Confederation Line East LRT Extension (Stage 2) [Blair to Trim] | U/C

[TheMatth69]

It's quite obvious that Montreal Station will never become a major hub. However, not being a major hub doesn't mean you can't have buses passing through the station. OC Transpo could for exemple reroute bus route 25 (ex 94) on Brearbrooke Road up to Montreal road, then the bus would turn on Montreal Road, pass through Montreal Road Station.
After this two options, make the route turn on Ogilvie all the way to Blair Station or continue on Montreal Road all the way to Blair Road then turn Left on Blair Road and head South to Blair Station. Add the already existing route 28 that could be rerouted into a Montreal Station to Blair via Blackburn Hamlet & Innes Road route, you end up with a major transfer station for Beacon Heights, Blackburn Hamlet and South Orleans residents. Let's not forget route 12 and route 24 passing only two blocks away from the station, Beacon Hill North Residents might prefer to transfer at Montreal Road Station more than Blair Station.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

That station wouldn't look totally out of place in Calgary.

Very true. Calgary's system has many elaborate station buildings with bare-bones platforms.


https://www.calgarytransit.com/news/...tions-wed-know

In Ottawa, stations are open air, but the station buildings at least cover part of the platform, and the rest is mostly covered by a awnings (though sometimes incomplete).

[OTownandDown]

Yes, I guess in my previous post I was responding to people outside of this forum who complain about standing outside in the blowing snow on the Hurdman elevated platform. That stockholm station is just a couple of bus shelters on a regular looking train platform, and god knows stockholm gets some bad weather too... At least in Ottawa we got some complex looking architecture that will be very difficult to repair.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

Yes, I guess in my previous post I was responding to people outside of this forum who complain about standing outside in the blowing snow on the Hurdman elevated platform. That stockholm station is just a couple of bus shelters on a regular looking train platform, and god knows stockholm gets some bad weather too... At least in Ottawa we got some complex looking architecture that will be very difficult to repair.

Ah, ok, so I got it right the second time

Stage 1 stations seem to have also been designed with some (emphasis on "some") passive climate control in mind, though that doesn't seem to be the case with more basic Stage 2 stations. Frequencies (for trains, not buses) are also very good, so passengers don't have to wait too long.

I'm generally don't have an issue with Stage 1 designs. It's a good balance between a concrete slab with bus shelters (not even in the case of Crowfoot Station in Calgary) and the fully enclosed stations of the REM. We'll have to wait for the final product of Stage 2 before passing judgement, but so far, it seems somewhere between your Stockholm example and Ottawa's Stage 1.

[J.OT13]

East extension updates. Images were far too large to post on SSP, so they can be viewed on the link. They include a new platform level rendering of Place d'Orleans Station.

Confederation Line East Extension - Construction Update
July 3, 2020

Construction is underway across all three Stage 2 O-Train Extensions.

In the east, bridge construction is ongoing at the Highway 174 Montreal Road interchange. Utility and road relocation work is occurring across the alignment.


Highway 174 Roadworks between Blair Road to Place d’Orleans area

• Crews continue the construction of new lanes on the south side of Highway 174, east of Blair Road.
• A section of new lanes east of Blair Road has been paved. Bus traffic has been shifted onto the new lanes.
• Monitoring equipment has been installed to ensures noise and vibration levels remain compliant with project limits.

Highway 174 Montreal Road Interchange

• Work will continue on the support piers of the new Highway 174 bridges at Montreal Road.
• Excavation, embankment and grading works are underway at the Montreal Road eastbound Highway 174 off-ramp and on-ramps.
• Crews will continue constructing retaining walls, at the north-east and south-east ramp quadrants.
• Drainage work for a new storm sewer is underway near the Highway 174-Montreal Road south-east eastbound on-ramp.

Utility Relocation - Champlain Avenue at Highway 174

• Significant rock excavation, placement of drainage pipelines along Highway 174, and manhole installation are currently taking place.
• Highway 174 westbound on-ramp, at Champlain Street, has been realigned in order to move the traffic further away from the work zone. The traffic flip will take place this week.
• This preparatory work is required before Place d’Orleans LRT Station construction can begin.
• Nightwork is required to reduce impacts to Highway 174 traffic.

Culvert Work along Highway 174

• Crews and equipment will be stripping soil, building access pads, and installing silt fencing, followed by localized pit excavation and culvert installation using a jack and bore method.
• This sequence will occur at each trench location. This trenchless method of construction reduces the amount of excavation required for underground work. This will be done in various locations between Rockcliffe Parkway and Champlain Street along the north and south sides of the highway.
• Nightwork is required to avoid impacting traffic flow on Highway 174. As some work will also occur in the centre median, lane reductions are required.

Trim Park and Ride

• Crews and equipment continue to work on stormwater drainage the existing Park and Ride lot. Small sections of parking spaces will be temporarily closed to accommodate this work.
• Excavation has begun for construction of two new Park and Ride lots to the east and south of the existing lot. The number of parking spaces available will ultimately remain the same; the final configuration of Trim LRT Station and Park and Ride requires permanent parking space relocation.

https://mailchi.mp/5254df1752e0/stag...0?e=a999a549a3

[DEWLine]

Not convinced that the Montréal Road/St. Joseph Blvd./174 interchange won't be a major stopover. People who need to get to/from either Blackburn Hamlet, western Orléans, Canotek Park, and the eastern reaches of old Gloucester will find a use for that stop.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by DEWLine

Not convinced that the Montréal Road/St. Joseph Blvd./174 interchange won't be a major stopover. People who need to get to/from either Blackburn Hamlet, western Orléans, Canotek Park, and the eastern reaches of old Gloucester will find a use for that stop.

Good Day.

Yes, it could be, .......IF ...IF they expand the amount of space under, or at either or both ends of, both sides of Montreal/St.Joseph under the station overpass.
It needs space for bus platforms and PPuDo if it is to be any kind of transfer station and not just a plain ol' bus stop.

It depends on the final configuration of the width and length of the roadway and platforms under the overpass. Which we have yet to see in any real view or detail.

<sigh>

[J.OT13]

Video posted on O-Train Fans showing progress around the future Montreal Station.

Driving down the 174 over the last little while, it seemed like little progress had be made. Of course, I was unable to see the new support structures from up there. 

Also interesting to see the wide gap between the new eastbound and westbound segments. It's what was shown on the video released in March, but wasn't sure if that was accurate. It's hard to imagine that the Confederation Line guideway and station will take up that entire space in between, as depicted in all videos and renderings released so far. For comparison, Blair seems to be around 18.5 meters wide while the space between the highway segments will end up somewhere around 35 meters. 

• Video Link

[Baybreeze12]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Video posted on O-Train Fans showing progress around the future Montreal Station.

Driving down the 174 over the last little while, it seemed like little progress had be made. Of course, I was unable to see the new support structures from up there. 

Also interesting to see the wide gap between the new eastbound and westbound segments. It's what was shown on the video released in March, but wasn't sure if that was accurate. It's hard to imagine that the Confederation Line guideway and station will take up that entire space in between, as depicted in all videos and renderings released so far. For comparison, Blair seems to be around 18.5 meters wide while the space between the highway segments will end up somewhere around 35 meters. 

• Video Link

That's an interesting point, I wonder if the "extra" space is just due to the width of the existing highway - if they want to build new freestanding lanes then they have to go outside of the current physical build. Then again maybe the Montreal Rd station will take up all the interior space; certainly seems that way in the renders!

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Video posted on O-Train Fans showing progress around the future Montreal Station.

Driving down the 174 over the last little while, it seemed like little progress had be made. Of course, I was unable to see the new support structures from up there. 

Also interesting to see the wide gap between the new eastbound and westbound segments. It's what was shown on the video released in March, but wasn't sure if that was accurate. It's hard to imagine that the Confederation Line guideway and station will take up that entire space in between, as depicted in all videos and renderings released so far. For comparison, Blair seems to be around 18.5 meters wide while the space between the highway segments will end up somewhere around 35 meters. 

• Video Link

Maybe they're somehow actually learning from their mistakes and putting more space in the stations. Imagine that, people not wanting to be packed like sardines while WAITING for the train (of course they still have that experience while actually on the train)

[OCCheetos]

It's entirely possible (and probably likely) that this is just a cost-saving measure to avoid (expensive) disruptions to the existing bridges before they're demolished and that the station won't take up anywhere near the full space between them.

Similar to the reasoning behind all of the rail-over-road bridges on the Trillium Line?

[J.OT13]

Here's Shane from O-Train Fans take on it:

From my understanding, the highway will be moved to the sides over the new overpasses currently under construction. From there, the old overpass will be demolished, to make way for the new O-Train station. At some point, the highway will then be returned (or moved) closer to the station than the temporary relocation.

Overall, a lot of work but necessary if the goal is to keep the highway open and serviceable during this phase.

From a recent Stage 2 newsletter, it appears that they will be installing bridge girders at the Montreal Road Highway 174 interchange on July 16 and from July 20th to 23rd.

When:

July 16th, 20th to 21st – westbound Montreal Road on-ramp to westbound Highway 174 and eastbound Montreal Road on-ramp to eastbound Highway 174 for the Eastbound Overpass.
July 21st to 23rd (nights) – westbound Montreal Road on-ramp to westbound Highway 174 and eastbound Montreal Road on-ramp to eastbound Highway 174 for the Westbound Overpass.

https://forum.railfans.ca/topic/562-montreal/

[TransitZilla]

^ I'm not sure why (or how) the highway would be moved back at a later date.

What would be the benefit of doing so?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

^ I'm not sure why (or how) the highway would be moved back at a later date.

What would be the benefit of doing so?

I was surprised as well. As Shane mentioned, the goal is too minimize disruptions as much as possible during construction. Highway segments might be moved back closer together to simplify and straighten the highway alignment once work is complete.

The builder must re-align multiple roads all along the alignment temporarily for construction, so it's not inconceivable that the same could happen here, though this particular location involves far more work and financial expense.

[DEWLine]

Interesting. Those pillars are definitely new to me.

[J.OT13]

From Jim Watson's Twitter:

Jim Watson
@JimWatsonOttawa

Girder done! Stage 2 LRT crews hoist girders into place at Montreal Rd. Bridge construction is underway to make space for Montreal Station.





11:13 AM · Jul 24, 2020 from Ottawa, Ontario·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/JimWatsonOttawa/...80978317094912

[J.OT13]

I email the Stage 2 team for travel time estimates. Here's their response (a little over 24 hours).

Thank you for writing to the Stage 2 Office.

Based on preliminary estimates, I’ve listed approximate travel times from the locations you’ve requested below. Please note these are preliminary and are subject to change based on future design efforts and further operational planning exercises (dwell times, etc).

• Trim-Moodie 61 mins
• Blair-Moodie 45 mins
• Trim-Baseline 55 mins

• Moodie-Lincoln Fields 12-13 mins
• Baseline-Lincoln Fields 8-9 mins

• Bayview-Limebank 37 mins
• Bayview-South Keys 25 mins
• South Keys-Airport 13 mins

Have a nice weekend.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I email the Stage 2 team for travel time estimates. Here's their response (a little over 24 hours).

That feels like quite a hit to the Bayview - SK time. To Greenboro, it was 12 minutes pre-2013, 16 minutes post 2013. Sure, adding 3 stations will slow things down, but Gladstone is on the existing passing siding.

EDIT: I realize there was already discussion of this in the Trillium Line thread.

[J.OT13]

Since it was brought up several times, I asked the Stage 2 team a follow-up question: do the estimates include dwell times. Here's the response:

Hello

No they do not specifically include dwell times for the final destination (as customers will of course disembark upon arrival), nor do they include extended dwell times from terminus stations before a trip begins (for example, particularly during off-peak times, a train might remain at the platform with doors open for several minutes before departing on a scheduled trip). With that said, note these are very much averages/estimates and are likely to change.

Thank you.

And the response to the first question about travel times for reference:

Based on preliminary estimates, I’ve listed approximate travel times from the locations you’ve requested below. Please note these are preliminary and are subject to change based on future design efforts and further operational planning exercises (dwell times, etc).

• Trim-Moodie 61 mins
• Blair-Moodie 45 mins
• Trim-Baseline 55 mins

• Moodie-Lincoln Fields 12-13 mins
• Baseline-Lincoln Fields 8-9 mins

• Bayview-Limebank 37 mins
• Bayview-South Keys 25 mins
• South Keys-Airport 13 mins

[CityTech]

City has proposed Convent Glen as the name for Orleans Boulevard station.