[1overcosc]

The Rochester-Byron route would be almost as fast. Probably only about 1-2 minute time difference, mostly because it would have one additional station.

The Parkway-Richmond the NCC just prohibited would add 2 infill stations between LF & Dominion--one at Cleary Av. and another at New Orchard. The Rochester-Byron route would add those two stations, plus it would shift the existing Dominion Station south to Richmond Road, move Westboro station west to Churchill Av., and add an infill station at Island Park Dr. between Westboro & Tunney's.

 

[gweed123]

Fear not, all. This NCC announcement is much more positive than you think. The NCC has banned shallow tunnels along its riverfront lands, but in return it is offering the city unconditional use of Rochester Field. A new alignment using Rochester Field to get down to Richmond, then a shallow cut and cover tunnel under the Byron Linear Park, is now possible. And it would be about the same cost, and offer opportunity to bring service closer to urban neighbourhoods.

The city's early estimates predicted that the route I described above would be $1.7B, because they planned a bored tunnel underneath Rochester Field & the Byron Park. Now that the NCC is allowing a surface route through it, that route is much cheaper.

What bugs me the most about this whole thing is that the NCC, as they always do, is creating a laundry list of conditions, but isn't contributing a bloody cent to see any of these conditions implemented. Having dealt with the NCC in the past, they pulled the exact same move there as they're doing here: "We want this, this, and this. Oh, but you'll have to pay for it".

So frustrating.

 

[ShonTron]

I still call the damned thing the Ottawa River Parkway, by the way. Harper and a strange group of allies (incluing the Paikins) are trying to the full Ronald Reagan in renaming things after JAM.

Is Rochester Field the empty land between the Dominon Transitway Station and Richmond Road?

 

[gweed123]

I still call the damned thing the Ottawa River Parkway, by the way. Harper and a strange group of allies (incluing the Paikins) are trying to the full Ronald Reagan in renaming things after JAM./QUOTE]

Yeah, enough is enough already. There's already a MacDonald-Cartier Airport, and a MacDonald-Cartier Bridge. I wouldn't be surprised if Ottawa itself gets renamed at the rate Harper is going.

Is Rochester Field the empty land between the Dominon Transitway Station and Richmond Road?

Yup. This is it:

The alignment certainly works, but there's going to have to be a lot of value engineering taking place in order to keep the project cost at $980 million. My preference would be to dig a trench, and then deck it over Yonge Subway style at select locations (see: between Summerhill and St. Clair). That way you still get the grade separation, you get to keep the important parts of the linear park, and you lower costs. The decking wouldn't need to be significantly load-bearing, since it will just be park land on top.

 

[Markster]

What bugs me the most about this whole thing is that the NCC, as they always do, is creating a laundry list of conditions, but isn't contributing a bloody cent to see any of these conditions implemented. Having dealt with the NCC in the past, they pulled the exact same move there as they're doing here: "We want this, this, and this. Oh, but you'll have to pay for it".

So frustrating.

Not only that, but it's also:
1) the NCC declaring their park is more important than Ottawa's park, and that this is not up for debate
2) Every statement they make ignores the reality that they have already cut off the waterfront with a divided highway
3) Any other city in the country would have the power to expropriate the land necessary after coming to a decision agreeable to most (if not all) parties

In the question of whether to
A) run a rail line along a 1.5km stretch of the ORP, and keep a linear park that's closer to the neighbourhood, or
B) to maintain the "integrity" of the ORP (of which this is a narrow portion of a small section), but pave over the entirety of a local park for surface rail,
I would run it on the ORP.

The NCC says "you can't use our land unless you tunnel" which turns into "well you're tunneling anyway, you should run it under your park" and "It's not our fault you chose to tunnel to save your park, so we're not financially accountable".

 

[gweed123]

Not only that, but it's also:
1) the NCC declaring their park is more important than Ottawa's park, and that this is not up for debate
2) Every statement they make ignores the reality that they have already cut off the waterfront with a divided highway
3) Any other city in the country would have the power to expropriate the land necessary after coming to a decision agreeable to most (if not all) parties

Agreed completely. Their position is mind-boggling. They love to tell other parties what to do, but don't bother putting up any funding to make sure it happens (even if the price tag of the project rises as a result of their demands). I have some stories about the NCC that'll make your head spin, and ultimately make you question why they even exist. To call them obstructionist would be kind.

To your first point though, the thing that the NCC isn't seeing is that this isn't NCC land, it's public land. The entire purpose of the NCC is to own and operate significant pieces of land to make sure that they're used for the optimal benefit of the public. Running an LRT along the back side of the corridor doesn't diminish it's use as a recreational corridor at all.

In the question of whether to
A) run a rail line along a 1.5km stretch of the ORP, and keep a linear park that's closer to the neighbourhood, or
B) to maintain the "integrity" of the ORP (of which this is a narrow portion of a small section), but pave over the entirety of a local park for surface rail,
I would run it on the ORP.

The NCC says "you can't use our land unless you tunnel" which turns into "well you're tunneling anyway, you should run it under your park" and "It's not our fault you chose to tunnel to save your park, so we're not financially accountable".

Yup. The original LRT plan was to run the line through the ORP corridor in a bermed trench, but still on the surface. Clearly that was unacceptable because you can't an LRT line spoiling the scenic view of a quasi-expressway. The Feds are the only level of government who haven't yet contributed to this project, yet they're the ones making all the demands. Put up or shut up.

At this point, I just hope that the stretch along the Byron linear park can be value engineered so that it fits inside the $980 million budget. If you trench and deck, that should lower the cost compared to full out tunnelling, because it simplifies things like ventilation. Fully deck over strategic locations (around major intersections, at parkettes, etc), partially deck over locations where the corridor is narrower (to allow for a continuous path above the trench), and leave small open gaps in the deck to allow for ventilation and emergency exits.

 

[1overcosc]

Some new updates:
-Excavation of Rideau Station has begun
-Road realignments necessary for the construction of the Booth Street/LRT ROW grade separation have been completed, construction on this as well as preliminary construction at Pimisi Station will begin after the holidays
-The pedestrian overpass of Highway 417 at Tremblay Station is nearly complete

 

[cyruskafaiwu]

More fun:

A video of the new station:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H65iPBRdX0Q

Oh and december 23rd's construction update:

Construction Update

Final works occur on the Preston Street detour / Les derniers travaux sont en cours dans la déviation de la rue Preston
Preston Street Detour

The detour took effect Sunday and allows transit, commuters, pedestrians and cyclists to use Preston Street from Albert Street to Sir John A. MacDonald Parkway during the Booth Street closure and construction of Pimisi Station. The detour includes new OC Transpo bus shelters, a multi-use pathway (MUP) on the east side of Preston Street, new traffic signalization and streetlight poles.

Final works occur on the Preston Street detour / Les derniers travaux sont en cours dans la déviation de la rue Preston

Lyon Station

Lyon Station cavern works continue with concrete pours for the elevator and escalator pits.

Lyon Station cavern concrete works / Travaux de béton dans le grand espace de la station Lyon

Parliament Station

Parliament Station cavern reinforcement continues with tension tie installation.

Parliament Station cavern works continue / Les travaux se poursuivent dans le grand espace de la station Parlement

Rideau Station

Rideau Station cavern excavation is ongoing.

Rideau Station cavern excavation / Excavation du grand espace souterrain de la station Rideau

Rideau Station East Entrance

Preliminary works continue for the future Rideau Station. Abatement on the main floor of the existing Scotiabank building is ongoing. Demolition continues in the basement in anticipation of the building’s demolition that will begin in January 2015.

Permanent hoarding is being installed at the Scotiabank building in preparation for January demolition / Une palissade de chantier permanente est installée à l’immeuble de la Banque Scotia en vue des travaux de démolition de janvier

Belfast Yard

Masonry work, cladding and panel installation for the building envelope, glazing and roofing on the shed will resume in early January 2015. Works on the Belfast Yard connector, which allows vehicles to travel to and from the Light Rail Transit (LRT) track to Belfast Yard, are ongoing.

Belfast Road Underpass

Reconstruction on the abutments will resume in January 2015 as long-term closure of Belfast Road, north of Tremblay Road to Coventry Road continues.

VIA Rail tracks being reinstated over the Belfast Yard connector / Réinstallation des voies ferrées de VIA Rail au-dessus de la voie de raccordement de la cour Belfast

Hurdman Bridge

Mobilization and girder installation, part of the reconstruction of the bridge’s median span, continue. The east and west multiuse pathways will remain open until the beginning of January.

Highway 417

Drilling median foundations, installing electrical and light poles, and sewer works from Cyrville Road to Nicholas Street are ongoing.

Girder installation at Hurdman Bridge / Installation des poutres au pont Hurdman

Coventry Pedestrian Footbridge

Concrete pours on the stairs were completed. Installation of railings and electrical works occur in the beginning of the week.

Installation of railings on the north ramp of the Coventry Pedestrian Footbridge / Installation des rampes sur la bretelle nord de la passerelle pour piétons du chemin Coventry

Upcoming Construction Activities

In the coming weeks, the following construction activities will advance:

Jawbreaker will move from the West Portal to the East Portal in January.
Demolition of the Scotiabank building at William and Rideau streets will begin.
Girder installation at Hurdman Bridge will continue through January/early February.
Coventry Pedestrian Footbridge works continue.
Booth Street bridge construction will begin.

 

[junctionist]

It'd be cool if the cavern stations looked something like the cavern stations in the Stockholm Metro.

 

[JGHali]

How close is Hurdman station to the hospitals?

 

[cyruskafaiwu]

How close is Hurdman station to the hospitals?

To get to the main General Hospital, one has to take the 106 for about 8-10 minutes. And the Riverside one, is 3 stops away on the 97 (3-5 minutes). The confederation line will NOT link to these hospitals.

 

[JGHali]

That's shortsighted. How frequent is this 106?

 

[cyruskafaiwu]

That's shortsighted. How frequent is this 106?

Twenty to thirty minutes weekdays, but it runs 24/7 (surprisingly)

 

[1overcosc]

The #106 is getting a big speed boost in the next few years, a new access road is being built that will cut the travel time from Hurdman station down to 5 minutes.

 

[cyruskafaiwu]

The #106 is getting a big speed boost in the next few years, a new access road is being built that will cut the travel time from Hurdman station down to 5 minutes.

What? it's like 3 minutes from the Transitway Smyth Station. How much shorter can it be? And where would this new access road be placed.