Category: DOTT

Bayview, bikewest, design, DOTT, LRT, OLRT, Scott street, Transit, Uncategorized15 Comments

LRT Stations Revealled (part ii) Tunney’s Pasture

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Tunney’s Pasture is the interm western end of the initial LRT system. At Tunney’s, riders will transfer from bus rapid transit on the transitway to LRT to go through the downtown and then on to Blair Road in the East. Tunney’s is the second largest employment node in the City, and will triple in size over the next few decades. At some point the LRT service will extend west of Tunney’s to Lincoln Fields and then out to College Square. The new LRT station will replace the existing bus station at Tunney’s, down in the cut. The train track will extend a few meters west … Continue reading LRT Stations Revealled (part ii) Tunney’s Pasture

Bayview, design, DOTT, downtown, LeBreton Flats, LRT, O-Train, OLRT18 Comments

LRT Stations Revealled (part i)

Westsideaction

The design for the Ottawa LRT stations will be shown below. In this post, there will be the inspiration for the Ottawa design, then some initial Ottawa designs both at the surface and in the tunnel sections. In following posts, there will be the detailed station design and layout and approaches to the Tunney’s, Bayview, and LeBreton Stations. Finally, there will be the Rideau Station and Hurdman. So stow your tables, put your seat backs upright, buckle up, here we go: Interior decorators call it the “inspiration shot”, the picture of some other project that captures some of what we want to emulate. The above … Continue reading LRT Stations Revealled (part i)

Bayview Otrain, DOTT, Transit, Uncategorized4 Comments

Timing the OLRT

Westsideaction

The was some good news on the LRT construction schedule last week. The City announced that the project could be finished a full year earlier than previously announced, ie spring 2018 instead of summer 2019. This is sleight of hand. The City attributes the shorter time line to various design factors. Instead of designing the system 100% in-house, they will do all the preliminary design and then outsource the detailed engineering to the winning bidder. This will allow the winning bidder, according to the city, to be more confident that the design is implementable and covers all the bases. They also have the … Continue reading Timing the OLRT

Bayview, DOTT, downtown, LRT, O-Train, Transit8 Comments

Western LRT (part v) Choosing the best route

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The Western LRT study outlined in the previous posts assumes there will be a WLRT and a separate local LRT along Carling should one of the non-Carling routes be chosen for the WLRT. But could the two services be combined? If one of the northern corridors is chosen for the Western LRT, then the TMP identifies Carling as the route for a supplementary LRT corridor. Thus the political process has pre-selected the mode, it is up to the engineers to make it work and be financially viable. If Carling is the route of the Western LRT, then a supplmentary transit service would be required in the northern corridor, … Continue reading Western LRT (part v) Choosing the best route

DOTT, intensificatioin, LRT, ottawa river, pedestrians, Richmond road, Uncategorized19 Comments

Western LRT (part iv) The River Parkway

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Perhaps the most controversial and divisive suggestion for converting the transitway to LRT concerned the portion along the Ottawa River Parkway. There seems to be a large crowd that is convinced the parkway would be ruined by letting LRT transit users have a view instead of just motorists. Concerns were expressed about destroying green space, the aesthetics of overhead wiring, and the danger to dog walkers from high speed trains. Spectres of high chain link fences demarking the line where it slashed through mature forests … etc etc. Recall that two of the Richmond-Byron options covered in the previous post used tiny bits of the Parkway – from Dominion … Continue reading Western LRT (part iv) The River Parkway

Bayview, DOTT, LRT, ottawa river, Richmond road, Scott street16 Comments

Western LRT (part iii) Richmond-Byron Options

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If the western LRT does not go via Carling Avenue, there is a whole set of options in the Richmond-Byron corridor, shown below: The Churchill-Richmond option had a fatal flaw: too sharp a turn at the corner of Richmond and Churchill. The McRae-Richmond option required redoing the Westboro Station and then entering a short sharp S turn, something that engineers love — NOT. Another McRae option put a President’s Choice station at Loblaws and then turned west under Byron. That tunnel section would have emerged just west of the Westboro Station condo development. Here’s what is left: The Churchill-Byron option digs cut and … Continue reading Western LRT (part iii) Richmond-Byron Options

Carling Ave, DOTT, LRT, O-Train1 Comment

Western LRT (part ii)

Westsideaction

The study team considered many options for getting from Bayview to Lincoln Fields (and eventually to Colleqe Square, shown in the drooping panhandle line on the far left, which is common to every option). The city study team has now ruled out a number of the options shown above. First, they sought out “fatal flaws” in the potential corridors. This could include pinch points were the corridor becomes too narrow, or turns are too sharp. While the flaws of some corridors were achingly obvious right from the beginning, they were all studied, which prevents someone coming along at a much … Continue reading Western LRT (part ii)

DOTT, LRT, O-Train, Prince of Wales Bridge, Transit3 Comments

Western LRT (part i)

Westsideaction

Last week, city staff offered some briefings on the western LRT options. Recall that the current downtown Ottawa transit tunnel study, now renamed  Ottawa Light Rail Transit/Tunnel (OLRT), covers that portion from Blair Road in the east to Tunney’s Pasture in the west. However, the first components of the LRT system includes a service from Tunney’s to Lincoln Fields, but under a different Environmental Approval process. The western portion might be completed at the same time as the downtown portion, or shortly thereafter. City council directed that staff consider various options running west from Bayview Station (Council selected Bayview in order to include the O-Train corridor … Continue reading Western LRT (part i)

DOTT, LRT, oc Transpo, Transit3 Comments

Electric bus

Westsideaction

I was doing some browsing on the internet to look at bus and transit technologies. This is dangerous for me, as with little knowledge I can be easily mislead. But I did see a few things that interested me, and so I am sharing them here. Shanghai fast charge electric bus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3rg-SsPJuU.  The bus charges at bus stops, when picking up passengers. A pantograph-like device rises from the roof to connect to charged overhead rods. The bus needs ten minutes to fully charge its batteries, which can be spread over several stops. In theory, the bus could run all day without … Continue reading Electric bus

801 Albert, Albert St, Bayview, Bayview Otrain, Bayview-Carling CDP, bike path, bikewest, DOTT, intensificatioin, LeBreton Flats, O-Train, Scott street, Transit, Uncategorized8 Comments

Bus shelters vs a station for Bayview

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 The picture below shows the current Bayview Station. It is simply a bus shelter on a hill in the middle of a field. It’s been that way since 2001, and while not ideal, it does function. The City is currently designing its transit stations for the new LRT network. For the first few years of the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT) process, they had very elaborate station design for Bayview. It was a long elevated structure with east-west trains on top, and underneath was a second set of platforms for the successor to the north-south LRT that would someday replace the O-Train. Until that … Continue reading Bus shelters vs a station for Bayview

DOTT, LRT, NCC, road diet, roads16 Comments

Great Roadway Removal Contest

Westsideaction

It seems to me that other cities are galloping ahead of Ottawa, converting freeways and elevated structures to other, more urban-friendly purposes. New York converted an elevated rail line to the High Line linear Park. Seoul, Korea tore down a huge urban freeway in just six months and created a long linear park along the (previously sewerized) river below once it was daylighted. San Francisco also removed freeways and no one noticed any transportation disaster unfolding. Now Vancouver is examining removing some elevated road bits: http://thetyee.ca/News/2011/04/11/ViaductRemoval/ This leads me to wonder what roads in Ottawa might be candidates for removal. Not downsizing, not … Continue reading Great Roadway Removal Contest

Bayview, DOTT, downtown, Plouffe Park, Preston street, Rideau Canal, Scott street, surface water, Uncategorized2 Comments

Finding Fault with DOTT

Westsideaction

The City released its first report on the test bores along the route of the proposed LRT through the downtown of Ottawa (DOTT). There was a lot of confusing fuss over the Campus Station (is there too much rock or not enough? will the tunnel there be bored or cut-and-cover? why would a open-to-the-surface slope into the tunnel cost about the same as a tunnel itself?) and not enough answers. There was also some fuss about the existence of fault lines crossing the DOTT route. Unfortunately, no one seemed to have the time to call an expert or even a geology professor at … Continue reading Finding Fault with DOTT

DOTT, downtown, LRT, Transit2 Comments

Boring information: read it here first

Westsideaction

There are many ways to get information in the city. One is file freedom of information requests. Another way is to just ask the workers what they are doing. Each time I go by a new location with one of those boring crews drilling a hole into the street, I stop my bike or walk up and chat to the crew. What are you finding? Is it all limestone down there or are there soft spots? Can you identify fault lines and fissures? Any nasty surprises like big underground rivers? Vaults of money under the Bank of Canada building? Political bodies burried … Continue reading Boring information: read it here first

Bayview, condos, DOTT, intensificatioin, LRT, oc Transpo, ottawa river, Richmond road, Scott street, Transit1 Comment

West LRT – the Loblaws option

Westsideaction

David James is a blog reader with some keen observations on the merits of various DOTT and west LRT proposals. You will frequently find his intelligent comments on my posts, gently pointing out the error of my ways. David isn’t particularly a fan of the “Loblaws” route I outlined yesterday, but he kindly drew up a drawing illustrating the route, and provided some commentary on its merits. The top right of the illustration below starts the route beside the 30 storey condo tower Minto built a few years ago. Underground, it swings onto McRae, under the Loblaws parking lot, and westward under Byron Road or … Continue reading West LRT – the Loblaws option

Bayview, Carling Ave, condos, DOTT, intensificatioin, LeBreton Flats, LRT, O-Train, oc Transpo, Richmond road, Scott street, Westboro Collection13 Comments

West LRT, part iv, the Scott/Byron route

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The Scott Byron route starts at Bayview and re-uses the Scott corridor transitway trench to Dominion Station. It uses a toenail of the parkway until it can swing inland at Rochester Field, near the Kegg Manor and gardens. At some point, it would cease being a surface rail line and become cut and cover along the Byron right of way. It is important to notice that the Byron option does not necessitate cut and cover through the dog-walk greenspace that used to be the streetcar right of way. It might be cut and cover under Richmond Road, or under Byron Avenue itself. Byron could certainly use … Continue reading West LRT, part iv, the Scott/Byron route

Bayview, DOTT, intensificatioin, LRT, NCC, O-Train, oc Transpo, ottawa river, Scott street, Transit5 Comments

West LRT, part iii, Ottawa River corridor

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It might be best to read part i and part ii, already posted. If you are a keener, the comments received are also worth reading. Now, for part iii … The Bayview Station is located at the top right. It is a future transit hub, with service extending south along the OTrain corridor; north via the Prince of Wales Bridge (possibly as rail, possibly doubled in width as a STO rapibus BRT route with a station at Bayview); east to the downtown; and west to Barrhaven and Kanata. Usually ignored, is the walk-in potential of Bayview Station: because there are no houses immediately adjacent, in … Continue reading West LRT, part iii, Ottawa River corridor

Carling Ave, DOTT, infill, intensificatioin, LRT, NCC, O-Train, Scott street, Transit13 Comments

West LRT, part ii: Carling options

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  I suggest you read Part i — the previous post — before reading this part. Some points are valid from post to post, and it would be boring to repeat them each time. Reading the comments is also fun and educational. This review of the options always starts at the Bayview Station (top right corner), ie I talk from east to west. The O-Train corridor option uses existing transportation corridors to take the LRT south then west. It would bump the Otrain off its track, forcing it to terminate at Carling. This LRT option is unlikely to be selected as it has some severe engineering … Continue reading West LRT, part ii: Carling options

Bayview, Bayview Otrain, Carling Ave, Dalhousie, DOTT, hintonburg, housing policy, intensificatioin, LRT, NCC, O-Train, ottawa river, Prince of Wales Bridge, Richmond road, Scott street, Transit7 Comments

Western Leg, LRT (from Bayview to Lincoln Fields via ???)

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The city has set up a stakeholders group to contribute to its process of finding how the LRT will get from Bayview (or Tunney’s) to Lincoln Fields. Options include the Ottawa River NCC lands, the Otrain-Carling route, the Churchill-Carling route, and the transitway-Byron route. All options have very different features for transit users and the adjacent communities. Continue reading Western Leg, LRT (from Bayview to Lincoln Fields via ???)

Claridge, condos, DOTT, downtown, LRT1 Comment

Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

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The lot shown in the pictures below is bounded by Queen street on the right (north); Lyon in the foreground (east side); and Albert Street to the left (south). Claridge, a prominent Ottawa condo developer, owns it.  Your photog is standing at the foot of the downramp from the Crowne Plaza hotel: This view is from the corner of Albert and Lyon, at the foot of the ramp up to the Crowne Plaza’s awful driveway ramp entrance. The red brick building at the far side of the lot is 151 Bay, a fourteen storey condo built by Teron in the … Continue reading Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

Claridge, condos, DOTT, downtown, LRT

Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

Westsideaction

The lot shown in the pictures below is bounded by Queen street on the right (north); Lyon in the foreground (east side); and Albert Street to the left (south). Claridge, a prominent Ottawa condo developer, owns it.  Your photog is standing at the foot of the downramp from the Crowne Plaza hotel: This view is from the corner of Albert and Lyon, at the foot of the ramp up to the Crowne Plaza’s awful driveway ramp entrance. The red brick building at the far side of the lot is 151 Bay, a fourteen storey condo built by Teron in the … Continue reading Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

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