GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[TOareaFan]

GO Transit ‏@GOtransit 4m4 minutes ago

CLARKSON riders: The fifth floor of parking structure opens Monday, Nov.10. For more info http://ow.ly/DYmGc

 

[canarob]

The West platform has opened at Markham GO and everyone loves it. Boarding from both sides seems to be speeding things up as well. It will be a shame if we ever get a second track and this all has to be destroyed though.

 

[mdrejhon]

Great updates, Drum!
I agree.. Seeing this in person, there's zero chance of this being ready by July.

Isn't JamesNorth GO being done in two phases? The barebones July 2015 station for PanAm, and the big fancy complex afterwards? Didn't they already announce the phased construction? Though they might possibly be transferring some of the Phase 1 stuff to Phase 2.

They are building the station, with a parking garage, for long term expansion -- for eventual (not right away -- but eventually) all-day GO operation and possible future VIA (several sources). I already know some of the structures aren't built specifically for PanAm, but they'll have the platform surface ready (or worst case, a temporary one thereof) for July. Phase 1 for the PanAm, and Phase 2 to be finished for 2017.

Some quotes I've found were:
"The project will be built in two phases and be completed by March 2017"
http://raisethehammer.org/article/1688/details_on_james_north_go_station
"Phase Two, which is scheduled to be substantially complete by March 2017," (page 23 of PDF)
http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres...E7-CF3DBD21ABA7/0/JamesSNMobilityHubStudy.pdf

So, it appears not everything you see is stuff that'll be ready on time for PanAm. However, the question is which structures (that are photographed) is intended to open for PanAm 2015, and which ones after. What appears really good is that it's not just a flash-in-pan for PanAm but something big and permanent for Hamilton.

 

[drum118]

Nov 27
Some of the east/west side of Clarkson Parking Structure have received some screen frames finally.

Elevators look the same as I last saw it in person and that is sad.

They have started to install some roofing on the north side, but the south side is still not close to be finish. The material must being made by someone on their own time.

All the Loop concrete is down except the east end and the small section of the driveway.

 

[innsertnamehere]

GO RER slides are up for the Metrolinx presentation:

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20141211/20141211_BoardMtg_RER_Update_EN.pdf

New info in it that I could find:

Additional track between York University and Rutherford will be built 2015-2017

planned EAs:

Network-wide study for key rail/road grade separations; EA/design for
selected crossings
• Lakeshore East: additional track-Union Station to Pickering Station
• Lakeshore West: additional track-Burlington Station to Aldershot Station
• Richmond Hill: Doncaster rail/rail grade separation (near Langstaff Station)
• Barrie: additional track-Toronto to Allandale Waterfront Station; new train
storage facility and existing facility expansion; Davenport rail/rail grade
separation (at CP North Toronto subdivision)
• Kitchener: rail/rail grade separation west of Mount Pleasant Station; new
train storage facility
• Milton: train storage facility expansion

for the business case:

Current analysis is based on the existing system, with no new stations or fare integration; these
factors will be added as more work is undertaken

overall when to expect the service concept:

Metrolinx anticipates that the recommended service concept will be
completed in the first quarter of 2015 and will be released with the
Province at that time

 

[mdrejhon]

It certainly reconfirms what I have been saying all along -- there is intent for Metrolinx to operate SmartTrack and they know it's essentially a relabelled GO RER route, and will work with the city.

For me, as a Hamiltonian homeowner, the most interesting news in this document for me is the completed EA:

Lakeshore West: Expansion beyond Hamilton Junction on CN corridor

I presume this is a pre-requisite for all day service to the new James Street North GO station by ~2017.

 

[innsertnamehere]

That would be the Niagara expansion EA they did in 2009 or so. I presume it will get moved forward, along with the work for the Bowmanville extension. The rate at which Metrolinx has to build this stuff means that they are going to advance anything and everything they can to construction ASAP.

 

[nfitz]

For me, as a Hamiltonian homeowner, the most interesting news in this document for me is the completed EA:

I presume this is a pre-requisite for all day service to the new James Street North GO station by ~2017.

I'd think it's a referenced to the EA completed in 2011 - http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/improve/Niagara docs/Niagara_Rail_Expansion_ESR.pdf

But there's no guarantee of service that comes with the EA.

If you look at the cost estimates on page V, all they've committed to so far is the first phase of the James Street North station which is costed at $17.2 million, while the total project ranges from about $200 million to $1.1 billion, depending which option (how far) they go for (though clearly the Welland Canal grade separation is very expensive, compared to the rest of the project).

 

[raptor]

Not sure which thread the following belongs:
Minister to Make GO Transit Announcement in Halton Region

Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation, Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP for Halton, and Greg Percy, President of GO Transit, will make an announcement about improving GO Transit in Halton Region.
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Milton GO Station
780 Main St. East
Milton

 

[mdrejhon]

But there's no guarantee of service that comes with the EA.

Oh, then it is a repeat of previous EA accomplishments. I thought this was a new EA for a different aspect of the project. I know they are dodging the promise, essentially delaying/postponing all day service from Day 1. But with the station declare as a new core station on the GO network, they are building it to accommodate all day service eventually.

In all docs, it has always been claimed as at least an eventual goal, with no promised date, just not in Day 1 of the new station. At the pace today, I would guesstimate would be 2017 for all day service to Hamilton (at least hourly to begin with), right around when the Phase 2 of construction finishes. It is also shown as a potential long term (final phase) electrification goal too. The bottleneck is rail corridor ownership.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I'd think it's a referenced to the EA completed in 2011 - http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/improve/Niagara docs/Niagara_Rail_Expansion_ESR.pdf

But there's no guarantee of service that comes with the EA.

If you look at the cost estimates on page V, all they've committed to so far is the first phase of the James Street North station which is costed at $17.2 million, while the total project ranges from about $200 million to $1.1 billion, depending which option (how far) they go for (though clearly the Welland Canal grade separation is very expensive, compared to the rest of the project).

They are building the Lewis Road layover as well.

 

[nfitz]

They are building the Lewis Road layover as well.

Ah, that's a bit more change. The full design for 4 trains, or did they cobble something together in the short-term.

Gosh, if they are all the way out there, why not build the Confederation GO station as well?

 

[innsertnamehere]

its for 4 trains. completion 2016.

no idea why they didn't bother with Confederation, maybe they are going to build it and just haven't told anyone yet.

 

[mdrejhon]

At THAT capacity, all day service is all but eventually assured to Hamilton. They wouldn't need this otherwise! They just don't want to make promises exactly when, just yet. Good to know they already started construction on this layover. Not much publicity on this, but a good tidbit to know.

With the Lewis layover already under construction deep into the Hamilton corridor, I bet they will announce(or at least reaffirm) the eventual all day Hamilton service 2016/2017 once they announce the 2015 PanAm schedule.

That is more layover capacity than they currently have at Aldershot AND Hamilton downtown, combined, to kickoff the start of day for Lakeshore West.

 

[dowlingm]

where's the grade sep west of Mount Pleasant? They mean Brampton or maybe Georgetown, surely?