Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[p_xavier]

I just found the "justification document" of going LRT instead of Light Metro in my old files. I find hilarious that besides this information, the costs comparison were never made for Ottawa.

TRANSIT SYSTEM TYPE COST / VEHICLE REVENUE
HOUR ($US 2007)
MBTA LRT $210
Minneapolis LRT $168
Houston LRT $236
Pittsburgh LRT $301
MUNI LRT $216
Vancouver SkyTrain Automated Light-Metro $94 ($CDN 2008)

[MalcolmTucker]

^ Didn't they also do the math wrong of vehicle hours vs train hours iirc?

[rocketphish]

Mayor Watson says LRT still 'on budget,' despite extra work and costs

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: September 6, 2016 | Last Updated: September 6, 2016 2:38 PM EDT

The $2.1-billion Confederation Line LRT is still “on budget,” even though the city has added incremental work to the project, Mayor Jim Watson said Tuesday.

The city will spend millions more on the first phase of LRT, since the feds have offered to pay half of the costs of some extra projects.

“I wasn’t going to turn down $156 million in federal dollars for projects, and as you know, a good portion of those dollars are for Phase 2,” Watson told reporters after a budget update for the finance and economic development committee.

However, there is $8.5 million in added work proposed, with half of the money coming from the feds. The other half would come from municipal taxpayers, money that’s outside the $2.1-billion LRT budget.

Watson defended the extra spending, maintaining, “I’m very confident that the project will remain on time and on budget.”

He explained it like this: “The reality is, this project was approved over four years ago and from time to time, just like when you buy a new house, once you’ve bought the house, there are certain things, if you happen to come into additional funds, you improve your house, and in this case we’re improving the LRT system.”

The list of projects proposed to be partly funded by the feds sailed through the finance and economic development committee without any questions. Council needs to sign off Sept. 14.


Next wave of reductions coming with 2017 budget

We’re officially on job watch at city hall.

City manager Steve Kanellakos shuffled his management team over the summer and now people are waiting for second wave of cuts to the municipal public service. There will likely be more information about the impact to positions in the draft 2017 budget.

It’s up to Kanellakos to come up with a plan, but council won’t be required to approve it because he had the authority to make those kinds of changes, Watson said.

“I’ve been briefed on a global perspective but not the specifics at this point,” Watson said.

Kanellakos will make decisions to “right-size” the organization, the mayor said.

“Those savings will go to the bottom line to ensure we don’t run a deficit” or impact frontline services, Watson said.

Kanellakos predicts the city will become “leaner and more cost-efficient” with whatever changes he had up his sleeve.

Some of the savings could be dumped into winter maintenance. Management wants to beef up the snow-clearing reserves to better prepare for major winter storms. The winter maintenance budget has taken a beating in recent years, plunging the public works department into deficits.

Watson believes tweaks to the snow-clearing program will pay off.

“My sense is by 2017 the public works operations budget will be break-even or surplus,” he said.


Sinkhole report will be ready by the end of 2016

We still don’t know what caused the sinkhole on Rideau Street in June. We expected a report by around this time last month.

Watson didn’t want to provide the “ballpark figure” he has received from staff Tuesday in fear that the timeline won’t be met, but he expects the report will be complete “within months.”

He expects the report by the end of the year.


Egli wants more sponsorship spending in 2017

Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Keith Egli wants to spend more money on sponsorships in Canada’s 150th birthday year.

He put the finance and economic development committee on notice Tuesday that he’ll ask council for support to increase the minimum office spending on sponsorships so communities can hold special events in 2017.

Currently, council members can spend 3.5 per cent of their office budgets on sponsorships. In 2006, it amounts to $8,730.79 for each councillor.

Egli wants council to allow each councillor to spend an additional $5,000 from their office budgets in 2017 for “ward-based Ottawa 2017 community events.”

Last term, council agreed to set the 3.5-per-cent sponsorship cap to limit unchecked spending, although some councillors didn’t like it.

Watson was pretty clear when council approved the sponsorship cap, “the primary use of the office budget should be office expenses, not for giving out grants with very limited accountability,” he said at the time.

Will the mayor and council loosen the restrictions for Canada’s big birthday bash?

It’s worth pointing out there’s a municipal election in 2018.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...l-on-budget-despite-extra-work-and-costs

[rocketphish]

Seriously, Jon Willing, do you really think that each of those statements represents its own paragraph?

[McC]

he was at the Sun for a long time.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Seriously, Jon Willing, do you really think that each of those statements represents its own paragraph?

Might be his editor, if he has one.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by McC

Back on topic: the Booth Street viaduct reopened today, and an excavator was already ripping up the Preston extension at (what I assume was) the LRT alignment when I rode past this morning.

Good Day.. yup... that was (unfortunately, in the eyes of many) always the plan, such as to purportedly remove any impediment to any future plans or developments in the area. The fact that it also restores the traffic chaos in the area to its previous disasterous state is to be disregarded. IMHO, the Preston Ex was far more organized and viable than Booth is - for cars. Both were/are a disaster for buses... and pedestrians.....whoof. As for 2018....well, we'll see. Plus... the culvert over the channel was pure temp...no lasting power at all.
Thanks.

[1overcosc]

The Preston extension will be rebuilt in the future as part of the Lebreton redevelopment, at a higher grade in order to pass over the LRT line.

Based on the Sens plans it seems like the entire Lebreton area is going to have its ground risen by a few metres.

[acottawa]

Interesting post from Darwin about rusty transitway infrastructure.

http://www.westsideaction.com/in-rust-we-trust/

[Norman Bates]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Interesting post from Darwin about rusty transitway infrastructure.

http://www.westsideaction.com/in-rust-we-trust/

An interesting piece and worthy read.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Interesting post from Darwin about rusty transitway infrastructure.

http://www.westsideaction.com/in-rust-we-trust/

This makes me very thankful we tendered the Confederation Line as a P3. Otherwise, the city would have just put trains on these dying old bridges and have to tear it all up 10 years later.

RTG is rebuilding these bridges from scratch as train bridges that won't need salting (as they're train bridges).. so they'll last a much longer time.

[rocketphish]

Construction Update
Week of September 5

---

Booth Street has reopened between Albert Street and the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists should note that the Preston Street extension between Albert Street and the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway is now closed. In the downtown area, work ramps up in Lyon Station cavern, where crews have begun architectural works.

---

Crews work on the foundation at Pimisi Station

West Stations

Tunney’s Pasture Station: Crews continue station demolition and removal of old structures in preparation for preliminary station construction.

Bayview Station: Crews continue foundation work, ground improvement activities and preliminary construction of the ancillary building. The north-south multi-use pathway will close by end of week and an alternate route will be implemented.

Pimisi Station: Work on the station footings, walls and foundation continues; activities include rebar and formwork installations as well as concrete pours. Mechanical and electrical installations are ongoing.

---

Central Stations

West Portal: Ramp renewal work, including excavation and reinforcements, is ongoing.

Lyon Station cavern: Station concourse work is ongoing and activities include rebar installation, formwork and concrete pours. Shotcrete final lining work continues.

Lyon Station west entrance: The station continues to progress, as crews backfill and pour concrete for the mud slab. Mechanical and electrical installations are ongoing.

Lyon Station east entrance: Work is ongoing at the parking level; crews install rebar, formwork, and pour concrete for the walls. Crews prepare to install structural steel. At the east vent shaft, rock removals are ongoing.

Parliament Station cavern: Crews install rebar and pour concrete for the station slab and L-walls. Mechanical and electrical installations also occur.

---

Excavation at Parliament Station west entrance

Parliament Station west entrance: Final work occurs on the station head house, including pouring the deck and installing the railing. Crews also install rebar and pour concrete columns on the parking level. Foundation wall removal and masonry installation are ongoing. At the east vent shaft, line drilling and rock removals occur.

Parliament Station east entrance: Crews install structural steel near the station entrance. At street level, crews continue reinforcements, rock removals and mobilize to begin line drilling by the end of the week.

Traffic restrictions on Queen and O’Connor streets remain in effect.

Rideau Station cavern: Crews waterproof, install rebar and pour concrete for the station L-walls and invert.

---

Concrete work at uOttawa Station

Rideau Station west entrance: Crews pour the concrete raft slab and install formwork for the roof. Drilling and jet grouting occur.

Rideau Station east entrance: Crews install formwork and rebar for the station walls in anticipation of concrete pours.

East Portal: Crews continue piling activities and mobilize to begin excavation of the ramp by the end of the week.

Traffic restrictions on Rideau Street remain in effect.

uOttawa Station: Crews work on the station’s suspended slab and walls; activities include waterproofing, rebar installation and concrete pours.

---

Crews pour concrete on the concourse level at Tremblay Station

East Stations

Lees Station: Preliminary station work continues and includes duct bank installation and excavation.

Hurdman Station: At the station, crews install rebar, dowels and pour the concourse floor slab. At the bus operators’ building, work continues on the roof.

Tremblay Station: Station construction progresses and includes work on the parapets, canopy footings and installation of structural steel. Trackwork activities begin in the station.

---

Progress at Cyrville Station including work on the auxiliary building

St-Laurent Station: Crews continue work on the station elevators; activities include rebar installation and concrete pours. Electrical, masonry and Overhead Catenary System installations also occur. Work on the hydro room is ongoing.

Cyrville Station: Rebar, mechanical and electrical installation continue as part of work on the station concourse level. Work on the station roof, parapets, and auxiliary building is ongoing.

Blair Station: Crews continue working on the roof, soffit and install exterior wall panels. Hardscaping activities, including utility, catch basin, parking, curb and sidewalk construction, are ongoing. Electrical work also occurs.

---

Excavation and reinforcements in the running tunnel

Tunnel Excavation and Support

Excavation and installation of reinforcements are ongoing in the running tunnel.

---

Guideway

Tunney’s Pasture Station to West Portal: Preparation for the Traction Power Sub Station installation just east of Tunney’s Pasture Station continues; activities include excavation and formwork installation. Crews continue installing granular and OCS foundations along this section of the guideway.

Mann Avenue Bridge to west of Lees Station: Welding and sewer work continue on this section of the guideway. Crews mobilize to begin ballast wall installations in sections.

Rideau River Transitway Bridge to Blair Station: Crews install ballast, pull rail and continue welding between Rideau River Transitway Bridge and Tremblay Station. Crews complete final trackwork, and systems and cabling installation occur from just east of Tremblay Station to Blair Station.

---

Caisson installation at the Mann Avenue Bridge

Other Activities

CPR Bridge near Bayview Station: Reconstruction of the bridge continues and includes work on the pier caps, abutments and ground improvement activities.

Mann Avenue Bridge: Crews continue installing caissons as part of bridge reconstruction work.

---

Upcoming Construction Activities

In the coming weeks, the following construction activities are scheduled to occur:

• Station work at Tunney’s Pasture Station requiring lane restrictions.
• Blasting at Parliament Station east entrance.
• Weekend demolition of the Mann Avenue Bridge and full closure of the roadway.
• Structural steel installation at Hurdman Station.
• Watermain work near St-Laurent Station, along the guideway.
• Vehicle testing and Overhead Catenary System to be electrified in phases at Belfast Yard and along the guideway between Blair and Tremblay stations.
• Traction Power Sub Station installations along the alignment.

http://www.ligneconfederationline.ca/news/construction-update-89/

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B][SIZE="4"]

• Vehicle testing and Overhead Catenary System to be electrified in phases at Belfast Yard and along the guideway between Blair and Tremblay stations.

Sweet

[Guideway]

I never thought we would make it this far

[rocketphish]

Here's a great shot by Chuck Clark showing the new Booth St. bridge, the west portal of the LRT tunnel, the aqueduct, as well as new park that is taking shape along the Parkway at Booth.



southfacing, July 1, 2016.

[rocketphish]

Chuck, we need an update now that the bridge is open

[Guideway]

Awesome picture!

[lrt's friend]

Notice the old roadbed gradually fading into history.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Notice the old roadbed gradually fading into history.

Good Day...
yup.. this kind of thing has been visible for some time, since the work to rehabilitate the lands has been underway, for things like Claridge, the Museum, and the memorials/monuments. They literally stripped the soils and gravels away down to bedrock, and all the old foundations, roads, and even sometimes the remains of telephone/power poles were clearly visible. Same on the southern side of the aquaduct when they did some similar work there. For anyone interested in tracing the old Lebreton Flats, it was/is quite interesting to see.
EnJoy.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

• Vehicle testing and Overhead Catenary System to be electrified in phases at Belfast Yard and along the guideway between Blair and Tremblay stations.

Good Day..
Yes, I pass by the yard semi-regularly, just to see the progress, and the OCS seems mostly complete now, in the yard proper, and up until the beginning of the tunnel shed under VIA Rail, where the cat wires are still on stringing/tensioning pulleys.
Nothing seems powered yet; they must be pulling LRVs around by hustlers.
EnJoy.