The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[MalcolmTucker]

Just for comparison's sake, here is Toronto showing Eglinton and St Clair. From Census Mapper.






Heck, the stretch in Edmonton isn't even dense compared to where the Finch West LRT is being built.

[SteelTown]

Hamilton is breaking the RFQ into two processes to get construction started as soon as possible. Metrolinx wants "Swept Path" as phase 1.

Metrolinx considering Alliance contract to de-risk Hamilton LRT project

https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/...s-for-alliance-contract-for-hamilton-lrt

Metrolinx and the City of Hamilton have spent the last half year picking up the pieces of the Hamilton LRT project, resurrected last year by the Ontario government, with most of the project slated to be the same as originally planned but with a major change in the procurement model.

As explained by Metrolinx’s technical project lead Kris Jacobson during a recent webinar, the project owners have decided the utilities-relocation phase of the $3.4-billion project is so fraught with risks that procurement will have to be split into two packages, with the utilities phase procured under the Alliance model.

Alliance, characterized by extensive collaboration from all stakeholders, offers a “no-blame, no-claim environment, where it is our role to just basically get this work done,” said Jacobson.

He said Alliance has elements of progressive design, integrated project design and integrated project delivery.

“From a packaging perspective, we’ve identified that the risk associated with moving those utilities around is just too significant to bundle it as part of the overall scope of the project like we were in the past and using a more traditional P3,” he told members of the Hamilton-Halton Construction Association assembled virtually for day one of the association’s annual Construction Forecast.

“We don’t know what exists underneath the corridor with all of these utilities

The Hamilton LRT will run 14 kilometres from McMaster University in the west to Eastgate Square to the east, with 17 stops. A significant portion of the corridor will be only 20 metres wide, with the double-track guideway located in the centre occupying 10 metres, leaving five metres on either side for two single lanes of traffic.

blah blah blah....

The Swept Path timetable calls for an RFQ in the spring of 2022, an RFP going out in August 2022, design and cost development from March 2023 into 2024, and construction starting in early 2024.

The second contract, for the Stops, Rail and Systems phases along with operations and maintenance, will be procured through a traditional P3 DBFOM model. The RFQ would go out in early 2023, the RFP period would start in May 2023, design work would ensue through 2024 and construction is targeted for a late 2024 start.

“Since we de-risked the project by moving all the utilities out of the way, by creating a sanitized corridor down the middle of the road, it should be relatively straightforward for a second contractor to come in and actually build the rail,” said Jacobson.

Building demolitions have started and other enabling works will be launched this year.

Other civil projects to be undertaken include construction of an operations, maintenance and storage facility; replacement of the existing Longwood Road Bridge; a new Highway 403 LRT flyover bridge; a new CP overpass bridge; and reestablishment of 62 traffic signals and thousands of streetlights

[Base]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Just for comparison's sake, here is Toronto showing Eglinton and St Clair. From Census Mapper.






Heck, the stretch in Edmonton isn't even dense compared to where the Finch West LRT is being built.

Point taken although I find those maps hard to grasp, compare, and conceptualize (that's a me problem). Whyte is a fairly busy road and not much alternative for east/west high volume movement (would have to go to 61/63 Ave) so for that reason I don't know if street level works great. I love elevated although don't know if that might due harm visually to some of the historic character along Whyte.

For the reasons above and the growing importance and density of the are I think it is best candidate for underground. I should say maybe second best candidate to Jasper Ave between 109 street & 124th.

Anything is a long long ways out but I mostly favour rewarding central areas with transit infrastructure investment before we build outward in most cases.

[thebasketballgeek]

Canada’s big-city mayors call on federal government for transit funding

By Laura Osman

Canada’s big-city mayors are calling for the federal government’s help to make up huge shortfalls in transit revenue that threaten to derail the nation’s transit systems.

The Big City Mayors’ Caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities released a statement Wednesday asking the Liberals to cover projected transit shortfalls for 2022, or else risk major service reductions, postponed construction of new projects, and property tax hikes.

The pandemic has wrought havoc on city’s transit revenues, with many riders instead working from home and avoiding tight, crowded spaces.

“The future of Canada’s public transit is at stake,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage in a statement as caucus chair.

The Toronto Transit Commission projects an operating shortfall of $561 million in 2022, according to the FCM.

Just about every major city expects to fall short by a hefty amount, including $53.7 million in Edmonton and $60 to 100 million in Metro Vancouver.

Unlike the federal and provincial governments, cities cannot run deficits. That means the money bleeding out of Canada’s transit systems will need to come from somewhere.

“The consequences of inaction will have very real impacts. Cutting transit service will lead to reduced mobility. Increasing property taxes will limit the economic recovery of our cities. Major user fee increases, or reductions in service quality, will discourage many from riding transit and will place an unfair burden on people who rely on public transit,” Savage said in the statement.

The federal government has given extra funds to make sure the nation’s buses and trains keep running throughout the pandemic, starting in 2020 with the Safe Restart Agreement.

At the time, the federal government forwarded $19 billion to provinces and territories to help shore up their economies, and provinces passed on a share of those funds to cities to cover severely lagging transit revenue.

This time, though, the mayors say the need is more urgent as massive transit shortfalls are projected for the third year in a row.

“Even before Omicron, most large transit systems were forecasting serious ridership and revenue challenges for 2022. Cities have already made tough decisions — making cuts where they could, laying off staff, and raising property taxes. Yet the effects of the pandemic remain with us. With city budgets being finalized now, we simply cannot wait any longer,” Savage said.

Dominic LeBlanc, minister of intergovernmental affairs, infrastructure and communities, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

https://globalnews.ca/news/8539992/canada-big-city-mayors-federal-transit-funding/

[J.OT13]

Cities need to reconsider their transit set-ups as well. With reduction in commuter traffic, they need to focus on providing better transit for those who use it for everyday trips.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Cities need to reconsider their transit set-ups as well. With reduction in commuter traffic, they need to focus on providing better transit for those who use it for everyday trips.

I'm not sure the long term impact on peak hour commuting will be as large as it is expected - even last summer peak rush hour congestion was more or less back to normal with most people still being wfh.

No doubt peak levels will be reduced, which is actually a very good thing, but it's not going to be to the extent where it has a major impact IMO. Maybe a 5-10% reduction in peak hour volumes at most. Most offices are moving to a hybrid model, but I expect higher ups will still be in more or less every day and ultimately the majority of employment is not wfh capable at all.

The impact will also be different in different cities - Ottawa is heavily federal government based office employment, which will likely see larger impacts than, say, Winnipeg or Edmonton which is more focused on industrial employment.

It just may be 2024 or 2025 before traffic fully settles into it's new "normal" pattern.

[WhipperSnapper]

Yeah, I expected a larger dip to peak service on TTC (streetcar, subways) given the average office complex has been a relative ghost town since early 2020 but, it's not noticeable on most of the system once students, service jobs and, tourists began moving again.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton's Metro Line northwest LRT expansion to Castle Downs reinstated as top priority following community pushback

Author of the article: Dustin Cook
Publishing date:Feb 15, 2022

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...op-priority-following-community-pushback

[Coldrsx]

Fed funding to make up (top up) for revenue shortfalls caused by the pandemic.

Contingent on:
-Provinces must 'speed up (affordable) housing supply'

[swimmer_spe]

I live in the city of Greater Sudbury. generally speaking, nothing really happens in transit worth noting. Today, I saw something interesting. My local transit, GOVA, has a thing, GOVA Zone which is like a dial a bus service. I have always seen them using smaller, accessible transit buses. Today, I saw what I thought was an oddly painted school bus. It appears there is enough demand to use an accessible full size school bus for the service. I'm thinking the next update to transit will see an extended route further out.

[FrAnKs]

https://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/apropos/e...es/fiche_autres_actualites.aspx?id=22841

*Translated from French*

Québec City Tramway: a successful call for qualifications for infrastructure
Quebec City, February 23, 2022 – The construction of the Quebec tramway reached an important milestone on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, with the closing of the call for qualifications for the infrastructures. The strong interest of the industry led to the submission of two applications for this part of the project:
Mobilité de la Capitale
ModerniCité

Next steps
In the weeks to come, the City will analyze the files received in order to qualify the candidate or candidates who will then be invited to participate in the Call for Proposals. The latter should be launched in the spring of 2022, once the necessary government authorizations have been obtained. At the end of this process, the successful bidder for the infrastructure component should be selected in the spring of 2023.

Remember that the infrastructure component includes design, construction, financing and maintenance activities. These target both municipal infrastructure, including roads, aqueducts and sewers, municipal technical networks and urban development, as well as transportation infrastructure such as the tramway platform, stations, interchange hubs , the tunnel and the operation and maintenance centre.

About the Quebec tramway
The City of Quebec is implementing the most important project in its history: the Quebec tramway. On a 19 km route from Cap-Rouge to D’Estimauville, this modern, 100% electric tramway will form the backbone of an improved public transport network throughout the city. Frequent, on a fixed schedule and comfortable, the tramway will offer an attractive transport alternative that will limit the worsening of road conditions, reduce the impact on the environment and improve the quality of life of citizens.

Its exemplary urban integration will contribute to the embellishment and conviviality of the neighborhoods crossed with a better sharing of public space, more safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists, quality reception infrastructures, renewed urban furniture , new public spaces, enhanced vegetation and refurbishment of surface and underground infrastructures. Worthy of a 21st century capital, the tramway will position Québec as one of the most attractive cities in the country.

Completion of this project will contribute to the economic vitality of the region by creating 18,970 jobs.

For all the information on the project, citizens are invited to consult tramwaydequebec.info.

[hipster duck]

So this is very under the radar, but it is a significant milestone on the biggest transit expansion project in Canadian history - and one that few people outside of Toronto transit forums really talk about (seriously, the media coverage on this is scant).

Metrolinx has selected a winning bidder to design, build, operate and maintain the GO electrified regional rail system, known as the "On-Corridor" project.

The winner is ONXpress Transportation Partners, a team consisting of:

Applicant Lead: Aecon Concessions, John Holland, Meridiam Infrastructure, Alstom Transport Canada
Construction Team: Aecon IM, John Holland, Alstom
Design Team: WSP, Hatch, Alstom
Operations & Maintenance Team: Deutsche Bahn, John Holland, Aecon O&M
Financial Advisor: RBC Dominion Securities

[source]

Looking forward to a Deutsche-Bahn operated electrified heavy rail system in Canada running Alstom trains.

[hw621]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

So this is very under the radar, but it is a significant milestone on the biggest transit expansion project in Canadian history - and one that few people outside of Toronto transit forums really talk about (seriously, the media coverage on this is scant).

Metrolinx has selected a winning bidder to design, build, operate and maintain the GO electrified regional rail system, known as the "On-Corridor" project.

The winner is ONXpress Transportation Partners, a team consisting of:

Applicant Lead: Aecon Concessions, John Holland, Meridiam Infrastructure, Alstom Transport Canada
Construction Team: Aecon IM, John Holland, Alstom
Design Team: WSP, Hatch, Alstom
Operations & Maintenance Team: Deutsche Bahn, John Holland, Aecon O&M
Financial Advisor: RBC Dominion Securities

[source]

Looking forward to a Deutsche-Bahn operated electrified heavy rail system in Canada running Alstom trains.

That's the former Bombardier Rail no?

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by hw621

That's the former Bombardier Rail no?

Yes, Alstom acquired Bombardier’s rail division and all their property/IP in 2021, but we don’t know what kinds of trainsets they plan to use here.

They could very well be Alstom’s X’trapolis EMUs. Then again, DB has more experience running Bombardier EMUs on their S-Bahn systems back home.

I wonder how much of the fact that final assembly can be done in Ontario at ex-Bombardier plants in Thunder Bay or Kingston determined the winning bid. The competing bid used Siemens rolling stock AFAIK.

I can only engage in armchair speculation on this one.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

Looking forward to a Deutsche-Bahn operated electrified heavy rail system in Canada running Alstom trains.

Amazing. I hope this sets a precedent for bringing in foreign rail expertise where none exists in Canada.

Your move, VIA.

[swimmer_spe]

https://www.blogto.com/city/2022/03/cheaper-public-transit-ontario/

The government is removing the local fare when using GO, but not in Toronto...

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

https://www.blogto.com/city/2022/03/cheaper-public-transit-ontario/

The government is removing the local fare when using GO, but not in Toronto...

Shockingly good news!!! First time I can recall Ford making things easier and cheaper for transit riders and not cars.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Shockingly good news!!! First time I can recall Ford making things easier and cheaper for transit riders and not cars.

Is it an election year? I forget.

Passengers travelling from select GO stations may soon be blessed with stations which have corporate naming rights attached to them.

[superelevation]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

So this is very under the radar, but it is a significant milestone on the biggest transit expansion project in Canadian history - and one that few people outside of Toronto transit forums really talk about (seriously, the media coverage on this is scant).

Metrolinx has selected a winning bidder to design, build, operate and maintain the GO electrified regional rail system, known as the "On-Corridor" project.

The winner is ONXpress Transportation Partners, a team consisting of:

Applicant Lead: Aecon Concessions, John Holland, Meridiam Infrastructure, Alstom Transport Canada
Construction Team: Aecon IM, John Holland, Alstom
Design Team: WSP, Hatch, Alstom
Operations & Maintenance Team: Deutsche Bahn, John Holland, Aecon O&M
Financial Advisor: RBC Dominion Securities

[source]

Looking forward to a Deutsche-Bahn operated electrified heavy rail system in Canada running Alstom trains.

Slow down there, that's not what happened - DB's team gets the first crack at final negotiations. They did not win yet.

[J.OT13]

Redesign of tREM de l'Est.






https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/montreal-s-e...s-arise-over-chinatown-station-1.5812119