Metrolinx: Other Items (catch all)

[robmausser]

That being said they really don't get credit enough credit for how many projects they are doing.

Absolutely, its nice to see them all summed up in this way.

 

[crs1026]

^Interesting that he would show a slide of the third track bridge at Hamilton, a project which was started in 2015 and has never been placed in service. The track dead-ends just to the left of the picture.

- Paul

 

[Streety McCarface]

Honestly not a great presentation but lots of interesting pictures including Bloomington and 401 tunnel:

9:50 Wait, hold the phone, 2K passengers per HOUR in one direction? At Keelesdale (a mediocre station, but nonetheless one with a bus terminal)? Imagine what Mt. Dennis is, and what the other stations on the western end of Line 5 will receive. I know a lot of people believe that ridership won't impact the line enough to warrant capacity constraints, but even this is concerning. If Keelesdale will see 2K PPH, I'm going to assume Mt Dennis will see 4-5K, and the other three will see 1K PPH if this is the standard we're going by. That's nearly 10K PPH in one direction heading to Eglinton West.

I'm curious as to their methodology because 2K PPH for a small station like Keelesdale (which, compared to Keele (15K PPD), will probably serve 10K PPD) seems really high, especially for just one hour of service. 5 hours of rush hour traffic will account for all the station's ridership (out of a 20 hr service day), which makes me wonder if many of these stations will turn out like Bessarion.

EDIT: Saw the peak 3,500 PPH for Mt Dennis, now I'm wondering if that one is too low, it's got a huge bus station and connections to the UPX/Kitchener line. Oh well, only time will tell.

 

[raptor]

Not sure I've seen this before, but Metrolinx is planning on building a bus depot at the portlands (link):

Remote Downtown Bus Staging Facility

Metrolinx is in the process of finalizing a lease agreement for a property in the Portlands, which will enable us to efficiently manage the flow of buses to the new Union Station Bus Terminal. Construction is scheduled to start in late 2019, with completion anticipated in 2021

 

[nfitz]

Build a depot? Sounds more like a temporary parking lot. As RER slowly comes on line on various routes, won't the amount of buses into Union reduce as the decades progress?

I'd think if there were any infrastructure much more than portable toilets, then they'd be purchasing, not leasing.

 

[lenaitch]

More of a muster/staging pad as opposed to a depot or storage/maintenance facility.

 

[steveintoronto]

^

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Gr...a70cd3446a8283!8m2!3d43.6518785!4d-79.3431276

But to put that Metrolinx page into a larger context, it also states:

Alternative Technology Metrolinx is building a convenient and integrated transit system. The biggest step toward improving the GO Transit network is implementing a low carbon emission propulsion system. Whether it’s by hydrogen-powered locomotive, overhead catenary system, or an alternative technology, Metrolinx is switching to cleaner, more environmentally-friendly trains that can accelerate and decelerate faster, cutting trips times, and serve more customers.

Uh huh...what century is that supposed to happen now?

Not to mention:
"* PROJECT DETAILS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.".

lol..."Open for Business"...who in hell is going to do business with a government and agencies that can't even guarantee a contract, let alone stick to the details of their own claims?

Even the TorSun 'gets it':

[...]
And within that contract, there was language that even protected The Beer Store from a future government making changes to the contract via legislation.

The agreement, signed by the Government of Ontario said that it would be, “binding and enforceable against the province despite its status as the Crown, even where the alleged breach results from a change in legislation or public policy.”

Translation, even if you attempt to do away with this deal in the future with a new piece of legislation, this contract stands.
[...]
There is also the principle that a contract signed with the government should be binding. Otherwise, how do we attract future investment to the province, especially when the government is involved, if the word of the government doesn’t stand for anything?

The deal Wynne signed was horrible, so is the solution offered by Ford and his Finance Minister Vic Fedeli on Monday.

Governments should not use legislation to rip up contracts they don’t like. [...]

https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-fords-beer-store-plan-the-wrong-move

It's ironic that the "foreign owned monopoly" will take this to court, and almost inevitably win in some form or other, and that will set a precedent that Metrolinx must honour. I'll drink a beer to that...

 

[smallspy]

Build a depot? Sounds more like a temporary parking lot. As RER slowly comes on line on various routes, won't the amount of buses into Union reduce as the decades progress?

I'd think if there were any infrastructure much more than portable toilets, then they'd be purchasing, not leasing.

Considering that they're planning on spending more than a year building it, it certainly doesn't sound like it's going to be particularly temporary.

Dan

 

[nfitz]

Considering that they're planning on spending more than a year building it, it certainly doesn't sound like it's going to be particularly temporary.

True. On the other hand, how long have they been building the short tunnel extension and new exit at Exhibition station? When did construction start ... 2016? 2015?

 

[Fritter]

The new Bus Terminal at CIBC Square I believe, will be consolidating the GO Union Bus Terminal and the old Grey Coach Terminal at Bay and Dundas. Even with reduced GO Buses, there may still be a need for a Bus Muster/Staging area for Greyhound, Mega Bus, and Ontario Northland. In my opinion, as GO Replaces Buses with all day trains, I foresee possible new routes served that don't have rail lines, therefore continuing the need for space for GO Busses in the Terminal and in the muster/staging area.

 

[Tuscani01]

The new Bus Terminal at CIBC Square I believe, will be consolidating the GO Union Bus Terminal and the old Grey Coach Terminal at Bay and Dundas. Even with reduced GO Buses, there may still be a need for a Bus Muster/Staging area for Greyhound, Mega Bus, and Ontario Northland. In my opinion, as GO Replaces Buses with all day trains, I foresee possible new routes served that don't have rail lines, therefore continuing the need for space for GO Busses in the Terminal and in the muster/staging area.

The new terminal at CIBC Square is just a replacement for the existing GO Bus terminal. The old coach terminal is staying put for now.

 

[nfitz]

The new terminal at CIBC Square is just a replacement for the existing GO Bus terminal. The old coach terminal is staying put for now.

Is it? Wow massive fail and missed opportunity if true.

 

[Tuscani01]

Is it? Wow massive fail and missed opportunity if true.

It's been that way since this was announced. It is being built with capacity to include service from the coach terminal in the future, but GO will be using up most of that capacity from the day it opens. In the future, as buses are replaced with trains - capacity should open up for coach buses to use it also.

 

[nfitz]

It's been that way since this was announced. It is being built with capacity to include service from the coach terminal in the future, but GO will be using up most of that capacity from the day it opens. In the future, as buses are replaced with trains - capacity should open up for coach buses to use it also.

Gosh ... I'd missed that nuance. So perhaps in the 2040s ...

 

[dowlingm]

Is it? Wow massive fail and missed opportunity if true.

Metrolinx have mumbled about the possibility of other coach services moving but they can't force them to. ONTC isn't even under MTO, never mind the non-government agencies.

In terms of space, I think again the thinking is that when 2WAD rail expands there will be less need for buses and slots will open up in the new terminal. But it's pretty small and maybe require shorter loiter time than some operators will be comfortable with.

The existing terminal is owned by TTC and the City may get desperate to get the $$$$ a redevelopment would bring if the Tory/Ford era drags on.