Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[Le Gique]

Are we back to the same mystery near the Leather Shop Bypass...? With three new stair options in place between the rail and subway stations can we expect work on the central moat to proceed? Except ... with no indication that access via the "lower" Bay Concourse is opening soon, how will a no-step accessible route be maintained?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Metrolinx tweeted out the rendering below of the new island platform for platforms 26/27 + 28/29. Apologies if this has already been covered in the GO Construction thread.

Makes you wonder which lines they intend to put on it - it's going to be fun if they decide to run LSW - most riders from MINT will have to literally walk through the bulk of the station crosswise to get to it (ditto subway users).

AoD

 

[ShonTron]

Makes you wonder which lines they intend to put on it - it's going to be fun if they decide to run LSW - most riders from MINT will have to literally walk through the bulk of the station crosswise to get to it (ditto subway users).

AoD

I bet it will be Lakeshore East/West and/or Milton. Those trains have the least number of tracks to cross to access those platforms, therefore also reducing conflicts with other trains going in and out of Union in peak hours.

It'd be great if you worked at Southcore or headed to or from a game or concert at ACC. Hopefully the work on Union Station itself will improve flow to the south platforms. Right now, it's a pain.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I bet it will be Lakeshore East/West and/or Milton. Those trains have the least number of tracks to cross to access those platforms, therefore also reducing conflicts with other trains going in and out of Union in peak hours.

It'd be great if you worked at Southcore or headed to or from a game or concert at ACC. Hopefully the work on Union Station itself will improve flow to the south platforms. Right now, it's a pain.

Yep, that's what I think - and honestly LSE/W are the ones who can benefit most given the level of usage as well. But yeah, the mad dash will just get crazier with these south platforms. But honestly, this is yet another case of lack of foresight when rebuilding the sucker.

AoD

 

[steveintoronto]

But honestly, this is yet another case of lack of foresight when rebuilding the sucker.

And then add the RER factor when it arrives.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

And then add the RER factor when it arrives.

I suspect this is the response to the RER factor.

AoD

 

[mdrejhon]

Are we back to the same mystery near the Leather Shop Bypass...? With three new stair options in place between the rail and subway stations can we expect work on the central moat to proceed? Except ... with no indication that access via the "lower" Bay Concourse is opening soon, how will a no-step accessible route be maintained?

There is already accessible routes. It's the TTC ramp at south-west corner of the TTC hall. That one connects to the old temporary ramp outside Leather Shop Bypass (that will still remain) which gets you to York Concourse step-free. Also, from near there, you can also elevator to Grand Hall.

 

[Le Gique]

That one connects to the old temporary ramp outside Leather Shop Bypass (that will still remain) ...

Perhaps I was not clear-- it's that ramp that is the focus of my question, as there is no real alternate. It will have to remain in place until permanent linkages within lower Bay Concourse are ready, yes? Which means the central moat stays blocked, which I think might dismay some folks here.

 

[DSC]

Which means the central moat stays blocked, which I think might dismay some folks here.

You are undoubtedly correct; almost anything will dismay someone here! :->

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Perhaps I was not clear-- it's that ramp that is the focus of my question, as there is no real alternate. It will have to remain in place until permanent linkages within lower Bay Concourse are ready, yes? Which means the central moat stays blocked, which I think might dismay some folks here.

Damn right it is to my dismay. As per my post, there's still a choke point north of the existing stairs and Leather Shop Bypass area and east of the VIA Arrivals. The new access points from the moat don't solve it.

Edit: an illustration.

• Purple: existing stairs
• Green: Leather Shop Bypass; additional capacity
• Yellow: Bay Concourse route; subject to future closure
• Red: choke point where people flow gets congested
• Burgundy: Additional flow potential through moats

 

[DSC]

Your map is useful but I am not sure what you are suggesting can be done to ease the bottle-neck. They seem to be starting to close off the Yellow route (to former bay Concourse) so they can eliminate the external (in-moat) stairs and finish the dig down. They seem to be making good progress on the Burgundy area in the west moat but I heard (correctly?) that they will not open that up until they get the roof in place - mid-summer? I suppose it may be opened sooner, at least temporarily. Union Station is a work in progress and clearly very complicated and it is probably better to get on with things as fast as possible so it gets done sooner.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Your map is useful but I am not sure what you are suggesting can be done to ease the bottle-neck. They seem to be starting to close off the Yellow route (to former bay Concourse) so they can eliminate the external (in-moat) stairs and finish the dig down. They seem to be making good progress on the Burgundy area in the west moat but I heard (correctly?) that they will not open that up until they get the roof in place - mid-summer? I suppose it may be opened sooner, at least temporarily. Union Station is a work in progress and clearly very complicated and it is probably better to get on with things as fast as possible so it gets done sooner.

I am suggesting opening the moat (burgundy) was the solution. There is no other solution because of that pinchpoint in red. I was basically calling the Leather Shop Bypass silly; you made the mouth of the funnel bigger, but the spout is still the limiting flow factor.

 

[bobbob911]

That being said, the changes made in the last week or so seem to have improved flow a little bit. Although today a couple of doors were taped off and it wasn't obvious that there were other paths except for the temporary ramp, so that made it worse again.

 

[Le Gique]

Bay Concourse Closing!
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=dfacd50749604510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

FYI What's to come?

• Completion of Stage 1, which includes:
  • Base building of the retail concourse beneath the York and VIA Concourses. The space will then be turned over to the station's head lessee. Please visit torontounion.ca/eat-and-shop for updates on occupancy of the retail concourse.
  • Stage 2/3
    • Bay Concourse structures (now to Q3 2017)
    • Bay Concourse finishes (Q2 2017 to Q1 2018)
    • Moat covers (now to Q4 2017)
    • Great Hall restoration (now to Q4 2017)
    • VIA Concourse (now to Q4 2017)
    • Bay & York moat covers (Q2 to Q3 2018)

Estimated substantial completion of stage 2/3 construction is the end of 2018.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Bay Concourse Closing!
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=dfacd50749604510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

FYI What's to come?

• Completion of Stage 1, which includes:
  • Base building of the retail concourse beneath the York and VIA Concourses. The space will then be turned over to the station's head lessee. Please visit torontounion.ca/eat-and-shop for updates on occupancy of the retail concourse.
  • Stage 2/3
    • Bay Concourse structures (now to Q3 2017)
    • Bay Concourse finishes (Q2 2017 to Q1 2018)
    • Moat covers (now to Q4 2017)
    • Great Hall restoration (now to Q4 2017)
    • VIA Concourse (now to Q4 2017)
    • Bay & York moat covers (Q2 to Q3 2018)

Estimated substantial completion of stage 2/3 construction is the end of 2018.

I'm assuming the first "Moat covers" refers to the Front St West and East Moats, but I forgot they're covering the Bay and York Moats too. Its gonna be very impressive.