Canadian LRT/RT projects U/C

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I think it counts as it's a completely different operator with no administrative relationship with OC Transpo (in Ottawa), nor is it an extension of the O-Train system.

Gatineau is in the Ottawa CMA, though, so it's not really a new city getting LRT. Besides, Gatineau already has BRT, and the question was re: cities without any sort of RT getting RT soon. Halifax, Quebec City, London are the correct answers IMO.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Gatineau is in the Ottawa CMA, though, so it's not really a new city getting LRT. Besides, Gatineau already has BRT, and the question was re: cities without any sort of RT getting RT soon. Halifax, Quebec City, London are the correct answers IMO.

OK sure.

[esquire]

That Ottawa/Gatineau situation is interesting... basically two cities side by side with what appear to be totally separate and non-integrated RT systems? I'm sure that arrangement must exist in other places, but I don't think I've ever come across it before... certainly not in North America.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

That Ottawa/Gatineau situation is interesting... basically two cities side by side with what appear to be totally separate and non-integrated RT systems? I'm sure that arrangement must exist in other places, but I don't think I've ever come across it before... certainly not in North America.

It's actually not nearly as bad as it sounds.

There is a lot of complaining about a lack of coordinated planning for the more "grand" vision of things, and I think this is justified criticism. (Though even single-province metro areas like Montreal and Toronto have only fairly recently been regionally coordinating their transit planning, I'd argue.)

In terms of coordination of services, the OC Transpo and STO systems interface in downtown Ottawa and downtown Gatineau (Vieux-Hull) at a couple of points. "Coordination" in this sense basically means "you put your stops here, and I'll put my stops there on the other side of the street".

I don't get the impression that there is much coordination in terms of scheduling but generally this is not a big issue as most of the routes from either system that are running downtown are the main ones so they have fairly high frequencies.

And in terms of fares I actually think we're better off than the Toronto and Montreal areas, where they seem to have been working on fare integration for years.

Here with almost no exceptions transfers and passes from either system are accepted on the other with no extra charge. So I can board a bus at the corner of my street and travel to the outer exurban suburbs of Ottawa (like Stittsville 50 km away) for $3.50.

Actually you can travel all the way from Buckingham in far eastern Gatineau to Stittsville in far western Ottawa, a distance of about 75 km, on a single $3.50 fare.

That's about the same distance as Toronto to Hamilton.

In the GTA I believe you can use your Presto card on any transit system in the region but you need to pay a second time when you change systems when crossing municipal or regional boundaries (e.g. any time you leave the TTC's Toronto city proper system for another).

The Montreal region is also similarly "messy".

[jamincan]

Originally Posted by esquire

That Ottawa/Gatineau situation is interesting... basically two cities side by side with what appear to be totally separate and non-integrated RT systems? I'm sure that arrangement must exist in other places, but I don't think I've ever come across it before... certainly not in North America.

NY/NJ is a pretty analogous situation.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by jamincan

NY/NJ is a pretty analogous situation.

It's a good example, though they do have the PATH services that are run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey which are cross-jurisdictional. We don't have anything like that.

[J.OT13]

Progress along the Trillium Line airport spur., from Rail613 on Twitter. Single track with the exception of Uplands station.








https://twitter.com/rail613/status/1330625078149734408

[wg_flamip]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Progress along the Trillium Line airport spur., from Rail613 on Twitter. Single track with the exception of Uplands station.

Is there a reason why the airport spur is considered part of the Trillium Line? From what I understand, service on the spur will be completely separate from the rest of the line and require a transfer. Wouldn't it make more sense from a wayfinding perspective to treat it as a separate line?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by wg_flamip

Is there a reason why the airport spur is considered part of the Trillium Line? From what I understand, service on the spur will be completely separate from the rest of the line and require a transfer. Wouldn't it make more sense from a wayfinding perspective to treat it as a separate line?

I agree with you that it should be treated as its own line since it will, for the most part, run independently. From what we've gathered, the airport line may run all the way up to Bayview outside of peak hours and during major events at the EY Centre, which is Ottawa's main Exhibition Centre (trade/consumer shows, comic-con and such, not to be confused with the Shaw Centre, our downtown Convention Centre).

EDIT: if ever the Trillium Line is double tracked (or at least, double tracking is added to improve frequency beyond 12 minutes), then the Trillium Line will likely be interlined between South Keys and Bayview all day, every day. The one impediment, it seems, to increase the frequency to 10, possibly 8, minutes is double tracking under Walkley Road and Walkley Station. This would require the replacement of the Walkley overpass in order to accommodate double tracking.

While we're at it, here's some images of the progress at South Keys station, where people will transfer from Trillium to the airport spur, and the S/E Transitway.





Rendering of the finished product.


https://www.railfans.ca/otrain/trans...ion/south-keys

[Martin Mtl]

Île-des-Soeurs REM station

[esquire]

Very nice station designs... they remind me a bit of the ones along the Øresundståg in Denmark and Sweden, although a little bit smaller in scale.

There are so many good looking transit stations being built across the country... there aren't great numbers being built but the ones that are going up tend to look much better than what we would have seen 20 years ago. It feels like a bit of a golden age for transit infrastructure design in this country.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Île-des-Soeurs REM station

I am not a big fan of stations in the middle of highways (who is?) but based on this it seems like they will be doing a good job of making the access from the neighbourhood fairly attractive and pleasant.

[TorontoDrew]

Looks like a necessity her however to span the bridge.

[Innsertnamehere]

The fact that REM has platform doors should make it a much more pleasant experience for a highway station. Usually the biggest issue is the high levels of noise pollution while waiting for a train - that should be much subdued.

Also, access under the highway instead of over makes a more pleasant experience. It just happens to be much more expensive. I recall using Amsterdam Zuid station about 5 years ago, while it's a much larger station, you hardly even notice the highway is there.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Am...34!4d4.9041389

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The fact that REM has platform doors should make it a much more pleasant experience for a highway station. Usually the biggest issue is the high levels of noise pollution while waiting for a train - that should be much subdued.

Also, access under the highway instead of over makes a more pleasant experience. It just happens to be much more expensive. I recall using Amsterdam Zuid station about 5 years ago, while it's a much larger station, you hardly even notice the highway is there.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Am...34!4d4.9041389

I agree with your points regarding highway median stations. Calgary and soon Ottawa have some bad examples of those, where the centre platforms are over exposed to the highway traffic lanes.

Enclosed stations like what we'll see on the REM, and Glen Cairn in Toronto are better for passenger experience.

Entrances over vs under the overpass is of course fully dependent on how the highway was built in the first place. Montreal station in Ottawa will have underpass entrances which means a more level and wind protected sidewalk to the station while Jeanne d'Arc and Convent Glen will result in a steep walk, highly exposed to the elements. I can't imagine how it will be for people with mobility devices going up the overpass in the dead of winter with ice/snow/slush impeding their progress.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Montreal station in Ottawa will have underpass entrances which means a more level and wind protected sidewalk to the station .

Unfortunately, almost no one will be using it!

[J.OT13]

Temporary bus loop at Lincoln Fields. It will be a major transfer station between outbound Lines 1 and 3.


https://twitter.com/OC_Transpo/statu...85472542289921

[J.OT13]

Demolition of the old highway bridge at Montreal Road December 4-7. The space created between the new highway sections will accommodate the new Montreal Station.




https://mailchi.mp/eaefbdac0878/out-...w?e=a999a549a3

Renderings of Montreal Station.









https://www.railfans.ca/otrain/line-1-stations/montreal

[Aylmer]

It still boggles my mind that a whole group of someones looked at the plans for that station and thought to themselves "yeah that looks like a pleasant spot for a station. Who wouldn't want to cross a highway interchange, walk on minimum-width sidewalks under an overpass beside 70 km/h traffic, and wait on a platform in the middle of a highway with the barest weather protection?"

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

It still boggles my mind that a whole group of someones looked at the plans for that station and thought to themselves "yeah that looks like a pleasant spot for a station. Who wouldn't want to cross a highway interchange, walk on minimum-width sidewalks under an overpass beside 70 km/h traffic, and wait on a platform in the middle of a highway with the barest weather protection?"

I mean..

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7159...7i16384!8i8192

That said, I hate having to walk out of Lawrence West. The short walk to Lawrence Square which is basically immediately next to it still involves dodging cars and an intersection that only has pedestrian crossings on 3 sides.