Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[1overcosc]

In other news, preliminary construction on the Scott/Albert bus detour begins next week. Specifically, utility replacement & relocation, and moving the MUP north, are to begin between Booth and City Centre.

In December 2015, the Transitway will be closed east of Merton Street; buses will use the Transitway up to there and then divert onto Scott/Albert via a temporary accessway between Merton and the trench. This will last until April 2016 when the diversion goes into full effect. So the full diversion will be in place for 26 months (30 months east of Merton).

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

They're using glass for pedestrian railings? Looks nice, it must mean they'll no longer be using ugly plywood in the winter to prevent snow and slush from the overpass from dropping onto the highway.

Those aren't pedestrian railings; that's the highway passing over St. Laurent in the picture. There's no sidewalk up there. It is just a portion of the highway overpass barrier wall that is translucent.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

They're using glass for pedestrian railings? Looks nice, it must mean they'll no longer be using ugly plywood in the winter to prevent snow and slush from the overpass from dropping onto the highway.

I've seen them up there while driving under that bridge. They look really nice and give the overpass a very open and airy look. Time will tell how they hold up to the elements (road salt and grime in particular).

[Richard Eade]

There really isn't much of a view from the St. Laurent overpass, but it sure would have been nice if the City had used glass barriers like this for the Heron Road Bridge. The horizontal railings that the City installed are about the worst option possible (for a non-concrete wall). Vertical bars, such as what was there, tend to disappear from view as the person moves along the bridge, but horizontal guard rails always block the view.

[1overcosc]

You know what bugs me? The massive concrete walls on the 417 bridge over the Canal. You can't even tell the canal is there from the highway.

[BenTheGreat97]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

You know what bugs me? The massive concrete walls on the 417 bridge over the Canal. You can't even tell the canal is there from the highway.

Up until I was 10 years old driving to Orleans every few months over that bridge, I never knew we had a canal. I could see the river fine, but I never knew we had a Rideau Canal. So I agree, it does take away a lot of the view you can get.

[rocketphish]

Sounds like a reasonable compromise to me:

City reducing number of buses on Scott Street for LRT detour

Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 6, 2014, Last Updated: June 6, 2014 6:13 PM EDT

Opposition to the volume of buses planned to run along the Scott/Albert corridor during transit construction has pushed the city to rethink its plans and reduce the number taking the detour.

Community members have been protesting the city’s Transitway detour plans for 2016-2018 during light rail transit construction. Signs have been posted with messages such “2,500 buses a day, no way.”

But the decision, announced Friday, to reduce the number of buses by as much as 18 per cent during peak periods doesn’t satisfy everyone.

“We think that they can go further,” said community organizer Cheryl Parrott. “Yes, we’re pleased, we’re thankful. But we think that more can be done.”

Deputy city manager Nancy Schepers said in an email the changes were made after analyzing community ideas.

“These suggestions helped to shape a number of service changes that will see a significant reduction of the total transit volumes along the Scott/Albert corridor,” she said.

Among the “mitigation measures” are some express routes ending at Bay Street instead of LeBreton Station during the morning rush, the city said in a statement.

As well, out-of-services buses will be directed onto the Sir John A Macdonald Parkway, as long as the city gets approval from the National Capital Commission. NCC spokesman Jean Wolff said chief executive Mark Kristmanson has publicly stated he’s open to proposals that would mitigate traffic resulting from LRT construction.

Those two measures, according to the city, would reduce daily peak period traffic by 267 buses west of City Centre Avenue (a 14-per-cent reduction), 348 buses between City Centre Avenue and Preston Street (an 18-per-cent reduction), and 133 buses east of Preston Street (a seven-per-cent reduction).

Parrott, who lives on Bayview Road and is worried about increased noise, said more measures could further reduce the number of buses. It’s a shame that it took so much work and community opposition, which has been growing for years, to get action on the issue, she said.

“It’s taken an awful lot of effort,” she said.

The city said it is trying to buy more high-capacity buses, either double-decker or articulated buses, to reduce the number of buses along the corridor. Schepers said no extra buses are being acquired and that costs associated with reduced buses on the corridor won’t exceed costs already approved by council.

Other options to reduce bus volumes through OC Transpo’s regular service adjustment process will also be “constantly pursued,” the city’s statement said, adding the measures won’t “reduce total transit capacity or connectivity for customers.”

Full information about the detour off the Transitway from Tunney’s Pasture to downtown onto Scott and Albert streets will be presented at a public meeting on June 16 from 6:30 — 9 p.m. at the Tom Brown Arena.

[email protected]
twitter.com/CarysMills

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...-of-buses-on-scott-street-for-lrt-detour

[Cre47]

Hudak now flip-flopping on funding for Phase 2

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/06/07/hudak-backtracks-on-lrt

[Buggys]

Pasting of article Cre linked above:

Ottawa will gets its "fair share" of funding under a Tory government, PC leader Tim Hudak said in a long-awaited letter to Mayor Jim Watson Saturday.
Amid all the hand-wringing over earlier campaign spin -- with Hudak saying recently there would be no funding available for the second phase of light rail in the capital -- the Tory leader appeared to backtrack on that position.
Hudak said with more people working under his plan, and a balanced budget by 2016, "We will have the capacity to further invest in key transportation priorities like Phase 2 of the LRT."
The letter promises the PC party is "committed to investing in Ottawa's priorities," and also pledges to fix the Hwy. 174 "split" by uploading the responsibilities from the city and "integrating it into the province's highway planning."
Watson's office responded by saying that while the Mayor will take some time to review the letter, several key points are missing from the questionnaire sent to all the major party leaders, including the Tory stance on affordable housing and the municipal uploading schedule.
Liberal MPP Glen Murray, who handled the transportation portfolio, was a little more pointed in his critique during an Ottawa stopover Saturday.
"(Hudak) spent all week telling us that he wouldn't make the (LRT) investment until the local Tory candidates started showing up on doors and getting earfuls," said Murray.
"And then they started squirming. And they've been squirming like worms on a fishing hook ever since."

[rocketphish]

No more discounts for development near LRT stations

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun
First posted: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 01:56 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 02:08 PM EDT

Council voted Wednesday to stop a discount for developers building around future LRT stations.

College Coun. Rick Chiarelli's recommendation to cancel the fee break for developers drew support from 20 other council members, including Mayor Jim Watson.

"Landowners around the transit stations are receiving a huge windfall and that's certainly enough incentive," Chiarelli said.

The city has had a discount for building around transit stations and the updated development charge bylaw recommended to continue a fee reduction.

Builders pay the city fees -- called development charges -- for the infrastructure and services needed to manage growth. These are things like sewers, roads, parks, police and transit.

The city proposed discounting the roads portion of the development charge by 50% for buildings around Confederation Line LRT stations. But the overwhelming majority of council didn't want to give developers more breaks on the backs of taxpayers.

It would be like subsidizing someone's lottery ticket after the player wins the jackpot, Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais said.

Watson said the city is already fostering development opportunities along the LRT system.

"We're certainly rolling out the red carpet as we're building the Confederation Line," Watson said.

Development charges are increasing in large part to help pay for the city's LRT expansion over the next decade.

Alta Vista Coun. Peter Hume, council's planning chairman, said builders and property managers are still at odds with the city over the fee increases.

Hume said he expects the industries to appeal the new development charge bylaw at the Ontario Municipal Board.

[email protected]
Twitter: @JonathanWilling

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/06/11/no-more-discounts-for-development-near-lrt-stations

[rocketphish]

Rejigged plan for Scott/Albert Transitway detour unveiled

Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 11, 2014, Last Updated: June 11, 2014 10:23 PM EDT

Opposition to a stretch of the city’s plan for light rail construction has been hard to miss.

Posters and protesters decried the roughly 2,500 buses that were due to take the Scott/Albert detour daily between 2016 and 2018, while the Transitway is inaccessible because of construction work. Last Friday, the city announced that the community had won a reprieve in that area.

But it wasn’t the only community concern. Residents, contractor Rideau Transit Group (RTG) and its independent engineers have made suggestions in recent months about how to address safety and travel concerns. Ahead of a public meeting on Monday to unveil the latest plan to the community, deputy city manager Nancy Schepers explained what will be presented and the process.

“This really is the culmination of a lot of work, a lot of engagement with the community,” she said in an interview.

All the changes will be covered in the existing $2.1-billion project being managed by RTG, OC Transpo’s budget for detours and existing bike plans that are coming into play, Schepers said.

Here’s a highlight of the changes, new since a December open house, being presented Monday:

Fewer buses

Last week, OC Transpo dropped its proposed daily fleet travelling a stretch of the detour by as much as 18 per cent during peak hours. Reductions were accomplished by planning to divert empty buses onto the Sir John A Macdonald Parkway and some express routes ending at Bay Street in the morning instead of LeBreton station. Schepers said she hasn’t been surprised at all by the community concern over the detour. “It is quite a change … that being said, there’s pain everywhere along this line,” she said. “It’s not just here.” That’s why OC Transpo analyzed a number of community suggestions, she said. But there are some ideas to further reduce buses that just wouldn’t work, according to the information being presented next week, which says cost and feasibility put some ideas out of reach.

Big picture

Schepers said the biggest change from previous ideas for the neighbourhood is the overall picture. “For me, the one thing that is I think the most significant and dramatic change that is really … the community is going to really appreciate is the connectivity,” Schepers said, pointing to having a continuous pathway along the north side of Albert Street, being able to navigate around the O-Train and use the pathway to go east. “That is really a major improvement and is an enhancement over what they have today.”

More multi-use pathways and some wider ones

A 3.5-metre multi-use pathway should now go along Preston Street on the northeast side. Scott Street’s pathway would be widened to that amount near Pinhey Street, Holland Avenue and Caroline Avenue. New pathways will also go south of Albert Street between Bayview Road and the O-Train. Other pathways will have illumination added to them to enhance safety.

Delineators, buffers and chains

Delineators, dividers that keep cyclists from traffic, will now be placed in several spots on Albert Street, Scott Street and nearby (including close to Tunney’s Pasture near Smirle Avenue, Scott near Parkdale Avenue, Scott near Carruthers Avenue, Albert near Garland Street and along the Preston Street detour on the east side). Schepers said the delineators are like those already on Laurier Avenue. “What that does is make sure vehicles aren’t pulling into that lane,” she said. Pedestrian buffers, barriers or chain separations are also being put up, including on Albert near Bayview Station, Albert near Preston and Albert near Lebreton Station.

Preston plan

A first detailed plan for the Preston Street detour will be presented next week, as well. As Schepers explains, part of Booth Street has to be closed during the construction. Buses will still need to connect to Gatineau, so they’ll use Preston to carry traffic from Albert Street. There will also be a multi-use pathway on Preston, Schepers said, which will improve the area over how it is today. “It will be a significant improvement for cyclists and pedestrians, and, of course, it will be designed to accommodate the bus traffic.”

[email protected]
twitter.com/CarysMills

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/rejigged-plan-for-scottalbert-transitway-detour-unveiled

[lrt's friend]

The whole development charge system needs to be reformed to make sure that it is truly funding rapid transit. What is the point of having a development charge system that funds roads and encourages the car culture in perpetuity? We need to be able to build out rapid transit quickly to at least make it possible for two car families to switch to one car and perhaps in the long run, make it possible for more to live without a car even in the suburbs. With an aging population, the desire to go carless will increase if we make it possible. I understand that the development charge system is to some degree controlled by the province which limits transit funding.

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The whole development charge system needs to be reformed to make sure that it is truly funding rapid transit. What is the point of having a development charge system that funds roads and encourages the car culture in perpetuity? We need to be able to build out rapid transit quickly to at least make it possible for two car families to switch to one car and perhaps in the long run, make it possible for more to live without a car even in the suburbs. With an aging population, the desire to go carless will increase if we make it possible. I understand that the development charge system is to some degree controlled by the province which limits transit funding.

The act is currently being reviewed. For transit right now the big issues are that the total funding amount is limited and that development charges can't be used to expand service levels (they are tied to 10 year historical service levels). Toronto got special legislation for the Spadina Subway extension to get around this.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

The act is currently being reviewed. For transit right now the big issues are that the total funding amount is limited and that development charges can't be used to expand service levels (they are tied to 10 year historical service levels). Toronto got special legislation for the Spadina Subway extension to get around this.

Why does Toronto always get special legislation?

Why can't all municipalities have the same flexibility? If the City of Toronto Act is amended to allow X, then unless X is absolutely specific to the geography of the City of Toronto, ALL municipalities, whether one of the four or five governed under standalone legislation, or those under the MA, should get the same power.

[rocketphish]

More remains expected in Queen St. dig

Carys Mills, Ottawa
Published on: June 13, 2014, Last Updated: June 13, 2014 5:45 PM EDT

More human remains are expected to be found as Queen Street water main work progresses but there’s now a plan in place for moving the bones that had been there for more than a century.

Last fall, construction work was stopped when workers discovered skeletons, and police forensic experts confirmed they were dealing with human remains. An archeological investigation found evidence of about 16 people buried there and that Bytown’s oldest graveyard, Barrack Hill Cemetery, was once in the area of what’s now Elgin, Metcalfe, Queen and Sparks Streets.

Councillors received an archaeological investigation update, including that “the discovery of additional burials is expected,” Thursday evening in a memo from deputy city manager Nancy Schepers.

Representatives from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa, Anglican Diocese of Ottawa and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church are representing the deceased, Schepers said. “The representatives have expressed an overall interest in balancing their religious beliefs for a peaceful resting place, with the historical significance and opportunities for research and education,” she wrote.

A plan has been agreed upon that involves the Canadian Museum of History, which will be covering research and storage costs, conducting biological and metric studies to try to determine causes of death, genders and ages. DNA testing will also be completed to find out more details, including possible confirmation of ancestors, Schepers said.

Those buried at Barrack Hill Cemetery were some of the area’s first European settlers and were mostly Roman Catholic, Anglican and Prebysterian, according to the city. Records indicate that burials took place between 1828 and 1844.

The remains that have already been discovered will be removed in July by archaeologists, before about two months of water main replacement work on Queen Street between Metcalfe and Elgin streets, Schepers said. More archaeological work will be done to fully assess the situation before streetscaping construction schedule for 2015.

The Beechwood Cemetery has agreed to offer a location for burials adjacent to the National Military Cemetery, according to Schepers. Individual burials will have small markers and the section will have a commemorative plaque.

A public re-interment ceremony is expected to be held as part of the 2017 sesquicentennial celebrations.

There will be advice on the best way to commemorate Bytown’s earliest cemetery from a working committee involving the religious representatives, staff and community stakeholders, Schepers wrote.

[email protected]
twitter.com/CarysMills

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/more-remains-expected-in-queen-st-dig

[J.OT13]

One step closer to reality. With the Liberals winning a majority at the provincial level, pretty much guaranteeing the billion dollar 1/3 funding from Queen's Park, we now only need the Feds to confirm their contribution. If not, we may just see a liberal majority on Parliament Hill if the recent elections in Québec and Ontario present a new trend.

Here's to 55.5 km of metro lines by 2023!


http://www.transitottawa.ca/2013/10/mayors-tmp-speech-reveals-light-rail.html

[Hybrid247]

Is there any plan to put down double tracks and electrification for the O-train line at one point in time?

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

Is there any plan to put down double tracks and electrification for the O-train line at one point in time?

Yes, but it's identified in the 2013 TMP as "Network Concept" meaning post-2031: http://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents.ottawa.ca/files/documents/tmp_annex_a_en.pdf

[Hybrid247]

That's a shame. I would love to see the whole network using the same technology and having the O-train line going straight into downtown from bayview.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

That's a shame. I would love to see the whole network using the same technology and having the O-train line going straight into downtown from bayview.

It would be pretty much impossible to run it downtown without a second tunnel set (expensive). I would much rather see it extend northward through Bayview across the river and an existing side track to Chaudiere...