Calgary Public Transit II

[Rusty van Reddick]

No escalator at University...

[Innersoul1]

I like the addition of Bio-Swales or Rain Gardens. The new BC Ferries buidling in downtown Victoria incorporates this feature. It is a great efficient use of rain water and it really beautifies the exterior of the building. I believe the the U 0f C is also experimenting with them specifically at the TFL.


Credit: Streetfims.org


This is a parking lot that I saw at the Northgate Shopping Centre just outside of Seattle

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by lubicon

2. there will NOT be an escalator for this station. Not really a big deal in my opinion but something I find curious. This might be the only station in Calgary outside of downtown that does not have one and that requires climbing to leave the station.

After the current renos, Whitehorn station will only have an up escalator, not a down one. The elevator will be much more prominent though, not buried in the back.

I think that the same will be the case for all of the similar NE stations after they in turn get their renos.

There's new reports of the CCC meetings for the NE extention on the city's webpage, the main new information that I could see on them is that there is now "backdoor" entrance to both platforms at Martindale station, instead of only on the inbound platform. This means that you will be able to get onto the platform from both ends of both platforms. Unfortunately, I don't think you will be able to get onto the inbound platform using the backdoor entrance from the south side of the LRT ROW - as that would require a path crossing the tracks.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I like the addition of Bio-Swales or Rain Gardens.

Ah, Bio-Swales. Fancy name for a ditch.

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by fusili

Ah, Bio-Swales. Fancy name for a ditch.

ahem....landscaped ditch....SIR!

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

ahem....landscaped ditch....SIR!

I stand corrected.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by lubicon

The August update for the XRT project is out. A couple of things I found to be interesting regarding the Tuscany Station:

1. sounds like they will utilize infloor glycol heating for the station.
2. there will NOT be an escalator for this station. Not really a big deal in my opinion but something I find curious. This might be the only station in Calgary outside of downtown that does not have one and that requires climbing to leave the station.

Link is here:

http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/tran...ridge_tuscany/august_2010_newsletter.pdf

Why wouldn't they put an escalator in the station? That seems like a no brainer. If you install an efficient (sleep-mode) one, energy costs are minimized. Over the life of the station (the capital costs of the escalator are minimal).

[MalcolmTucker]

I think maintenance costs are the issue - especially if the station doesn't need the capacity its capacity. Does anyone remember the ridership estimate for the station?

[reflexzero]

Originally Posted by Aegis

Why wouldn't they put an escalator in the station? That seems like a no brainer. If you install an efficient (sleep-mode) one, energy costs are minimized. Over the life of the station (the capital costs of the escalator are minimal).

Might be something to do with all the nitwits who keep kicking the STOP button on the escalators in order to impress their fellow customers.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

I think maintenance costs are the issue - especially if the station doesn't need the capacity its capacity. Does anyone remember the ridership estimate for the station?

Geez. With all this talk about encouraging sustainable transportation, I would have thought making the customer experience for a transit user as comfortable as possible would be near the top of their priority list. Sometimes, it's the little things that matter.

[You Need A Thneed]

There will be 2 elevators in the Tuscany station instead of one elevator and one escalator.

At least that was the last plan that I've seen.

[mersar]

Yep. 2 Elevators (same as Crowfoot). Ridership estimates are not too high (about the middle of the range between the busiest and slowest stations). And from what has been said, the community seemed to be in favour of not having the escalators.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I like the addition of Bio-Swales or Rain Gardens. The new BC Ferries buidling in downtown Victoria incorporates this feature. It is a great efficient use of rain water and it really beautifies the exterior of the building. I believe the the U 0f C is also experimenting with them specifically at the TFL.


Credit: Streetfims.org


This is a parking lot that I saw at the Northgate Shopping Centre just outside of Seattle

Yes, if only calgary could do a bit more of this. Bio-swales privide an essential water infiltration component to every development instead of draining everything right into the storm drains and then into the bow river. Ditches are so fugly and I am glad some intelligent cities are finding new approaches to rain catchment instead of Calgary's close-minded approach to environmentalism. Every bit helps. Portland, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria and seattle are really breaking ground with these bio swales and their city pride is quite apparent. We would have to use different species in our bioswales (which we do in the few we have) but the idea is the same. Thanks for posting that.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by mersar

Yep. 2 Elevators (same as Crowfoot). Ridership estimates are not too high (about the middle of the range between the busiest and slowest stations). And from what has been said, the community seemed to be in favour of not having the escalators.

For now, while we're all still in our 20s and 30s. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen someone with white hair in my neighbourhood. Give it 20 years and I bet residents will be screaming for an escalator.

I don't think people are "in favour" of not having escalators so much as "not opposed" to not having them, and more likely just plain resigned to accepting it. I have a hard time conceiving of someone who uses the station actually standing up and saying "please sir, do not put escalators in the station".

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by kw5150

Yes, if only calgary could do a bit more of this. Bio-swales privide an essential water infiltration component to every development instead of draining everything right into the storm drains and then into the bow river. Ditches are so fugly and I am glad some intelligent cities are finding new approaches to rain catchment instead of Calgary's close-minded approach to environmentalism. Every bit helps. Portland, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria and seattle are really breaking ground with these bio swales and their city pride is quite apparent. We would have to use different species in our bioswales (which we do in the few we have) but the idea is the same. Thanks for posting that.

Ummm, KW5150, you do realise that Calgary LEADS all North American cities in the area of treating surface drainage before it enters the natural ecosystem, right????

And you must certainly be aware that in Calgary over 50% of all surface drainage (rainwater, surface runoff, storm sewer collection, etc) goes through a primary filtration system whereas no other city (that I'm aware of) in North America filters even 25% of its surface runoff.

Swales look nice and can be great for PR on a small "green" projects (google literature from Cdn Assoc on Water Quality for more details) but are not ideal for retro fit in an urban core (land availability) nor large scale SFH districts.

Anyway, since Calgary has the best treatment of water management in Canada (and NA) I would say that our pride is as good as those with the landscaped ditches!

Edit: Sorry for going OT, guess this should be moved to the "Swales: Conduits of conscience or straits to hell" thread!

[You Need A Thneed]

Yup, Calgary manages its storm water better than pretty much every other city on the planet, and is continually trying to improve it. A "Bio-swale" here or there is nice, but really is just a bucket in the ocean compared to how much storm water needs to be handled.

Calgary has NOTHING to be ashamed of in that area.

[The Fisher Account]

I work for the City and there's a huge misconception that storm water is treated.

IT IS NOT.

[thager]

just read on CPTB that the first nova has arrived at sg .

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

I work for the City and there's a huge misconception that storm water is treated.

IT IS NOT.

Not treated like sewer water, no. But a high percentage of it receives primary treatment - I.e. solids are allowed to settle out of it.

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

Not treated like sewer water, no. But a high percentage of it receives primary treatment - I.e. solids are allowed to settle out of it.

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't this subject to location. For examaple many of the newer communities have storm water retention ponds. This would allow for the settling of solids, however, communities that abut the river would see their storm water go directly into the water.