GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[robmausser]

Wait, I thought the whole Stouffville Line will be electrified, not just south of Unionville?!

Electrification doesnt require grade separation.

The entire line will be electrified but past Unionville the train frequency will drop.

Grade sep is for very frequent service. You can't have crossing gates dropping every 2.5 minutes for 5 minute service in each direction.

 

[Krypto98]

Both Stouffville to Unionville and Kitchener to Bramalea will basically be subway systems once the electrification with EMUs is complete. Pretty awesome.

Bramalea still has the Scarboro Street crossing between itself and Union

Then even between Mount Pleasant and Bramalea its just Mill Street and John Street

 

[robmausser]

Bramalea still has the Scarboro Street crossing between itself and Union

Then even between Mount Pleasant and Bramalea its just Mill Street and John Street

Last I heard they were going to close Scarboro street.

Kitchener Line benefits from being an active mainline for much of its life, so much of the grade separations are done.

Its a common problem: the least used lines like Stouffville and Barrie, which were branch lines and almost abandoned, mean that the GO trains have basically complete dedicated tracks; but a ton of at-grade crossings because well, the lines were never used much to warrant separation in the past.

The biggest problem with 'subway like' service to Mount Pleasant, is that the tracks are owned by CN. No electrification allowed, and mixed freight.

 

[W. K. Lis]

and proper separated bike lanes

By "proper"ly, we mean more grade level with the sidewalk than the auto lanes.

 

[stevensontransit]

"This is every existing level crossing, except for one: Finch Avenue. Finch was previously planned to be grade separated as part of the new Finch East station, but that project was put on hold when the Ford government came in and I'm not sure of its status at the moment."

Finch is another busy street so hope they plan a grade separation there.

 

[robmausser]

Finch is another busy street so hope they plan a grade separation there.

It absolutely will be, its just part of the Finch East station work, which is being updated or audited or who knows what by the government.

 

[reaperexpress]

Let's hope these road under rail crossings will have adequate/proper drainage, seeing how severe rainfall becomes more frequent events.

and proper separated bike lanes

By "proper"ly, we mean more grade level with the sidewalk than the auto lanes.

Sure, we could hope for separated bike lanes... Or we could just look at the proposed designs on the website.

Kennedy Road:

Steeles Avenue (from this report; cycle path in red):

Passmore Avenue:

McNicoll Avenue:

Huntingwood Drive:

The other crossings have no proposed cycling facilities.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Sure, we could hope for separated bike lanes... Or we could just look at the proposed designs on the website.

Kennedy Road:
View attachment 266011

Steeles Avenue (from this report; cycle path in red):
View attachment 266007

Passmore Avenue:
View attachment 266010

McNicoll Avenue:
View attachment 266009

Huntingwood Drive:
View attachment 266008

The other crossings have no proposed cycling facilities.

The speed limit on the bike lanes should be limited to 30 km/h. So that e-bikes, e-scooters, and motorized wheelchairs could also use them. (The average Tour de France cyclist does 40 km/h. Those racers should use the auto traffic lanes.)

 

[reaperexpress]

The speed limit on the bike lanes should be limited to 30 km/h. So that e-bikes, e-scooters, and motorized wheelchairs could also use them.

Those vehicles are already limited to 30 km/h anyway so it's a non-issue.

 

[smallspy]

Does anyone happen know what clearance they're aiming for on the Stouffville and Barrie lines? I seem to recall that the recommended clearance above top-of-rail was based on electric wires over double-stacked container trains, but given that the Barrie and Stouffville lines would only ever be frequented by local shunter services it would presumably be possible to use a smaller structure gauge to merely accommodate GO's own bilevels and single-stacked containers.

The clearances will be the same everywhere under the catenary, save for under the trainshed at Union Station.

They still need to account for excess clearance freight equipment - autoracks or double-stacks aren't the only over-sized cars.

Dan

 

[Allandale25]

https://www.facebook.com/126482604116585/posts/3084860348278781

 

[Allandale25]

View attachment 264056

Interesting re A10 on the map. I hadn't realized this when seeing the PDF: " Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the agency has already revised its original proposal in response to public concerns, including by relocating the layover site from a part of the valley south of the viaduct, which the city deemed environmentally sensitive. It has also reduced the number of tracks required from three to one." (emphasis added)

The article does't mention it's using an existing (but not actively used) rail corridor.

Planned GO train facility could undermine years of Don Valley restoration efforts, conservationists warn

“We’ve done enough ecological damage to the Don Valley,” said Floyd Ruskin of the group Don’t Mess With the Don, over Metrolinx’s plans for a new GO l...

www.thestar.com

 

[Northern Light]

Interesting re A10 on the map. I hadn't realized this when seeing the PDF: " Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the agency has already revised its original proposal in response to public concerns, including by relocating the layover site from a part of the valley south of the viaduct, which the city deemed environmentally sensitive. It has also reduced the number of tracks required from three to one." (emphasis added)

The article does't mention it's using an existing (but not actively used) rail corridor.

Planned GO train facility could undermine years of Don Valley restoration efforts, conservationists warn

“We’ve done enough ecological damage to the Don Valley,” said Floyd Ruskin of the group Don’t Mess With the Don, over Metrolinx’s plans for a new GO l...

www.thestar.com

I have commented on that thread, that I would support this project being used to relocate the Bala Sub from where the Don Branch begins to just north of Pottery Rd.

This would solve a big part of GO's Flooding issues, and would also allow restoration of more than 5ha (12.5 acres of land.

On top of which it would allow pedestrian and cyclist access to the valley from Rosedale Valley Road and opposite the Brickworks with the choice of running a parallel trail on the west side of the river, or crossing over with bridges to the existing east side trail.

****

In a formal submission, I also suggested they could reforest the DVP embankment (from the DVP down to the valley bottom) as an off-set measure.

 

[Allandale25]

Interesting re A10 on the map. I hadn't realized this when seeing the PDF: " Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the agency has already revised its original proposal in response to public concerns, including by relocating the layover site from a part of the valley south of the viaduct, which the city deemed environmentally sensitive. It has also reduced the number of tracks required from three to one." (emphasis added)

The article does't mention it's using an existing (but not actively used) rail corridor.

Planned GO train facility could undermine years of Don Valley restoration efforts, conservationists warn

“We’ve done enough ecological damage to the Don Valley,” said Floyd Ruskin of the group Don’t Mess With the Don, over Metrolinx’s plans for a new GO l...

www.thestar.com

Looks like the article has been updated with a site plan map (created by the Star I assume) and a picture taken by the Star of the location. The site plan map doesn't show the multiuse trail (or maybe it does and they just didn't label it).

 

[Allandale25]

Some Stouffville line construction pictures in the latest Toronto East newsletter.

Toronto East - eBlast - Week of August 31 - September 4, 2020