General STO News and Rapibus System

[Truenorth00]

So is the consensus that the Rapibus corridor won't max out on capacity before Plateau?

I fully agree that the Aylmer line is needed. And in-median or curbside at-grade LRT seems reasonable for this. I wonder about prioritizing investment in the Rapibus corridor over Plateau.

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

So is the consensus that the Rapibus corridor won't max out on capacity before Plateau?

I fully agree that the Aylmer line is needed. And in-median or curbside at-grade LRT seems reasonable for this. I wonder about prioritizing investment in the Rapibus corridor over Plateau.

Its more a question of - if you build an Alymer Line, where do you transfer buses from Plateau? I'm sure something could be worked out, but I don't have a good answer.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by Multi-modal

Its more a question of - if you build an Alymer Line, where do you transfer buses from Plateau? I'm sure something could be worked out, but I don't have a good answer.

Repurposing the Saint Dominique Parc-o-Bus lot could be an option. That lot is very small - too small as an effective park'n ride location (about 50 spaces), and is just a short distance down Taché from St-Raymond. It would be big enough to dwell a couple of buses and is configured correctly to enable buses to turn back to Plateau at the adjacent traffic signal.

[harls]

Not really rapibus related, but an accident on Allumettieres this afternoon has created gridlock in downtown Gatineau. Best to avoid the area if possible.

My bus has not moved in 15 mins on rue Montcalm.

[Aylmer]

The LPC specifically mentioned funding for Gatineau's Western LRT project in their transport announcement today

Du financement permanent pour le transport en commun, promet le PLC

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

The LPC specifically mentioned funding for Gatineau's Western LRT project in their transport announcement today

Du financement permanent pour le transport en commun, promet le PLC

This is good news, should the Liberals be elected and the promise kept. We should constantly be extending existing lines and building new ones in every major Canadian city, from coast to coast (to coast should northern cities need it). We need to catch-up with our European and Asian counterparts and not be satisfied with being better than the U.S.

[Acajack]

Gatineau just got the green light for the final 3 km (or so) of the originally proposed Rapibus line. This will extend it from Labrosse to Lorrain.

The station at Lorrain is already under construction and close to completion. The new segment will be ready in 2023.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/g..._YtsBNfViLbYCQ

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Gatineau just got the green light for the final 3 km (or so) of the originally proposed Rapibus line. This will extend it from Labrosse to Lorrain.

The station at Lorrain is already under construction and close to completion. The new segment will be ready in 2023.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/g..._YtsBNfViLbYCQ

That sounds like a long time to construct a simple road. I could maybe understand if the station needed to be built as well, but 3 years just for the road?

[TheBrain]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That sounds like a long time to construct a simple road. I could maybe understand if the station needed to be built as well, but 3 years just for the road?

In the article they say the area they're going through has peat bogs, swamps,etc and it'll take two summer's of construction. Because of the delays in getting approval they won't be able to get all the plans/etc done for this summer.

Not familiar with road construction in a swamp but maybe they need to load a ton of rocks on the future roadbed and let it sit for a winter to settle?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by TheBrain

In the article they say the area they're going through has peat bogs, swamps,etc and it'll take two summer's of construction. Because of the delays in getting approval they won't be able to get all the plans/etc done for this summer.

Not familiar with road construction in a swamp but maybe they need to load a ton of rocks on the future roadbed and let it sit for a winter to settle?

I am surprised going through swamps were approved.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I am surprised going through swamps were approved.

Isn’t that what’s always been done in Northern Ontario?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Isn’t that what’s always been done in Northern Ontario?

Well, if you are not blasting granite, you are filling in swamps. Generally, the blasted rock is put into the swamp. Generally, they do try to avoid them, but if there is no way around them, then they have no choice.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I am surprised going through swamps were approved.

What route would you propose to go around it?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by roger1818

What route would you propose to go around it?

Following the rail corridor? You can avoid swamps there as they are not massive.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Following the rail corridor? You can avoid swamps there as they are not massive.

Yes, the Rapibus route will follow the rail corridor that is already there. Though as stated they will require two summer construction seasons to get it done. (A small station will be built within the Lac-Beauchamp park as well.)

Environmental mitigation is making it a bit more complicated than usual, even though I believe the lake itself is actually artificial - as are the swampy areas adjacent to it I'd assume.

But of course even in artificial wetlands over the decades lots of living things will take up residence there.

[J.OT13]

D'importants travaux prévus sur le pont Noir à Gatineau

Nathalie Tremblay, Radio-Canada
Publié le 3 juin 2020



Le pont Noir qui enjambe la rivière Gatineau, près de la rue Saint-Louis, sera le théâtre de travaux majeurs cet été. Trois piles du pont, qui datent de la fin des années 1800, doivent être complètement refaites.

La Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO), qui est responsable des travaux, indique que la partie submergée des piles, actuellement faite de pierres, sera remplacée par du béton. La partie qui se trouve au-dessus de l'eau sera toutefois préservée.

La STO a obtenu une dérogation de la Ville de Gatineau pour réaliser les travaux tous les jours de la semaine, et sur une période plus longue. Les travaux sont normalement permis du lundi au samedi, mais le transporteur pourra en faire le dimanche, en plus de commencer plus tôt le matin et de terminer plus tard.

La firme de construction Polaris, spécialisée dans les travaux aquatiques, a obtenu le contrat pour ce projet évalué à 6,9 millions de dollars. Elle aura recours à des pales-planches pour assécher la rivière pendant le chantier. Le contrat a été octroyé en janvier dernier.

Le projet doit durer 22 semaines. Les autobus de la STO qui empruntent le corridor du pont Noir pourront circuler normalement durant les travaux. Le transporteur public enverra une lettre aux résidents qui habitent à proximité du pont pour les aviser des travaux.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle...-noir-gatineau

[Acajack]

Construction of the eastern extension of the Rapibus between the existing east terminus at Labrosse and the new one at Lorrain is expected to begin imminently - which means today or next week at the latest.

This will include a small station in the park surrounding Lac Beauchamp.

The station at Lorrain has already been built and has been in service as a local terminus for a year or two.

This is the final leg of what has been formally planned for the Rapibus in the east.

There have been discussions about extending it further east, towards Cheval-Blanc or the industrial area near Boul. de l'Aéroport, but so far no firm plans.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Construction of the eastern extension of the Rapibus between the existing east terminus at Labrosse and the new one at Lorrain is expected to begin imminently - which means today or next week at the latest.

This will include a small station in the park surrounding Lac Beauchamp.

The station at Lorrain has already been built and has been in service as a local terminus for a year or two.

The is the final leg of what has been formally planned for the Rapibus in the east.

There have been discussions about extending it further east, towards Cheval-Blanc or the industrial area near Boul. de l'Aéroport, but so far no firm plans.

I know that environmental concerns were the main reason for the delays in recent years (along with financial constraints during the initial build phase), but the slow pace of the RapiBus build is quite frustrating.

[le calmar]

Are the tracks adjacent to the Rapibus lanes used at all? They seem to go out of their way to preserve them, but I don’t think I have ever seen a train on those tracks. Or is it for future conversion to LRT?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by le calmar

Are the tracks adjacent to the Rapibus lanes used at all? They seem to go out of their way to preserve them, but I don’t think I have ever seen a train on those tracks.

There still some industry along the tracks in old Gatineau, Thurso and others, so I imagine they are used, but quite rarely I', sure. As a kid living near the tracks, trains came by maybe a few times a week, but that was nearly 2 decades ago.