Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service

[Richard Eade]

I think that there should be a washroom at the future Lincoln Fields/Carling Station, too. It will also be a major transfer point.

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

I think that there should be a washroom at the future Lincoln Fields/Carling Station, too. It will also be a major transfer point.

I think they should just extend Lincoln Fields mall to encompass the LRT station. It never made any sense to me why they would build such an important "hub" totally unconnected to anything.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

I think they should just extend Lincoln Fields mall to encompass the LRT station. It never made any sense to me why they would build such an important "hub" totally unconnected to anything.

Or at least a skywalk thing like out at Place D'Orléans.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The areas that you describe have a grid pattern because they were actually subdivided before World War I. It is true that they were mostly built up after World War II but not entirely. It is the fact that they were built during the emerging car culture at a time when shopping centres were becoming popular is the real reason for the difference.

I think that's it exactly, it isn't the grid pattern or the density that makes the old streetcar suburbs more valuable real estate, it is that people put a premium on neighbourhood designed for walking (mostly pre-WW2) over a neighbourhood designed for driving.

[passwordisnt123]

I'm glad we're getting more washrooms, but does anybody else think that $13,000 per month for the maintenance costs alone is a bit high?

That's an extra $156,000 per year for the electricity bill, snow clearing, plumbing bill and cleaning staff at just two of the four washroom facilities? Is there something else I'm missing? You could probably keep those places extremely clean with one part time staff person cleaning both facilities for less than $30,000 per year total plus whatever the water and electrical costs would be.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by passwordisnt123

I'm glad we're getting more washrooms, but does anybody else think that $13,000 per month for the maintenance costs alone is a bit high?

That's an extra $156,000 per year for the electricity bill, snow clearing, plumbing bill and cleaning staff at just two of the four washroom facilities? Is there something else I'm missing? You could probably keep those places extremely clean with one part time staff person cleaning both facilities for less than $30,000 per year total plus whatever the water and electrical costs would be.

Not sure what the opening hours of the station would be, but assuming it is about 20 hours per day it would take 3-4 full time cleaners to cover all the shifts over the course of a week. I assume they're unionized and get better pay/benefits than a private sector cleaner.

[1overcosc]

There's probably also some liability issues in there too.

Costing for things like this always seems excessively high until you break it all down.

(Tangent: There's few things more painfully Anglo-Canadian than obsessing over the cost of public washrooms...)

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

I think they should just extend Lincoln Fields mall to encompass the LRT station. It never made any sense to me why they would build such an important "hub" totally unconnected to anything.

In the era where it was built (1980s/1990s) there was a lot of hostility to transit. The mall refused to allow the city to integrate the station with it. Similar things happened at Billings Bridge and Blair w/ the Gloucester Centre.

Even the location of Lincoln Fields was like that; the city originally wanted it directly underneath Carling to facilitate transfers, but it was moved north because of complaints from area residents about all the "undesirable people" that would be attracted to the area because of the station. We're finally fixing that mistake with the new station, thank god.

In the 21st century we've moved past that and transit is seen as a plus by pretty much everyone.

Interestingly, this sort of hostility to transit is still very much the case in the United States due in part to their insane race issues. Many suburban malls in the US prohibit bus terminals on their property and force buses to stop on the street a considerable ways away.

[rocketphish]

Construction Update
Week of November 23

---

Final pavement and markings on Scott Street facing east

Scott Street Widening

Final pavement and markings occur this week on Scott Street. Crews complete connections and final works for the O-Train platform.

---

Muck removal from Lyon Station

Lyon Station

Excavation is almost complete as Jawbreaker continues to work through central pillar bench. Removal of temporary backfills and concrete preparation are ongoing.

Jawbreaker is expected to move to Parliament Station cavern this week.

---

Installation of reinforcements at the Lyon Street west entrance

Lyon Station East and West Entrance

East Entrance: work continues on parking level, including formwork and concrete pouring. Utility relocations are ongoing at Place de Ville.

West Entrance: hoarding installation occurs and work continues on the construction of the traffic bridge. Support installation continues in the parking lot at Queen and Lyon streets. Traffic reconfiguration is also occurring.

---

Excavation continues at Parliament Station cavern

Parliament Station Cavern

Reinforcements and excavation continue as crews prepare for the arrival of Jawbreaker this week.

---

Utility work at the intersection of Queen and O’Connor streets

Parliament Station East and West Entrance

Demolition and excavation are ongoing at the parking levels, while utility work continues.

Traffic restrictions on Queen and O’Connor streets are in effect.

---

Waterproofing and formwork in the east running tunnel

Rideau Station

Excavation is ongoing in the drifts of the Rideau Station cavern and work on the last umbrella continues. In the running tunnel, waterproofing and formwork occur.

---

Piling at Rideau Station west entrance

Rideau Station East and West Entrance

Rideau West: crews are midway through piling and have completed shoring at the Rideau Station mid-entrance. Capping of watermain has been completed.

Rideau East: blasting, rock excavation, hoe ramming and material removal are ongoing.

Traffic restrictions on Rideau Street remain in effect.

---

Crews continue pouring foundation walls and footings at Blair Station

Hurdman, Tremblay, St-Laurent, Cyrville and Blair Stations

At Hurdman Station, removal of the former platform is being completed and installation of hydro connections is set to begin. At Tremblay Station, preliminary foundation work begins as well as preparation for the installation of decorative hoarding. At St-Laurent Station, excavation of the station footing and northeast sidewalk occurs, and formwork begins for the electrical room.

At Cyrville Station, construction of the station and windscreen footings continues. At Blair Station, concrete pours for the station walls and footings occur, and backfilling is set to commence by the end of the week.

---

Deckwork at the Hurdman Station elevated guideway

Guideway – Hurdman Station

Delivery and installation of girders occur for the remaining section of the elevated guideway.

---

Formwork continues at the east road next to VIA Rail

Guideway – Tremblay Station

Construction continues on the abutment on the road east of VIA Rail. Work includes rebar installation and pours.

---

Preparing guideway for trackwork from St-Laurent to Tremblay stations

Guideway – St-Laurent, Cyrville and Blair Stations

Duct bank and overhead catenary pole foundation installations are ongoing west of St-Laurent Station to past Tremblay Station. Trackwork installation takes place from Cyrville Station to just west of St-Laurent Station. Final placement of pre-ballast and toe wall construction at TPSS structure occur west of Cyrville Station.

---

Work being completed on the train wash area

Belfast Yard Administration and Maintenance Building and Yard

Work is ongoing at the east end of the site including fence installation, landscaping and line painting. Preliminary work begins to install OCS poles.

---

Eastern approach of the MSF connector track

Belfast Yard Vehicle Storage Shed and Connector Works

Grading is being completed from the shed to the connector. OCS pole installations are ongoing while crews complete the track slab pours and pull rail strings in sections through the connector. Road reconstruction including backfilling, waterproofing, work on the watermain and finalizing the multi-use pathway continues through November.

---

Upcoming Construction Activities

In the coming weeks, the following construction activities are scheduled to occur:

• Jawbreaker to move from Lyon Station cavern to Parliament Station cavern.
• Lyon Station west entrance blasting operations.
• Lyon Station east entrance and west shaft construction.

In the coming months:

• Pimisi Station construction.
• Booth Street Bridge girder installation and deck work.
• Preliminary work at Lees Station and Rideau RiverTransitway bridge rehabilitation.
• Hurdman Station permanent bus loop construction.
• West Transitway Service Adjustment on Scott and Albert streets.

http://www.ligneconfederationline.ca...ion-update-50/

[passwordisnt123]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Not sure what the opening hours of the station would be, but assuming it is about 20 hours per day it would take 3-4 full time cleaners to cover all the shifts over the course of a week. I assume they're unionized and get better pay/benefits than a private sector cleaner.

Sure. I'm a big supporter of unions and I have no problem with the cleaning staff getting paid a decent hourly wage. But seriously, how often does the washroom need to be cleaned. It won't need constant cleaning for 20 hours per day. At the absolute maximum, it'd need cleaning at most 10 times a day and I can't imagine each cleaning would take more than an hour. Even if we paid the staff $25/hr to clean washrooms, that's $250/day at the absolute maximum in wages, which is still only $7500/month. I just don't see how you get to $13,000/month on this one.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by passwordisnt123

Sure. I'm a big supporter of unions and I have no problem with the cleaning staff getting paid a decent hourly wage. But seriously, how often does the washroom need to be cleaned. It won't need constant cleaning for 20 hours per day. At the absolute maximum, it'd need cleaning at most 10 times a day and I can't imagine each cleaning would take more than an hour. Even if we paid the staff $25/hr to clean washrooms, that's $250/day at the absolute maximum in wages, which is still only $7500/month. I just don't see how you get to $13,000/month on this one.

But even if they only clean the washrooms every two hours (which seems a little low in a busy transit station - public washrooms if this type can get very nasty), what do you do with the workers in between cleanings? No contract would allow you to schedule 30 minute shifts.

[m3i6]

Originally Posted by passwordisnt123

Sure. I'm a big supporter of unions and I have no problem with the cleaning staff getting paid a decent hourly wage. But seriously, how often does the washroom need to be cleaned. It won't need constant cleaning for 20 hours per day. At the absolute maximum, it'd need cleaning at most 10 times a day and I can't imagine each cleaning would take more than an hour. Even if we paid the staff $25/hr to clean washrooms, that's $250/day at the absolute maximum in wages, which is still only $7500/month. I just don't see how you get to $13,000/month on this one.

Add in the cost for extra security to do foot patrols (no cameras allowed in public washrooms), vandalism repairs, stock (toilet paper and soap), cleaning supplies, etc......

$13000 doesn't seem far off.

[passwordisnt123]

Originally Posted by acottawa

No contract would allow you to schedule 30 minute shifts.

I was thinking that you could have the staff person travel using the confederation line to the other washrooms to clean the other washrooms and then make a cycle like that.

[Radster]

How come self-cleaning public bathrooms, like the ones in Japan, are not being considered? Lets get with the times already!

[MoreTrains]

Originally Posted by Radster

How come self-cleaning public bathrooms, like the ones in Japan, are not being considered? Lets get with the times already!

AMEN! Such a no-brainer

[acottawa]

http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/...ations/385549/

[Radster]

Nice example from Atlanta. Self-cleaning public washrooms are more expensive to build, but surely once you factor in the savings from not having to pay ridiculous amounts to some unionized cleaners, it becomes a cheaper alternative long term. Has the city even considered self-cleaning public washrooms?

[Kitchissippi]

I would imagine the maintenance and repair on automatic self cleaning toilets, although less, would involve even higher paid unionized labour and specialized parts/expertise.

After having used the automated toilets in Europe and here (the closest one I've seen is in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue by the bike path spiral up the bridge), I think the turn over on these things are too slow for a rapid transit station. It also seems like a waste of energy and water to do an entire cleaning cycle if someone only has to pee or even just wash their hands.

[lrt's friend]

At 9 a.m. this morning, I saw part of an unpainted LRT car being transported on a flat bed truck northbound on Bank Street going towards Hunt Club Road. I wish I had a camera handy at the time.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

In the era where it was built (1980s/1990s) there was a lot of hostility to transit. The mall refused to allow the city to integrate the station with it. Similar things happened at Billings Bridge and Blair w/ the Gloucester Centre.

Even the location of Lincoln Fields was like that; the city originally wanted it directly underneath Carling to facilitate transfers, but it was moved north because of complaints from area residents about all the "undesirable people" that would be attracted to the area because of the station. We're finally fixing that mistake with the new station, thank god.

In the 21st century we've moved past that and transit is seen as a plus by pretty much everyone.

Interestingly, this sort of hostility to transit is still very much the case in the United States due in part to their insane race issues. Many suburban malls in the US prohibit bus terminals on their property and force buses to stop on the street a considerable ways away.

That is, if they even allow transit (some suburban areas have little or no transit), but most malls are owned by large owners who are generally not hostile to transit, at least at the ownership level.

If transit remained a municipal and not regional level issue through the 1980s and 1990s, most likely there would be very little transit outside the former City of Ottawa at least until amalgamation in 2001. Even in the GTA, most 905 area municipalities did not have well developed transit systems until beyond 2000 when regional governments largely took over (only Mississauga really had a decent transit system in that era).