), and then it proceeds up an existing hill/slope to terminate at grade at Fernbank. The amount of elevated transitway in this plan is going to make it look like a bad version of the SkyTrain.

Scotiabank Station (which, frankly, should be called "Palladium Station" given that Scotiabank Place is not exactly guaranteed to remain the permanent name of the arena) is located along Huntmar west of Scotiabank Place, so transit users get to enter by the back, I guess. One supposes that having an elevated station located over Frank Finnigan Way would have been too much to ask for.

Since the initial phase of this project terminates at Scotiabank Place and since Scotiabank Place is expected to have high point loads, they need a way to get buses on and off the transitway at Scotiabank Station. So what we're going to get is a pair of cloverleaf ramps on the south side of Palladium Drive, allowing buses to head south from Scotiabank Station, make a 270° clockwise turn bringing them under the transitway, past/through a lay-by lot, then through another 270° clockwise turn to bring them back up and over Palladium Drive. The downramp, what they refer to as the West Terminus Ramp, pretty much encircles the farmstead on Huntmar just south of Palladium, so it will have to go.

There are three stations located west of Terry Fox and north of the Queensway: Didsbury (west of that hotel and condo project), Carp River (for duck watchers and carp fishers, I guess, since we now leave river plains undeveloped) and Campeau (roughly at the intersection of imaginary extensions of Frank Finnigan Way northwards across the Queensway and Palladium Drive eastwards across Huntmar). This works out to three stations in a space of a kilometre, which is one of the highest station densities anywhere on the entire Transitway system.

One of the gruelling issues that the study had to examine was how to transition the transitway from being to the east of the north-south arterial at Scotiabank Place to being in the median by the time it gets to Fernbank. This apparently used up a lot of brainpower, since they had to come up with three options and an entire table of criteria to figure out which to do:

Option 1: Transition between Maple Grove Road and Hazeldean Road


Option 2: Transition south of Hazeldean Road


Option 3: Transition north of Maple Grove Road




For some reason, just keeping the transitway on the east side of the arterial all the way south to Fernbank doesn't seem to have been an option to consider.

Anyway, after filling in a table of freshly-chosen criteria with full moons (bad), half moons (better) and new moons (best), they chose Option 2, the option with the most new moons... err, no, the fewest full moons then?, err, no, not that either. Never mind, they chose Option 2, and gave it a new moon to show everyone it somehow won. Option 1 had only one full moon (for, of all things, "compatibility with existing and future pedestrian & bicycle networks" - if you can figure out how Option 1 is worse than the others in this regard, please let me know) but that was apparently enough though to land it in last place, getting it the full moon. Option 3, which had more new moons than Option 2 and the same number of full moons, came in second, getting a half moon.

In the criteria, grade separation seems to be counted as a facilitator for future light rail when light rail needs grade separation far less than does BRT. Option 2 happened to be the least amenable to easy construction due to the combination of numerous heavy support structures weighing down on the poor quality clay soil underlying the area, meaning it is also the most expensive, but we're not going to let an issue like that affect the design choice.

The cost comes out to $425M for 7.9 km of bus transitway, or $54M/km. What's that about BRT being less expensive, Andy?


Oh yes, someone at the City needs to pay attention to their HTML templates. The title of that page is "HOSPITAL LINK/CUMBERLAND TRANSITWAY".

[lrt's friend]

I would like to know how much it would cost to build that 7.9km Transitway as LRT. It sounds like the cost of that one Transitway is getting up towards the cost of all the Transitways built inside the Greenbelt.

I look at the east end map and how close 2 rapid transit routes are going to be and then we have that orphan spur going to the hospital.

With all the money we are planning to blow on expensive options everywhere else, why are we not building a very shallow cut and cover tunnel next to the Browning problem and do things properly? But hey, why would Ottawa want to do anything properly?

Also, by the time we build the Scotiabank Place Transitway, it will be time to build a new NHL arena and it will be somewhere else. Even if its at the opposite end of the parking lot, what will happen to the Transitway design and cost?

[Dado]

It's like Transitway design day around here...

Originally Posted by Cre47

From the Hospital Link/Cumberland document (or looking at the first image more like the Hurdman/Cumberland link)

http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/cit...0-ICS-PGM-0155%20-%20hospital%20link.htm

...

Blackburn By-Pass West station

Does anyone else think it somewhat odd to have a pedestrian grade separation at the transit station, and then to have an-at grade crossing of the high-speed Blackburn Bypass just nearby?

Blair/Meadowbrook Station

Joy, another trenched station. After all, the entrance to the golf club must be protected from passing buses.

For reasons that continue to escape me, they've made this segment along Blair into a major corridor so as to connect the Cumberland Transitway to the terminus of the light rail system at Blair Station rather than extend a second (or even first) light rail line from Hurdman through the Hospital corridor to the Cumberland Transitway.

If this corridor along Blair was only used as an interconnecting line it would not need grade separation at the golf club; indeed bus lanes would do the job.

[MalcolmTucker]

Yeah, no reason to trench that section, totally wasteful.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Dado

Does anyone else think it somewhat odd to have a pedestrian grade separation at the transit station, and then to have an-at grade crossing of the high-speed Blackburn Bypass just nearby?

Pretty sure the at-grade crossing of the bypass is already there at present. Not justifying, just explaining.