Category: DOTT

cycling in Ottawa, DOTT, LRT

LRT station design

Westsideaction

On behalf of the Dalhousie Community Association, comments were submitted on the guideslines for the LRT stations. You can read about them here: http://dalhousiecommunityassociation.blogspot.com/2010/06/dca-comments-on-lrt-station-design.html If you are reading this blog, and interested in some of the nitty-gritty of how stations impact our neighborhood, it might be worth a read. The city’s document on LRT guidelines themselves is a thick document, probably available at their website. Continue reading LRT station design

Bronson, DOTT, LRT

Boston transit

Westsideaction

One of the newest stations on the red line, near the Charles River, in Boston. The red line is a true metro, with wide cars, third rail, underground in the city but on a grade-separated right of way in the ‘burbs and on bridges. Stairs were poured concrete, but with rubber pads making the climb much easier on the feet. Escalators were provided only for the up direction. Ottawa plans a sterile zone along its LRT tracks. Draw a line 45 degrees up from the rail, remove all vegetation, so nothing can fall on the track. Boston showed a more … Continue reading Boston transit

Bronson, DOTT, LRT

Boston transit

Westsideaction

One of the newest stations on the red line, near the Charles River, in Boston. The red line is a true metro, with wide cars, third rail, underground in the city but on a grade-separated right of way in the ‘burbs and on bridges. Stairs were poured concrete, but with rubber pads making the climb much easier on the feet. Escalators were provided only for the up direction. Ottawa plans a sterile zone along its LRT tracks. Draw a line 45 degrees up from the rail, remove all vegetation, so nothing can fall on the track. Boston showed a more … Continue reading Boston transit

DOTT, LRT4 Comments

Boring Life downtown

Westsideaction

Worked started on Monday doing test bore holes for the new Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT). Hopefully, the cost won’t be wasted if the anti-tunnel Watson gets elected mayor. The first bore hole is on the park just below the Juliana Apt building near the corner of Queen/Bronson/Hill Street. Each hole boring takes one to two days. While drilling, the crew takes rock samples to ensure what is deep under the downtown is what geologists currently expect to be there. The drilled hole will be capped off with a removable lid, but the hole underneath remains, and will have monitoring … Continue reading Boring Life downtown

DOTT, LRT

Boring Life downtown

Westsideaction

Worked started on Monday doing test bore holes for the new Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT). Hopefully, the cost won’t be wasted if the anti-tunnel Watson gets elected mayor. The first bore hole is on the park just below the Juliana Apt building near the corner of Queen/Bronson/Hill Street. Each hole boring takes one to two days. While drilling, the crew takes rock samples to ensure what is deep under the downtown is what geologists currently expect to be there. The drilled hole will be capped off with a removable lid, but the hole underneath remains, and will have monitoring … Continue reading Boring Life downtown

DOTT, Scott street1 Comment

Stop the Busses rally

Westsideaction

Forty two people, plus some media types and politicians, showed up for the  7.30am rally at the corner of Bayswater and Scott for a rally to raise awareness of the possible shifting of transitway buses onto Scott/Albert during LRT construction period. Councillor Leadman was there, as was challenger Katherine Hobbs. Paul Dewar and Yasir Naqvi were also present, as was one city transit planning honcho, and there were a few residents also wearing suits. Dogs and children in strollers and one in a 19th century costume, completed the picture. The streetside venue was somewhat noisy, so I didn’t hear any … Continue reading Stop the Busses rally

DOTT, Scott street

Stop the Busses rally

Westsideaction

Forty two people, plus some media types and politicians, showed up for the  7.30am rally at the corner of Bayswater and Scott for a rally to raise awareness of the possible shifting of transitway buses onto Scott/Albert during LRT construction period. Councillor Leadman was there, as was challenger Katherine Hobbs. Paul Dewar and Yasir Naqvi were also present, as was one city transit planning honcho, and there were a few residents also wearing suits. Dogs and children in strollers and one in a 19th century costume, completed the picture. The streetside venue was somewhat noisy, so I didn’t hear any … Continue reading Stop the Busses rally

Bayview, DOTT, LRT, oc Transpo5 Comments

Bus Traffic on Scott/Albert

Westsideaction

Presuming the conversion of the transitway from buses to LRT goes ahead after the upcoming municipal election — and this is a big presumption since Watson, for one, is running on a platform of reexamining not just the tunnel component but even whether we should have LRT service at all (he seems to favour perpetual bus service)— there will be many transitioning issues to deal with. One contentious issue is what to do with the buses that currently run on the transitway while the road is being removed and rails and LRT stations are being installed. This was a big … Continue reading Bus Traffic on Scott/Albert

Bayview, DOTT, LRT, oc Transpo

Bus Traffic on Scott/Albert

Westsideaction

Presuming the conversion of the transitway from buses to LRT goes ahead after the upcoming municipal election — and this is a big presumption since Watson, for one, is running on a platform of reexamining not just the tunnel component but even whether we should have LRT service at all (he seems to favour perpetual bus service)— there will be many transitioning issues to deal with. One contentious issue is what to do with the buses that currently run on the transitway while the road is being removed and rails and LRT stations are being installed. This was a big … Continue reading Bus Traffic on Scott/Albert

DOTT, LRT, Transit

A matter of Choice …

Westsideaction

Shown below is the Queensway, typical autumn mid-afternoon volume. Shown below, the transitway. I gather that the transitway carries the same volume of passengers each year as does the Qway. Which one would you rather have cutting through your neighborhood? Look again at the land take of the Qway, smell the fumes! Yup, I think I prefer the transitway. And I will even more appreciate when it is converted to electric LRT service. The city is going to grow … do we bitch forever about the cost of transit and continue to ignore the 10-20x larger expenditure on roads for … Continue reading A matter of Choice …

DOTT, LRT, oc Transpo

More Turkey Talk on Tunnel

Westsideaction

In a previous post on the downtown Ottawa transit tunnel (DOTT) I mentioned a presentation I saw at Transit Committee on Dec 16th comparing the surface and tunnel options. The Committee has provided me with a copy of the powerpoint presentation by the Downtown Coalition. Here are the key slides, including the $100 million dollar saving figure. This figure might mean the tunnel saves $100m over a surface rail option, or that the tunnel saves $100m over the current BRT operation, its unclear to me. Their conclusion however remains that the tunnel has a reasonably quick payback period. Double click pictures … Continue reading More Turkey Talk on Tunnel

Bayview Otrain, DOTT, LRT, Transit

Transit Stations … What will we get? …

Westsideaction

Detroit’s downtown city bus station This photo is of a new centre-island transit station in Detroit. Detroit is not the most viable city in the USA. We’re not Flint … nor Detroit. Will Ottawa’s LRT system get anything as nice? It has a tensile fabric outdoor shelter at the bus loading platforms and there is also a elevated people-mover station platform. The air conditioned and heated glass waiting room building is 25,000 sq ft, includes washrooms, ticketing, and shops. The whole thing cost $22 million dollars, and opened in June 09. And here’s the kicker: the entire terminal complex serves about 12,000 passengers … Continue reading Transit Stations … What will we get? …

DOTT, downtown, LRT, Transit

Transit Tunnel is no Turkey

Westsideaction

The usual suspects are carping about the transit tunnel, again. Did the province provide funding? Apparently no good news is good enough — they didn’t provide 15-25% more than was asked for … so it’s disaster time. Ring-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. It’s disaster time in the city … So what might happen if the tunnel portion was cancelled? Critics are quick to attach huge price tags to the tunnel portion. But these won’t disappear if the tunnel is cancelled. After all the tunnel includes tracks (won’t these be needed for the surface rail?); it includes stations and platforms (which will be needed … Continue reading Transit Tunnel is no Turkey

bike path, bikewest, cycling in Ottawa, DOTT

BikeWest motion passes Transit Committee

Westsideaction

Faithful readers of this blog will recall I promote a cycling project called BikeWest. It calls for a off-road bi-directional cycle route parallel to Scott and Albert Street between Westboro and the downtown. The city owns the land all along the streets, on the north side. I am concerned that the DOTT  LRT project could block BikeWest at two key points, Bayview Station and Tunney’s Station. Since transit committee was considering the LRT project, I spoke at the meeting, and asked friendly councillors to present a motion. But I got more than my minimal goal. Transit Committee passed a motion instructed … Continue reading BikeWest motion passes Transit Committee

DOTT, downtown, LRT

Dubai, LRT lessons

Westsideaction

Last week there was a interesting public presentation at City Hall on planning and development in Dubai. Presenter was Gordon Stratford of HoK architects and planners, a mulitnational consultancy. In August 05 Dubai called tenders for a LRT system, and then opened the first 40km segment with 22 stations in Sept 09. The system is expected to grow to 70km with 43 stations, although the 2012 opening date may be delayed given the statlet’s decline into near insolvency  recent debt restructuring moves. I recall that at the June LRT technology forum held at City Hall, the winner equipment provider was … Continue reading Dubai, LRT lessons

DOTT, hintonburg, O-Train, pedestrians

Slippery Slope of Pedestrian Desires

Westsideaction

Pedestrians climb over the significant height of the steel barrier to leave the sidewalk and climb down the slope along Albert Street at Tom Brown arena. At the foot of the slope, they cross the soccer field or parking lots at a diagonal, heading towards West Wellington or Bayview/Bayswater. The worn out slope is quite wide, indicating the volume of pedestrian desire is so large is might be termed pedestrian lust. The “landing zone” on the slope is almost a foot lower than the sidewalk, worn down by all the users. [Notice the curious shaddow of the man – it … Continue reading Slippery Slope of Pedestrian Desires

Bayview, DOTT, LeBreton Flats, LRT, NCC

Dalhousie Community Assoc responds …

Westsideaction

Wearing my other hat, and with much input from other members of the Dalhousie Community Association board, the DCA sent two letters. One to the Marie Lemay of the NCC regarding the bad idea for bringing Rapibus to Ottawa over the POW bridge; and the other is detailed comments on the current state of the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel study. You can read both of these letters at http://www.dalhousiecommunityassociation.blogspot.com/ Continue reading Dalhousie Community Assoc responds …

Albert St, Booth St, Dalhousie, DOTT, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (xii): Booth Station

Westsideaction

The Booth Street station is location directly under the new elevated Booth Street overpass. The overpass crosses over the station and the aquaduct. The new LRT alignment is a few meters south of the current transitway which is closer to the aquaduct. Most frightening about this drawing is the abundance of car traffic lanes on Booth, the awful manoevering required to get buses from the Booth St bus stop over to the centre lane to turn onto Albert to go uptown, and the generous addition of lanes to Albert Street in both directions. Somehow, a transit project is providing lots … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (xii): Booth Station

Bayview, bike path, bikewest, DOTT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (xi): BikeWest

Westsideaction

The city cycling plan includes conceptual improvements for cyclists heading west from the core towards Westboro. Councilor Leadman is fighting for improvements to the ill-designed Scott Street mixed-use path and a connection to the downtown. Cycling advocacy groups want better cycling facilities. The BikeWest plan proposes a segregated bi-directional cycling path on the north side of Albert and Scott from the downtown (Bronson Ave) to Westboro. One of the original purposes of the BikeWest plan was to tie into all the construction projects planned along the Albert-Scott corridor. It is important not to construct anything that permanently blocks cycling improvements, … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (xi): BikeWest

DOTT, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (x): Campus Station

Westsideaction

The Ottawa U station on the new DOTT system will be located near the location of the current surface transitway Campus station. Recall that early plans had a new surface station here, but it made more sense to keep the LRT service in the tunnel longer to avoid having the trains climb to the surface and then descend again towards Lees Avenue, and the underground option also facilitates surface car traffic on the roads. This logical change to a better plan is, of course,  headlined as an example of wildly escalating DOTT costs, overruns, etc.  (Note that this and other benefits to … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (x): Campus Station

Albert St, DOTT, downtown

DOTT plans affect west side residents (ix): downtown west station

Westsideaction

The western most downtown station would be located deep under Albert Street * in the block between Kent and Bay. There will be two major entrances for the “base” station design. If developers wish to tie in, there could be more. One entrance will be right where the CS CoOp building is now. The entire block housing the CoOp is to be purchased by the City for the new library project. If the library is under construction at the same time as the DOTT, then the station will be incorporated into the Library. If the Library is to be constructed … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (ix): downtown west station

DOTT, hintonburg, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (viii): Tunney’s station

Westsideaction

At Monday’s public open house, city planners will unveil the final system plans for the DOTT and LRT facilities to be constructed as the first phase of a city-wide sytem. The western terminus of the LRT will be at Tunney’s until the LRT is extended west. A major bus transit to LRT facility will be constructed at Tunney’s. The current bus station is in the cut immediately west of Holland Avenue. The new station will be in the same place. The earlier plans for a centre platform LRT station have been scrapped, to avoid having to widen the cut under … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (viii): Tunney’s station

Bayview, Bayview Otrain, bike path, bikewest, City Centre, DOTT, interprovincial transit study, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (vii): Bayview Rapibus Station?

Westsideaction

The City has been evaluating the structural soundness of the historic Prince of Wales Railway Bridge over the Ottawa River to Gatineau. The City bought it a number of years ago for transit. Friends of the OTrain and  LRT transit proponents have long viewed the POW bridge as a great solution for taking transit across the River. The interprovincial transit study offered renewed hopes for extending LRT service from downtown Ottawa to Gatineau over the POW as the first phase of a loop system serving the two downtown employment centres and to alleviate bridge congestion. Alas, logic may be loosing … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (vii): Bayview Rapibus Station?

Bayview, Bayview Otrain, bikewest, DOTT, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (vi): Bayview Station revised

Westsideaction

Currently the transitway passes over the railway tracks at Bayview with a simple high level overpass. At the east side, it widens for the Bayview station, which is built on a downslope into the LeBreton Flats area. The only access to the Bayview transit station or OTrain station is from the east side of the overpasses. Passengers can transfer to the OTrain tracks which are on the east side of the railway right of way, simply by walking down the sloped asphalt paths (being careful not to fall off the broken up edges of the path). Recall that the OTrain service north … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (vi): Bayview Station revised