Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[rocketphish]

Tempers flare at Scott/Albert detour meeting

Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 16, 2014, Last Updated: June 16, 2014 10:44 PM EDT

Tempers flared over the number of buses due to run on Scott and Albert streets in two years at a community meeting Monday evening, where a federal and municipal politician decried aspects of the plan.

Shouting residents, frustrated with the format of the meeting, briefly turned the open-house style event into a question and answer session. Paul Dewar, the NDP Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre, was the first to address the crowd about OC Transpo buses detouring onto Scott/Albert between 2016 and 2018, when light rail construction takes over part of the Transitway.

“I think it’s going to be inevitable that this will not work,” Dewar told the crowd.

The city has revised parts of its final plan, following community concerns about safety, noise, vibrations and pollution. The number of buses on part of the detour have been cut by between seven and 18 per cent during peak hours, by implementing two of five community suggestions. Putting out of service buses on the parkway and ending some morning express trips earlier were among suggestions from protesters opposed to about 2,500 buses taking the detour daily.

But Dewar told the crowd, of at least 150 people, the National Capital Commission should have been approached about taking more buses on the parkway as they go through their routes. “That never happened,” he said. “So what we’re seeing is not all of the options. What we’re seeing is a failure to engage.”

Deputy city manager Nancy Schepers said she personally met with NCC staff but “it makes no sense” to put more buses on the parkway.

“We asked (the NCC) to accommodate what we feel is the right solution, so in terms of minimizing disruption to the passengers, maintaining transit ridership and being reliable,” said Schepers, adding the city did a “very thorough analysis.”

OC Transpo has taken all feasible steps to reduce bus traffic on the detour, said general manager John Manconi. He said the suggestion to run express trips on the parkway between Tunney’s Pasture and downtown was too expensive. “It would be literally millions of dollars to implement it, you’d have to acquire more buses, more operators and more operating costs,” Manconi said.

But Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes, who represents residents on Albert Street, said the city should dip into a contingency fund within the LRT budget. “It’s a cheap solution. You are the victims and the city doesn’t care,” Holmes said, adding that east of Preston Street, the recent changes only lessen the number of buses by 133, or seven per cent.

As well as reducing buses, some changes came from a review by Rideau Transit Group, the company handling the $2.1-billion LRT contract. The city and RTG now plan to add illuminated pathways, extra pathways, widened pathways, flexible posts protecting cyclists, pedestrian barriers, fences and signalized intersections to the detour area.

Some residents at the meeting said they were concerned that any cycling improvements, at least during two years of heavy bus traffic, would be overshadowed by initially sharing the road with a high volume of OC Transpo vehicles. “With the number of buses, you just wouldn’t want to be riding,” said Alayne McGregor, who bikes on Scott Street most days now.

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twitter.com/CarysMills

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/tempers-flare-at-scottalbert-detour-meeting

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

The cost isn't really worth it, and with automated train control you could even ensure during low frequency operations both trains dwelled for an extra long time on sync'd stops to allow no penalty transfers. You will eventually have to eliminate interlining to allocate more capacity to the main line, and interlining eliminates train capacity (it adds inefficiencies in track operation).

If you are from Calgary, I don't understand this comment. Hasn't Calgary operated interlined service downtown for decades? Are they planning to eliminate interlining and eliminate direct service to downtown on one of the C-Train routes?

The south end of Ottawa has a direct link to downtown via the southeast Transitway for the last 20 years. The downtown link will close with the opening of the Confederation Line, but the Confederation Line does not serve the south end of the city.

I don't think Calgary would do something like this.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Tempers flare at Scott/Albert detour meeting

Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 16, 2014, Last Updated: June 16, 2014 10:44 PM EDT

Tempers flared over the number of buses due to run on Scott and Albert streets in two years at a community meeting Monday evening, where a federal and municipal politician decried aspects of the plan.

Shouting residents, frustrated with the format of the meeting, briefly turned the open-house style event into a question and answer session. Paul Dewar, the NDP Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre, was the first to address the crowd about OC Transpo buses detouring onto Scott/Albert between 2016 and 2018, when light rail construction takes over part of the Transitway.

“I think it’s going to be inevitable that this will not work,” Dewar told the crowd.

The city has revised parts of its final plan, following community concerns about safety, noise, vibrations and pollution. The number of buses on part of the detour have been cut by between seven and 18 per cent during peak hours, by implementing two of five community suggestions. Putting out of service buses on the parkway and ending some morning express trips earlier were among suggestions from protesters opposed to about 2,500 buses taking the detour daily.

But Dewar told the crowd, of at least 150 people, the National Capital Commission should have been approached about taking more buses on the parkway as they go through their routes. “That never happened,” he said. “So what we’re seeing is not all of the options. What we’re seeing is a failure to engage.”

Deputy city manager Nancy Schepers said she personally met with NCC staff but “it makes no sense” to put more buses on the parkway.

“We asked (the NCC) to accommodate what we feel is the right solution, so in terms of minimizing disruption to the passengers, maintaining transit ridership and being reliable,” said Schepers, adding the city did a “very thorough analysis.”

OC Transpo has taken all feasible steps to reduce bus traffic on the detour, said general manager John Manconi. He said the suggestion to run express trips on the parkway between Tunney’s Pasture and downtown was too expensive. “It would be literally millions of dollars to implement it, you’d have to acquire more buses, more operators and more operating costs,” Manconi said.

But Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes, who represents residents on Albert Street, said the city should dip into a contingency fund within the LRT budget. “It’s a cheap solution. You are the victims and the city doesn’t care,” Holmes said, adding that east of Preston Street, the recent changes only lessen the number of buses by 133, or seven per cent.

As well as reducing buses, some changes came from a review by Rideau Transit Group, the company handling the $2.1-billion LRT contract. The city and RTG now plan to add illuminated pathways, extra pathways, widened pathways, flexible posts protecting cyclists, pedestrian barriers, fences and signalized intersections to the detour area.

Some residents at the meeting said they were concerned that any cycling improvements, at least during two years of heavy bus traffic, would be overshadowed by initially sharing the road with a high volume of OC Transpo vehicles. “With the number of buses, you just wouldn’t want to be riding,” said Alayne McGregor, who bikes on Scott Street most days now.

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twitter.com/CarysMills

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/tempers-flare-at-scottalbert-detour-meeting

I just watched a TV report about this meeting on CBC news. I think residents are being unrealistic. Reducing the number of buses further will impact transit service even more negatively, which will reduce ridership. Pushing people into their cars is not the answer to the problem.

[Innsertnamehere]

the same way Toronto has managed 1 route not entering downtown for 50 years, by transferring.

[Aylmer]

If transferring is such a big issue, you could still take your local bus to Hurdman and save yourself a flight of stairs.

I'm certain that it would have been more convenient to have a transfer-less ride from South Keys to Rideau from Day 1, but I just don't think that a transfer will be that dramatic an issue, all things considered. That's not to say that it should/could never be done, but simply that it probably won't be that enormous an impediment to ridership, functionality or the attractiveness of the system. Even with a transfer, the Confederation line is a net win for southern Ottawa.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

the same way Toronto has managed 1 route not entering downtown for 50 years, by transferring.

It is the same and not the same. First of all, the Bloor-Danforth line is not segregated from downtown as Bayview station is. Some people are able to walk to their destination. Second, there are two transfer stations that connect to downtown, not one. This allows passenger traffic to be dispersed. Third, the O-Train will have a strongly unidirectional transfer. I am sure that is not the case with the Bloor-Danforth subway. More passengers will be heading the opposite direction or straight through. Where it will be the same, is that Bloor-Yonge transfer station is badly congested and you may have to wait multiple trains.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I just watched a TV report about this meeting on CBC news. I think residents are being unrealistic. Reducing the number of buses further will impact transit service even more negatively, which will reduce ridership. Pushing people into their cars is not the answer to the problem.

Both the major English nighlty TV newcasts gave these NIMBY tools airtime.

I let out some good Anglo-Saxon words, and changed the channel.

God, the selifish, self-centered, entitled, whiney attitude of this city - especially west of Downtown - is out of control.

Just duck off, NIMBYs. Duck right off. No one outside your NIMBY clique cares about your hysterical, groundless, whiny complaints. Most people in this city would be happy to have an LRT system being built as close to your residential neighbourhood as yoiu are. Just give it up.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

If transferring is such a big issue, you could still take your local bus to Hurdman and save yourself a flight of stairs.

I'm certain that it would have been more convenient to have a transfer-less ride from South Keys to Rideau from Day 1, but I just don't think that a transfer will be that dramatic an issue, all things considered. That's not to say that it should/could never be done, but simply that it probably won't be that enormous an impediment to ridership, functionality or the attractiveness of the system. Even with a transfer, the Confederation line is a net win for southern Ottawa.

Exactly, how can you say what I have bolded? Going from direct service to two transfers.

I don't care about the flight of stairs, which will also exist at Hurdman. I can still walk.

I like the way I get lectured here about the advantages of a two transfer system. Just look at what happened with Rapidbus and that is one transfer.

I will vote by not using the system. Wasn't Hybrid247 saying more or less the same thing?

I think you are going to find out that most south Ottawans will not use this system unless they 'have' to go downtown.

[Uhuniau]

Naturally, the NIMBY-sympathetic piece about Hintonburg's 911 is followed by Apocalpyse Lansdowne.

One neighbourhood getting LRT. Another getting free transit shuttles bringing thousands of customers to local businesses. Nothing but whine whine whine nag NIMBY crap.

Sheesh. GIVE YOUR HEADS A SHAKE.

[Hybrid247]

As someone who actually lives in the south end of the city, the O-Train does not serve significant parts of the southern residential areas. You have to transfer to a bus. This is the problem that the O-Train will not go directly downtown. We will have to transfer twice. This is now a missed opportunity in 2006 and lets face it, electrification and double tracking will not take place within our lifetime. The problems in accomplishing this will become more daunting as passenger traffic grows on the O-Train and as track is extended further south.

We were recently discussing the future and the concern is dumping a full O-Train at Bayview and how many Confederation trains will pass during peak periods before all of those passengers are absorbed? And with this extra transfer, how reliable will connections be to southern bus routes that run every half hour? The O-Train has had periodic reliability problems, which I expect will continue as long as we continue to run single track service. And as I said before, airport service is useless if it does not run direct to downtown hotels.

I don't know why a city this size cannot run two routes interlined downtown. Calgary has managed this for over 30 years and without a downtown tunnel.

It seems to me that this city has many examples of best practices yet it is deciding to do something different. We will see what the ultimate outcome is. I can tell you that the plan as it stands is not appealing and I will continue to avoid going downtown unless I have to, maybe even more so.

It would've been good if they weren't planning to run those trains through DT. We dodged a bullet on that side of things, although it would've been nice if they did complete the electrification and double tracking for the rest of it. A lot of money got thrown away in that mess. Thankfully, at least now, we're getting a nice chunk of cash from wynne.

[Kitchissippi]

I was at that session and it was ridiculous how it was hijacked by hysterical NIMBYs. I almost thought that too much money was already being wasted on a lot of temporary measures, like moving transit way stops twice over two years. In particular, the money being spent on mitigating cycling on Scott in the short term could be better put towards a ped/bike bridge over the tracks at the end of West Wellington, funnelling cyclists on the Armstrong-Spencer corridor instead.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Exactly, how can you say what I have bolded? Going from direct service to two transfers.

I would consider it a net win because I value the comfort, ease, reliability and speed of LRT over the convenience of a one-seat ride on the bumpy, oft-delayed and overcrowded buses that currently service the south end. It's a judgment of value, one which you might, but that's alright.

However, if that's the fundamental disagreement you have with the other forumers, then there is no point to a discussion; a judgment of value is a personal non-negociable and arguing about it is as useful as a debate of orange vs. purple (a though one, but orange wins).

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I like the way I get lectured here about the advantages of a two transfer system. Just look at what happened with Rapidbus and that is one transfer.

I will vote by not using the system. Wasn't Hybrid247 saying more or less the same thing?

I think you are going to find out that most south Ottawans will not use this system unless they 'have' to go downtown.

Well, even if it is as disastrous as the Rapibus, then you should only lose less than 1% of ridership.

Of course, if the Confederation line doesn't get stuck behind cars in downtown traffic, add several kilometres to the trip and transfer to an O-Train that runs on a 30-60-minute headway, then you might even hope for even better results.

What I'm getting at: I'm not certain how applicable a parallel the Rapibus is.



Look, perhaps it's unlikely that everyone sees it our way. It's equally as unlikely that O-Trains will run empty come summer 2018. But that's beside the point; if this is such a big issue for you, by all means, go out and do something about it. Meet with your councillor, write a letter, organize a movement, stage a protest! But lately you've just been very bitter and, regardless of whether you're right or not, it's getting difficult to discuss anything if you seem to have decided that everything's gone to hell anyways.

We can have an intelligent discussion about the issue and, who knows, it might even lead to something. But we've just got to keep it from turning into cynical trollery.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

If you are from Calgary, I don't understand this comment. Hasn't Calgary operated interlined service downtown for decades? Are they planning to eliminate interlining and eliminate direct service to downtown on one of the C-Train routes?

The south end of Ottawa has a direct link to downtown via the southeast Transitway for the last 20 years. The downtown link will close with the opening of the Confederation Line, but the Confederation Line does not serve the south end of the city.

I don't think Calgary would do something like this.

The confederation line will start at day one with higher passengers per direction per hour than Calgary's current interline iirc. If the concern is will there be enough capacity to handle the transfer from the O-Train, I don't see how lowering the capacity of the tunnel would help that problem.

It also isn't like the ridership of an electrified o-train will be as high as the old plan EA as bus routes will have been long reconfigured to run to the higher frequency mainline. And the airport isn't a major traffic generator - YVR and SFO, both many times the size of YOW, generate less traffic than the current O-Train with their rail connections.

Calgary is going to be spending a lot of money in the next few decades to provide each LRT line a dedicated downtown right of way.

[rocketphish]

NCC board approval needed for parkway bus detour

Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 18, 2014, Last Updated: June 18, 2014 12:19 PM EDT

Running hundreds of out-of-service buses on the western parkway instead of Scott and Albert streets during transit construction between 2016 and 2018 will require approval from the National Capital Commission’s board of directors.

The Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway is considered significant national land, so the NCC’s board will make the decision, after staff have studied the impact and cost, CEO Mark Kristmanson said in an interview.

“Mass transit on parkways is a delicate issue for us and we have to respect the national aspects… so we have to be very careful with them,” Kristmanson said.

Faced with community concerns about roughly 2,500 buses running on the Scott/Albert detour, the city announced earlier this month that pending NCC approval it would run empty buses on the parkway. It’s one of two measures that, according to the city, would reduce the number of buses by between seven and 18 per cent across the detour during peak hours.

Asked this week about the city’s request, Kristmanson said he is waiting for the city to formally apply to use the federal land, which triggers a study, approval and board process.

Deputy city manager Nancy Schepers said the city will formally apply for the federal land use, but it has been talking to the NCC about using the parkway for years.

“The city has been in discussions with the NCC as far back as 2012,” she said in an email. “The city has submitted its draft proposal for the use of the parkway to the NCC and negotiations are ongoing.”

Kristmanson, who became CEO in February, said the city would need to submit its formal request soon if the request is to be considered at next Thursday’s board meeting. A spot is being reserved on the agenda at least for discussion since use of the parkway has been discussed publicly this month, he said. The next full meeting is scheduled for November.

Although Transpo already uses the parkway as part of its Transitway system, there could be additional costs involved for the city to use the parkway for the construction period, Kristmanson said.

“I’ve asked the staff to look at the impact, on what it would mean to have hundreds of thousands of buses passing on this part of the parkway,” he said.

The city has allocated money for the detour, Schepers said.

“Until we get a cost estimate from the NCC for the potential use of the parkway, it is difficult to say how much of this budget will go toward compensating the NCC,” she said.

Kristmanson said the NCC wants to help with growing infrastructure in the region. “Of course we are prepared to help in an appropriate way,” he said.

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http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ncc-board-approval-needed-for-parkway-bus-detour

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B]NCC board approval needed for parkway bus detour

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ncc-board-approval-needed-for-parkway-bus-detour

You wonder why the City doesn't want to deal with these fools and would rather run the buses on City streets. You have MP Paul Dewar who said at the meetings that running buses on the city streets isn't a good solution YET the NCC which is federally run doesn't want the buses on the parkway. Why can't a local MP step in and tell the NCC to allow the buses on the parkway? Is it because of the National Aspects?! Who cares. What's more important: A tourist who sees 10 buses go by them within a 2-5 minute period during rush hour, or, a tourist who sees hundreds of cars pass them within a 2-5 minute period during rush hour. I'm sure every tourist & Canadian realizes that Ottawa is a CITY with PEOPLE living in it and it can't look beautiful and be empty all the time. It still needs to function!
And why on Earth does the city need to compensate the NCC for running buses on the parkway? The only reason better be road maintenance and not some far-fetched idea that since the national aspect of the parkway is deteriorated we need money for more bonuses.

My heavens.

/end rant

[Buggys]

...Probably road maintenance and consideration of people who are trying to cross the SJAM Parkway while dodging more traffic.

Why can't Scott Streetites just be happy that the disturbance is temporary and they'll be getting the LRT on their doorstep! Instead, they're making taxpayers from parts of the city that aren't benefitting to pony up more cash.

[1overcosc]

You know really irritates me about this whole mess? The city & media are going insane over the suffering these poor Scott Streeters are going to face, but nobody is giving a crap about the massive disruption that practically the whole city will face when the Transitway diversion between Hurdman & Laurier starts.

You know how RTG is solving that one? Reducing Nicholas to one lane northbound. The traffic chaos will be absolutely, positively insane. People will deal with it by moving to alternate routes. The result? King Edward, Bank, Metcalfe, Kent, Catherine, Chamberlain/Isabella and Pretoria bridge will all be massively overloaded with traffic. This will cause severe delays on all the bus routes on those streets not to mention make walking or cycling up them very unpleasant, so the negative effects will extend way beyond suburban commuters, it will hurt almost everyone who lives and/or works in the core regardless of how they get there.

And yet, people are more concerned with the poor suffering citizens of Scott Street, even though nobody outside their street will be impacted that much, aside from west-end suburban commuters whose commutes will now be a few minutes longer.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

You know how RTG is solving that one? Reducing Nicholas to one lane northbound.

Which reminds me, what's the plan for Campus Station during the detour? Will buses just skip it since Laurier is so close?

[rocketphish]

Construction Summary
Week of June 16



Central Segment

Tunnel

West Portal (Jawbreaker)

• The roadheader continues excavating the central pillar in the Lyon Station cavern.
• Cavern reinforcement is ongoing and includes umbrella and mesh installation, and shotcreting.
• Excavation of the ventilation adit[i] begins.

Central Shaft (Chewrocka)

• The roadheader has completed excavation of the bench and a section of the mud slab has been poured.
• Excavation in the transition to Parliament Station cavern continues.

East Portal (Crocodile Rouge)

• Installation of tunnel support, including rockbolts and spiles[ii], is ongoing as excavation advances north under Laurier Street.

East Portal mining advances


For weekly updates on tunnel excavation progress please visit the Roadheader page.

East Segment

Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF)

Construction activities advance at the MSF as long-term closure of Belfast Road south of Tremblay Road to Trainyards Drive north of Tremblay Road to Coventry Road is ongoing.

• Site utilities, storm sewer work and backfilling continues.
• Excavation continues on the MSF building foundation.
• Preparatory works for the MSF connector continues, including curb removal, stripping of topsoil and utilities locates with the VIA right of way.
• Mobilization of equipment and materials for the MSF connector construction begins, which will be followed by shoring.

MSF site construction activities continue


Civic Works

Highway 417 Roadwork, Widening and Structure Rehabilitation

Roadworks

• Utilities and sewer work is ongoing along the north and south sides of the highway.
• From St. Laurent Boulevard to Vanier Parkway, pouring and panel work progresses for the sound wall along the north and south sides of the highway.

Sound wall construction advances along Highway 417

• Roadway construction continues with excavation, grading, pouring of concrete barrier walls and paving along the north and south sides of Highway 417 from St. Laurent Boulevard to Nicholas Street.

Grading operations eastbound - Lees Avenue to Hurdman Bridge


Signage

• The three message signs have been installed; final construction and electrical works to power the signs continue.

Structures

• Widening, reconstruction and rehabilitation of various bridge structures along the highway continues to progress.

Hurdman Bridge

• Installation of the barrier walls and rebar (reinforcing steel) begins this week.
• Pouring on deck ends takes place.
• Excavation, reinforcing steel and concrete placements continue on the bridge structure.

Hurdman Bridge barrier walls on south side


St. Laurent Overpass

• Widening and rehabilitation on the south side of the structure continues with forming[iii] and pouring of deck end.
• Reconstruction at the northeast and southwest on-ramps continues and includes excavation and grading.

Waterproofing activities at St. Laurent Overpass south side


Vanier Parkway Overpass– work advances in preparation of the rapid bridge replacement scheduled for mid-October 2014.

• Work progresses in the staging area and includes completing construction of the deck ends and placing reinforcing steel.

New deck formwork Vanier Parkway Overpass

• Abutment rehabilitation, concrete curing and stripping occur on the northeast and southeast quadrants of the existing structure.
• Overnight bridge and roadwork continues on the northwest and southeast on-ramps.

Staging area construction - Vanier Parkway Overpass


Belfast Road Underpass – work advances for the conventional demolition of the existing structure and reconstruction of the new bridge, ongoing until fall 2014. Long-term closure of Belfast Road, north of Tremblay Road to Coventry Road continues.

• Double soldier piling and backfilling to support the existing structure is ongoing.
• Sawcutting as well as removals of existing barrier walls, deck and girders continues.
• Installation of reinforcing steel takes place to allow temporary rehabilitation work to continue.

Lees Avenue Underpass – Rapid removal of existing bridge occurs on June 21 and 22.

• Removal of the existing bridge end spans begins this week in preparation for rapid bridge removal during the weekend, and includes saw-cutting and concrete removals.
• Work on the new deck progresses.

Construction of new bridge components continues at Lees Avenue Underpass

• Granular and sewer work occurs on Robinson Road.

Coventry Pedestrian Footbridge

• Steel superstructure installation begins overnight from June 16 to 19 using a 300 tonnes crane.
• Backfilling and stripping are ongoing on the south abutment and footing.
• Formwork and pouring occur on the north ramp footing.

Stay on-track with us and follow our progress by visiting the sections related to each area of construction at the top of this webpage.

[i] Adit refers to a connection between the transition and vent shaft (similar to a gallery – 12m width and 6m height)
[ii] Spiles refer to the protective pipe canopies installed to support the tunnel structure.
[iii] Formwork refers to a mold in which concrete is poured.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Which reminds me, what's the plan for Campus Station during the detour? Will buses just skip it since Laurier is so close?

Yes. Campus Station will be closed. Some Transitway buses will run down King Edward to provide boosted service to U of O during the detour period.