innsertnamehere
Superstar
King City GO is essentially in the middle of a marsh - that is probably why. The water table is likely really high, meaning tunnels aren't practical.
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GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)
- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
muller877
Senior Member
It would make practical sense for them to build a bridge for Station Rd at the same time.
crs1026
Superstar
I had a little time today to digest ML's 2017-2018 Business Plan which was tabled at the ML Board meeting. It gave some interesting insights into what ML is actually working on and what we can expect to see happen over the next year.
The plan identifies a $5.1B capital plan for the current fiscal year, which certainly speaks to a huge volume of transit projects being advanced.
How this breaks down is interesting.
- $1.9B goes towards Rapid Transit projects which are all known and notorious at this point (Crosstown, Finch, VIVA, Hurontario, plus small amounts for Sheppard LRT and Hamilton LRT)
- $0.8B goes towards State of Good Repair work - which is money well spent, but doesn’t lead to new services
- $0.2B to Presto - apparently this black hole may actually be filled some day.
That leaves $1.2B for RER projects, and $1.0B for something called “Optimization and Expansion”.
The $1.2B for RER goes into some familiar projects: Stouffville and Barrie rail construction, adding a fourth track on a short segment of the Kitchener line, redevelopment of existing stations, various signalling projects, and the 401/409 Rail Tunnel on the Kitchener line.
Most of this work is already in progress. The Rail Tunnel has yet to be procured, but will reach financial close later this year (which presumably means shovels in the ground in 2018). If anyone was expecting progress on some other front, check your sources - this is all that is mentioned as being under way.
The O+E funding includes the Whitby Maintenance facility ($172M) and some very small numbers for Niagara, Bowmanville, Kitchener, UPE, and GTS. ($54M total). That last dollar value is telling considering all the Ministerial showmanship on these projects. In 2017, less than 1% of ML's capital budget will be spent towards GO service to Niagara, Bowmanville, and Kitchener combined. The supporting text indicates it’s pretty much all design and EA work.
For Niagara and Bowmanville, this year’s work is mainly modelling and “gap analysis” to determine if more studies or additional EA work is required before design can begin - diligence, but nevertheless only studies of studies, and not advancement towards service. In both cases, the primary contractor will be CN and CP respectively - clearly the railways are intent on controlling the work on their own properties themselves, through a traditional work-and-invoice process rather than through an AFP model. The writeup notes that discussions with CP over Bowmanville service are at “an early stage" - I suspect that comment was intended to set low expectations for rapid progress. Remember that the Auditor-General had criticisms of how the railways account for and invoice for this kind of project. CN and CP are in the drivers’ seat at the negotiating table in both cases.
For the Kitchener route, the key goal for 2017 appears to be reaching a deal with CN on the bypass. The Plan describes the deal as a clear deliverable for 2017, but again CN has the upper hand. After that, lots of studies are then still required, so again service improvements to Kitchener are a long way off.
The remainder of the O+E fund - $778M - was not broken down. The writeup mentions Train Control and Signal system improvements, the Hamilton area construction and extension to Confederation Station, Don Yard expansion, parking and station improvements. And - bus and rail car acquisition. How that sum is spread across those projects is not itemised. What actually gets worked on and to what timeline remains to be seen.
Lastly, electrification is placed in the third and final work package of RER planning. This year’s work is to prepare initial drafts of the technical contract schedules and specification needed for the procurement process….but procurement is a future year’s task.
Bottom line: as I said above, other than the known and notorious work we have already seen under way, don’t expect shovels in the ground anywhere new this year. The next 12 months are all that’s left for Wynne to get contracts signed before the next election. Clearly, lots of studies will get done, but spending decisions by the next government may not carry them forward. There won’t be much sidewalk supervising to do this year.
- Paul
The plan identifies a $5.1B capital plan for the current fiscal year, which certainly speaks to a huge volume of transit projects being advanced.
How this breaks down is interesting.
- $1.9B goes towards Rapid Transit projects which are all known and notorious at this point (Crosstown, Finch, VIVA, Hurontario, plus small amounts for Sheppard LRT and Hamilton LRT)
- $0.8B goes towards State of Good Repair work - which is money well spent, but doesn’t lead to new services
- $0.2B to Presto - apparently this black hole may actually be filled some day.
That leaves $1.2B for RER projects, and $1.0B for something called “Optimization and Expansion”.
The $1.2B for RER goes into some familiar projects: Stouffville and Barrie rail construction, adding a fourth track on a short segment of the Kitchener line, redevelopment of existing stations, various signalling projects, and the 401/409 Rail Tunnel on the Kitchener line.
Most of this work is already in progress. The Rail Tunnel has yet to be procured, but will reach financial close later this year (which presumably means shovels in the ground in 2018). If anyone was expecting progress on some other front, check your sources - this is all that is mentioned as being under way.
The O+E funding includes the Whitby Maintenance facility ($172M) and some very small numbers for Niagara, Bowmanville, Kitchener, UPE, and GTS. ($54M total). That last dollar value is telling considering all the Ministerial showmanship on these projects. In 2017, less than 1% of ML's capital budget will be spent towards GO service to Niagara, Bowmanville, and Kitchener combined. The supporting text indicates it’s pretty much all design and EA work.
For Niagara and Bowmanville, this year’s work is mainly modelling and “gap analysis” to determine if more studies or additional EA work is required before design can begin - diligence, but nevertheless only studies of studies, and not advancement towards service. In both cases, the primary contractor will be CN and CP respectively - clearly the railways are intent on controlling the work on their own properties themselves, through a traditional work-and-invoice process rather than through an AFP model. The writeup notes that discussions with CP over Bowmanville service are at “an early stage" - I suspect that comment was intended to set low expectations for rapid progress. Remember that the Auditor-General had criticisms of how the railways account for and invoice for this kind of project. CN and CP are in the drivers’ seat at the negotiating table in both cases.
For the Kitchener route, the key goal for 2017 appears to be reaching a deal with CN on the bypass. The Plan describes the deal as a clear deliverable for 2017, but again CN has the upper hand. After that, lots of studies are then still required, so again service improvements to Kitchener are a long way off.
The remainder of the O+E fund - $778M - was not broken down. The writeup mentions Train Control and Signal system improvements, the Hamilton area construction and extension to Confederation Station, Don Yard expansion, parking and station improvements. And - bus and rail car acquisition. How that sum is spread across those projects is not itemised. What actually gets worked on and to what timeline remains to be seen.
Lastly, electrification is placed in the third and final work package of RER planning. This year’s work is to prepare initial drafts of the technical contract schedules and specification needed for the procurement process….but procurement is a future year’s task.
Bottom line: as I said above, other than the known and notorious work we have already seen under way, don’t expect shovels in the ground anywhere new this year. The next 12 months are all that’s left for Wynne to get contracts signed before the next election. Clearly, lots of studies will get done, but spending decisions by the next government may not carry them forward. There won’t be much sidewalk supervising to do this year.
- Paul
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TOareaFan
Superstar
401/409 tunnel?
crs1026
Superstar
drum118
Superstar
The only way to get the 4th track in
TOareaFan
Superstar
Yeah, I get that......was pointing out a typo.
But if there are no solutions further west on the line, maybe we shouldn't bother spending money on this tunnel to facilitate the 4th track
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
Not directly a GO project, but the Bellville underpass on the lower Don Trail is wrapping up construction and features re-laying part of the Metrolinx Don Branch where the underpass was built - here are some pictures! The line looks very grown-in, but with chatter about VIA using the line for their HFR project, maybe it won't be this way for long!
Aiming to Reopen Trail in July – Date to be Determined
"Tracks Removed: The rail bed on top of the Underpass, before laying the new track ballast and rails"
"Tracks Replaced: City contractors have replaced the rail line above the Belleville underpass and largely completed the earthworks around the new structure."
Aiming to Reopen Trail in July – Date to be Determined
"Tracks Removed: The rail bed on top of the Underpass, before laying the new track ballast and rails"
"Tracks Replaced: City contractors have replaced the rail line above the Belleville underpass and largely completed the earthworks around the new structure."
Allandale25
Senior Member
Interesting to see restored track that just leads into the bush. I assumed they just relayed the existing rail?
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
Thats what I'd assume. Yeah, its weird to see clear track then a wall of bushes haha.
DonValleyRainbow
Senior Member
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I guess they can't just restore overgrown vegetation in a day's work. Agree, it is weird.
steveintoronto
Superstar
The comments at that link are not to be missed.
crs1026
Superstar
I does seem wierd that the track was carefully replaced and ballasted, when it's bolted rail that will have to be torn out and replaced with CWR before ML runs anything through here. Are they actually maintaining this line in hi-railable, if not train-capable condition?
- Paul
- Paul
steveintoronto
Superstar
I was just thinking similar. There might be wording in TC regs that requires the track be kept in a certain state so that it doesn't lose status. At some point the roots will deform the ballast and complicate future use. What will be telling is if they do remove the overgrowth so the line can be back into usable status. I can't see them having done this work without it at least being potentially usable for MoW, emergency or special moves before ribbon track installed. Are the switches intact at either end?
DSC
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The info from the City on the trail's potential (and long-overdue!) reopening says: "The rail line above the new Belleville trail underpass has been replaced, which is a Metrolinx requirement for potential future use of the rail corridor " It does seem VERY odd as the rest of the track is clearly in need of repair and I think the High-Level Bridge @ Brickworks has been condemned (for trains anyway.)