[ikerrin]

Given all the money flowing to transit in various federal and provincial budgets, I wonder if its not time to have a place to post announcements and keep those of us interested in new announcements from across the country. It would be good to have a place to keep current on what's going on with new lines in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, TO, Montreal etc. without having to visit each city's discussion pages, if such a site exists. Often there is nowhere to post additions to smaller suburban transit lines like Brampton, and Richmond Hill and other places.

Also, we could use this thread to post announcements by VIA Rail, Greyhound and other inter-city lines of interest across the country.

Anyway, its just an idea.

[mersar]

Yeah, there has been spatterings in threads here and there of what projects are at least happening, no real concise list though.

Calgary
West LRT - currently in RFP following shortlisting of 3 joint ventures (SNC Lavalin, PCL and Bilfinger Berger heading each respectively) from the RFQ stage, to be awarded in Sept/Oct 2009 and open in 2012
NE LRT - Design and initial construction of 2.9km extension with 2 stations, open in 2011
NW LRT - Construction of 4.4km extension to open June 15th, design of next extension underway with opening in 2011
8th Avenue Subway - study looking at alignment underway
Regional Transit - proposal is with province, short term buses and long term commuter rail, unfortunately the fund this will come from went from $2B available to $50M available this next fiscal year for the entire province

Edmonton:
South LRT - Health Sciences to South Campus extension opens April 26 2009, South Campus to Century Park opens Apr 25, 2010 for a total of 7.5km
NAIT line - studies underway, though construction of the segment of tunnel that will be needed below the new Epcor building is being done as the building is built
West/NE/S lines - studies underway

So far no stimulus money has really gone to any projects in Alberta, all the above were funded prior to the downturn.

[Jared]

Alright, I'll do a brief rundown of Vancouver

Rapid Transit:

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1019/71555799aj5.jpg

Canada Line
$2.0 Billion Line Connecting Downtown Vancouver with the surburb or Richmond, and Vancouver International Airport. 19 km, and 16 stations initially (with up to four future stations). Officially required to open by Nov 30 of this year, but they've been making noise about opening it months earlier.

Here's a map:

http://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Canada_Line_Route_Map13452.gif

Evergreen Line

http://evergreenline.gov.bc.ca/images/ObliqueAlignment_Feb%2019.jpg

$1.4 billion, 11km line in the north east region of the metro. 6 stations minimum, with up to 8 being built. Construction to start in fall 2010, finish in fall 2014. $173 million funding shortfall remains. It's possible this will be done through a P3, either with operating revenues going to the private partner, or there may be a property deal. Translink owns a some property along the route, which could be rezoned for high density development.

New SkyTrain cars:

We've ordered 48 new trains, and will likely be ordering 24 more, for a total of 72 new cars between now and the end of 2011. Here's a pic of the first delivery.

http://buzzer.translink.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/07-new-skytrain.jpg

None are in service yet.

Broadway/UBC Line

Planning studies underway to establish alignment and technology. A number of options on the table, but the only ones remotly likely to be picked are a tunneled extension of the SkyTrain, and a LRT. For those unfamilar with Vancouver, on the first map, this line would continue leftwards from where the green and blue lines intersect (it would be an extension of the green line if SkyTrain is picked), hook up with the red line, and continue Westwards for another 9km or so. UBC and Broadway are the number 2 and 3 largest transit destinations in the region (after downtown), and Broadway buses currently carry in excess of 70,000 people per day (and that doesnt include route that are partially on Broadway, turn, such as the 17). Despite the study being underway, it's unlikely this project will start construction until 2015 or so.

Expo Line Surrey Extension:

Study underway, not much info on it yet. Supposed to be 6km and complete by 2020.

Expo Line Station Upgrades:

Upgrades are underway on Broadway station (busiest in the system), with plans in the work for Main St, Metrotown and Scott Road to get upgrades as well. The intent is to revamp all stations and expand platforms by 2020, to add capacity to the Expo line.

West Coast Express Commuter Rail

7 new cars have been ordered, and platforms will be lengthened in order to accomodate longer trains.

Seabus

A 3rd Seabus is underconstruction, to be completed in time for the Olympics. After that, the old ones will be taken out of service one at a time to be refurbished.

B-Lines/Rapid Bus

There are plans to implement Blines along 41st and Hastings St in a couple years. A regional BRT system is also planned for. A 3km section of dedicated bus lane along a freeway is under construction, and several more sections are being studied.

Amtrak Cascades

Not totally related, but the Amtrak Cascades (Vancouver-Seattle-Portland-Eugene) is trying to get a 2nd daily round trip to Vancouver in service. The Canadian Customs authorites are demanding extra money, so its on hold for now. There's a long term plan to upgrade Cascades service to his 110mph, reducing travel times from Vancouver to Seattle from 3:55 currently to about 2:30.

[Metro-One]

:previous: You forgot to mention the Vancouver downtown tram/street car project, the demonstration line is U/C right now, set to open for the Olympics, where it will run from the new Canada Line to Granville Island on its own ROW (i feel this stretch is more akin to an LRT).

[Jared]

oops, you're right.

Vancouver (as opposed to Translink, the regional transportation authority) is building a 2km streetcar demonstration line, to run during the olympics.

http://olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/images/content/streetcar_map.jpg

This map shows the demonstration line, plus future plans.

[ikerrin]

Miller says provincial cash for light rail lines will create jobs, reduce pollution and gridlock
Toronto Start Apr 02, 2009 04:30 AM


Two years after the TTC mapped out a vision for sleek, Euro-style light rail lines stretching to the suburbs, Queen's Park has given the city the money to begin building.

Jubilant politicians and transit officials gathered in a York Region bus garage yesterday for a precedent-setting $9 billion provincial announcement that gives the city the $7.2 billion it needs to pay for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and the Finch West line, two of seven proposed light rail lines, plus expanding and refurbishing the aging Scarborough RT.

"This is the delivery of the money, the commitment the premier made, to fund Transit City," said Mayor David Miller.

Calling it "the most ambitious project of its kind in Canadian history," Premier Dalton McGuinty said there is more money to come.

The announcement did not cover the Sheppard East LRT line, which is supposed to be the first of the Transit City lines to appear. Construction is to start in September for completion around 2013, at a cost of $1.2 billion.

The TTC also plans to issue a contract later this month, worth at least $1.25 billion, for 204 streetcars to replace its deteriorating 30-year-old fleet.

"There could not be a more important announcement about building a 21st-century city," Miller said, adding it will create jobs, reduce pollution and gridlock, and encourage investment.

"No longer will someone who lives in northeast Scarborough and works in southwest Etobicoke have to spend hours taking four different modes of public transit to get from A to B. They'll be able to navigate the city and the region quickly and efficiently and reliably."

Included in the $9 billion is:

• $4.6 billion for the 32.5-kilometre Eglinton line, which would extend from Pearson airport to Kennedy station in the east. About 13 kilometres will run underground, roughly between Leslie and Keele Sts. Construction is expected to begin next year and be complete by 2016. Planners anticipate the line will carry 52 million riders annually by 2021.

• $1.2 billion for Finch West, an 18-kilometre line between Humber College's north campus, near Highway 27, and the Yonge subway at Finch station. That line, also expected to break ground next year, is to be running by 2013. The TTC may extend the line to Don Mills, where it could connect with the Sheppard subway and LRT. The TTC predicts it will have an annual ridership of 24 million by 2021.

• The 30-year-old, 7.2-kilometre Scarborough RT will get new vehicles and be extended to Malvern Town Centre or Markham Rd., for $1.4 billion. Construction is to begin next year for service in 2015.

• York Region will get $1.4 billion to buy more buses and extend its Viva bus rapidways, centre lanes designated exclusively for buses. The sections funded include Highway 7 from Vaughan Centre to Markham Centre at Kennedy; Yonge St. from Richmond Hill Centre to 19th Ave.; and Yonge St. from Mulock Dr. to Davis Dr., then east to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. The first segment is supposed to be complete by 2011, with full service by 2013.

• Hamilton will get $3 million to study two rapid-transit corridors.

Miller called the cost estimates on TTC lines "broad-brush" numbers.

Environmental assessments must still be completed, but the province's new streamlined process for transit puts a six-month cap on environmental assessments for such projects, McGuinty said.

"We need the jobs they create today, and for tomorrow we need more and better transit, because this recession is going to end."

He and Miller acknowledged construction will prompt complaints.

"But on the other hand, particularly (for) small retail businesses, there are significant opportunities for success once you have rapid transit," Miller said. "Everywhere in the city you have rapid transit, people want to live (there). Parts of all these lines go through neighbourhoods that need a boost."

The package does not include any federal money, but Miller said he's hopeful the city will be able to make use of some of the infrastructure cash Ottawa announced earlier.

The projects covered by yesterday's pledge are all part of the province's MoveOntario 2020 program announced in June 2007. They were also recommended in the Metrolinx 25-year regional transportation plan revealed in September, among $50 billion in proposed improvements to transit in the Toronto-Hamilton area.

It's still not clear where most of the money to implement the Metrolinx plan will come from.

[frinkprof]

Edmonton has just announced funding for $300M worth of transit projects. The province of Alberta and the federal government are each chipping in $100M, while the City of Edmonton chips in the remaining $100M. In the package:

- Extension of the NE line by 1 station, going from Clareview to Gorman Station
- Signal upgrades
- Extending South LRT platforms to 5 car length
- Work on 3 Park N' Ride facilities
- Signal upgrades

[metroXpress]

All photos by Tafyrn.....@ Canada Line Photography Blogspot

May 4th 2009



King Edward Station

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3101.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3103.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3106.jpg



Marine Drive Station

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3088.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3087.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3097.jpg



YVR STATION

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3067.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3071.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3049.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3056.jpg



Vancouver City Station


http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3117.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3133.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3131.jpg


Waterfront Station

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3172.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3161.jpg

http://www.seataf.com/blogs/canadaline/2009-05-04/images/KICX3177.jpg

[MolsonExport]

all that mass transit expansion in Vancouver is very exciting. Wish that it happened when I lived there in the 90s (back then, there was only the Expo line).

[metroXpress]

Here are some pics of the NEW MARK II Cars - 1300 and 1400 Series

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0001.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0002.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0006.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0007.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0012.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0157.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0016.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0021.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0025.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0051.jpg&size=550

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/MAR_05.6.09_0061.jpg&size=550



http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/gallery/2009/05/06/9373991.php
Source: 24hrs

[Nite]

here is a map for size comparison

http://www.radicalcartography.net/subways_2.gif

http://www.radicalcartography.net/subways_2.pdf