Ottawa Rapid Transit Network developments

[MalcolmTucker]

There is also the little detail of the current busjams at stations outside of the core though rare), which even with extra capacity through the core could become much more frequent. I would bet ultimate capacity would turn out to be much less than Albert + Slater + bunnel.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

There is also the little detail of the current busjams at stations outside of the core though rare), which even with extra capacity through the core could become much more frequent.

So does this mean you are saying that a bus tunnel would not alleviate the congestion and that a LRT or some other rail based system when fully built out is required to handle the traffic?

[Dado]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

Stations are going to cut off the busway far earlier than corridor construction will - unless you are going to build diversion busways around each station, it doesn't really matter how long it will take to build the converted sections. It is going to be at least 18 months of busway shutdowns, likely more like 2 and a half years no matter what due to station construction. The scale and scope of the stations don't lead to quick builds. Bayview can likely be worked around, but not Tunney's. East end the Transitway is not going to usable either, for the same reason - and jumping in and out is likely worse than just running along the 417.

I guess I must have a far more pragmatic mindset or something.

The stations are currently four lanes wide. The tracks will go in the central passing lanes, with the platforms built out into the current curb stopping lanes. It would therefore be entirely within the realm of the possible to install tracks in the passing lanes well in advance of conversion of the rest of the transitway.

Since the stations are currently about 60 m in length and they have to be lengthened to 120 m, a lot of that work can take place while the stations are still in operation. That work can include installing new stairwells and new elevators, if necessary, allowing for the existing ones to be closed and then reconfigured/replaced/removed later on once light rail is running.

Basically, you just need to be able to figure out a way to create fast, temporary platforms in the curb lanes that can be gradually replaced once light rail is operating. This summer, we had temporary platforms downtown consisting of parking curbs holding back an asphalt platform. Something similar could be done for light rail, perhaps involving the use of sunken and/or cut-off New Jersey barricades with a suitable backfill and asphalt topping.

It is going to be hell for sure, but it will just make the end goal that much sweeter. There isn't some magic infrastructure fairy that can build the rest of the system over the course of a summer once the tunnel is done. It isn't going to happen.

If we take an attitude that perfection is expected on day one, then yes, massive delays and disruption in the meantime will be what we get. But if we take a far more pragmatic approach and are willing to put up with minor inconveniences after as well as before the changeover, then it's possible we can avoid excessive disruption. Everything that can reasonably be done while the buses are operating should be done so as to minimize the period of shutdown.

For example, to electrify, instead of shutting down the transitway, digging it up and planting the poles down the middle of the transitway they can be installed as side-mounted poles while the transitway remains operational. We should even look into using diesel-electric dual-mode light rail vehicles that would allow light rail to take over without full electrification.

[MalcolmTucker]

Every mitigation will increase costs. Huge pain a'coming.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Isn't electric LRT better for the environment than the cars that are already on the parkway? More people may decide to leave their cars at home or park at a station and take the LRT into downtown.

Every car is sacred.

Didn't you get the memo when you were born in/moved to Ottawa?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

I’m interested in you sharing the cost estimates you have for constructing a bus tunnel. I would like to know what is going to “eat those savings and then some.”

The current DOTT tunnel estimate is $750-millionish.

The old Bunnel estimates were around $800-million... in 1986. Inflation-adjusted, depending on which inflation model you use, that's $1.4- to $1.5-billion with a bee.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

Perhaps you can explain to me why a bus tunnel would need to be “much wider”?

Because our idiot bus drivers can't even navigate the geometry and width at Lees without smashing into the crappy steel tube shelter there every couple of years.

Trains have those metallic guide-thingies underneath them to tell them where to go, which is why rail tunnels are generally so much narrower, relative to the widths of the vehicles which run through them, than automotive traffic tunnels, whether "civilian" traffic or bunnel.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

As they say, "Penny wise, Pound foolish."

There's another old adage in transit circles around the world: Ottawa. [pause] BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Dado]

You have a singular wit, Doctor.

--General Chang, Star Trek VI

[kevinbottawa]

The blog Public Transit in Ottawa (PTIO) had an article today about a report by the U.S. Commercial Service about the Ottawa LRT project. The link to the report is below the article.

U.S. Commercial Service publishes report on Ottawa's light-rail project

Although there really isn't anything that's quite ready to be bid on yet, the U.S. Commercial Service (a branch of the Department of Commerce) recently published an information dossier on Ottawa's upcoming light-rail project.

(You can download a copy of the report here.)

The report seems to be a heads-up to U.S. companies that requests for proposals are forthcoming as part of the project, and mentions in particular the need for companies specializing in tunneling, rails, vehicles, construction (of the maintenance facility and of stations), safety and support equipment, electrical supply design, communication infrstructure, and public arts.

It's a fairly broad report, but offers an interesting outsiders perspective of the Ottawa light-rail plan..

U.S.Commercial Service Report
http://transitottawa.dc1.netfirms.com/transitottawa.ca/USCS_Ottawa.pdf

[Richard Eade]

Yes, there are a couple of tid-bits in the report: For example,

The automation of vehicle operation is planned, however it will be implemented once the ridership reaches the adequate levels by upgrading manual control to automated controls.

I am wondering if this is a cost saving measure so that the entire price for the (minimized) Phase 1, Increment 1 segment can come in under the undeclared price limit. This would simply defer the automation cost to later, reducing the initial cost by 10-15%.

Other things look as if they are not immediately necessary, such as

A dedicated dual redundant electrical supply is required to provide power to the trains which will run along the line,...
emphasis is mine

Which sounds like there could actually be TWO overhead wires for each direction, each powered independently with back-up. If a single wire, with power back-up were run, it could later be doubled if there were a problem. (Of course, it could also mean that there will be TWO back-up generators per traction power sub-station, but this would not guaranty power to the trains in the case of a snapped wire. Unless the plan is to run the second wire later, but have the two generators per site from the start.) I guess I'm not sure what is ment by dual redundant.

That

An allowance of $10 million U.S. dollars has been included in project costing for public art.

despite the requirement for 1% of a capital project's budget to be set aside for public art. For this project, the capital portion should be $735M (tunnel & underground stations) + $540M (Transitway conversion) + $515M (Maintenance facility and vehicles) = $1790M. There should be $17.9M set aside for public art; the City is scrimping on its own guideline. Again, is this to reduce the initial cost?

[Dado]

Why should vehicle cost be factored into the art calculation? They aren't for busway projects, after all. Besides that, light rail vehicles generally look better anyway...

Still, even removing the vehicles from the calculation, we're still looking at $14M or so for art.

[Number24]

Dual redundant means that they are looking at multiple connections between the LRT system and the power grid. There would not be 2 catenary wires, nor would there be back-up generators at the sub-stations to run the entire LRT system if the grid fails.

I think the public art costs are calculated based on 1% of the station capital costs, nothing else.

[waterloowarrior]

western corridor public open house on Nov 29
http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/lrt_west_corridor_ea/index_en.html

[waterloowarrior]

west transitway extension (SW Transitway to Pinecrest) open house 13 Dec 2010
http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/transitway_pinecrest/poh2_en.html

[McC]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

western corridor public open house on Nov 29
http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/lrt_west_corridor_ea/index_en.html

Eric Darwin has a massive 5-part post on the Western corridor over at http://westsideaction.wordpress.com/category/lrt/

[Cre47]

Sounds like there will be a 1-year study on a transit corridor in Aylmer, whether it will be on des Allumettieres or near Aylmer Road we will know next year, although considering past history in Val-Tetreault in which NIMBYs derailled a previous transit corridor project in which Hydro-Quebec recently made some massive deforestation, I would put my cards on a corridor along/near Highway 148 which means potentially a slew of buses in the roundabouts at St-Joseph.

Technically there are only two possibilities, unless Pink Road and Gamelin (which would eventually lead the buses towards Montclair Station) be another although it would be too slow even though there isn't much congestion along that routing. Gamelin stops at the Gatineau Parkway although emergency vehicles are permitted to use the roadway by-passing St-Raymond, so maybe it could be an option although I wouldn't rank it at the top that's for sure, but the road should be used for routes 28 and 49 saving a few minutes.

[DarkArconio]

http://homepages.ucalgary.ca/~dpjames/mdp/node1.html

I found this study while doing an unrelated google earth just recently, it is from two years ago and I'm not sure if it's ever been posted here, but it makes for interesting reading and provides some useful insights into what changes await our system in the coming years.

It speaks to the successes of our BRT system, and the challenges and potential solutions coming in conversion to a higher capacity system, in particular light rail. In particular it devotes significant attention to running buses in one direction on a 2 lane grade-separated bus-way while the other lane is converted to rail, with rush-hour routes occupying the one while off-peak routes take a parallel shared traffic route. With innovative methods such as these conversion impacts could be significantly lowered for sections like the scott street trench.

[Deez]

^Dado, j'accuse.

That will look nice in my literature review.

[Dado]

Literature review for what, may I ask?

If you're going to read it, you might as well get it from the "top" where there's a PDF of it as well:

http://homepages.ucalgary.ca/~dpjames/mdp/