[stevedean]

The future proofing of the Prince Edward Viaduct was certainly a great idea - and the subway was added roughly 50 years later.
But we shouldn't expect every bridge to be future proofed for some potential transit line - it will be over 100 years after the Millwood Viaduct was built when the OL finally opens.

 

[kev1n1m]

Glass also has little to no sound deadening properties and installing glass in what is currently a commercial parking lot is absolutely ridiculous.

This is untrue. The wall was designed by sound engineers.

Signed, an environmental engineer that does sound engineering.

 

[416InTrouble]

lol so

This is untrue. The wall was designed by sound engineers.

Signed, an environmental engineer that does sound engineering.

these engineers chose glass that has nearly ZERO sound permeating qualities over rubber and shrubbery? Each one of them should probably give their heads a shake. It doesn’t take an engineer to know how foolish a decision glass is versus proven sound deadening materials that are being widely used in parts of Europe. Glass. Cmon

 

[NoahB]

You clearly have no idea on best practices across the world. Time to go back to class to learn a new trick? Have a nice evening.

Europe(Sweden) installs(Germany) transparent(France) barriers (Croatia), too.(¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Have a great evening

 

[smallspy]

lol so

these engineers chose glass that has nearly ZERO sound permeating qualities over rubber and shrubbery? Each one of them should probably give their heads a shake. It doesn’t take an engineer to know how foolish a decision glass is versus proven sound deadening materials that are being widely used in parts of Europe. Glass. Cmon

It seems that you - as well as many others - don't understand the point of noise walls or how they are supposed to work.

They don't really deaden sound. Maybe a decibel or three, but certainly nothing substantial when compared to the 80+ decibels of a train going by, or the sound of a highway.

They are supposed to reflect the sound energy up and away. And they do that very well. If you are standing at ground level near a sound wall, the area is much quieter. Above them, however - there's no attenuation.

But even with sound walls, there is always going to be some sound energy that makes it past them - be it by the walls vibrating, or vibrations through the soil, or reflected off of buildings and trees above the walls, or even refracted by the air above. And in the case of the Georgetown Line and UPX (and indeed, many other locations on the Metrolinx network now) they are installing rubber matting underneath the track and ballast as an additional means to help reduce the amount of energy transfer through the ground, which is at least a start.

Dan

 

[416InTrouble]

It seems that you - as well as many others - don't understand the point of noise walls or how they are supposed to work.

They don't really deaden sound. Maybe a decibel or three, but certainly nothing substantial when compared to the 80+ decibels of a train going by, or the sound of a highway.

They are supposed to reflect the sound energy up and away. And they do that very well. If you are standing at ground level near a sound wall, the area is much quieter. Above them, however - there's no attenuation.

But even with sound walls, there is always going to be some sound energy that makes it past them - be it by the walls vibrating, or vibrations through the soil, or reflected off of buildings and trees above the walls, or even refracted by the air above. And in the case of the Georgetown Line and UPX (and indeed, many other locations on the Metrolinx network now) they are installing rubber matting underneath the track and ballast as an additional means to help reduce the amount of energy transfer through the ground, which is at least a start.

Dan

That’s partially correct. There are better solutions that do both BETTER and prevent graffiti but I digress bc you’re clearly ok with mediocrity and lack of progress

 

[officedweller]

I can't help but think that the glass barriers are in response to neighborhood concerns of a hulking concrete wall as a sound barrier.

 

[TossYourJacket]

I can't help but think that the glass barriers are in response to neighborhood concerns of a hulking concrete wall as a sound barrier.

The "Save Jimmy Simpson" group was putting up hypothetical pictures of the sound barriers that looked like the Berlin Wall running through Leslieville to criticize the OL, so yeah, that's probably true to some extent.

 

[officedweller]

The "Save Jimmy Simpson" group was putting up hypothetical pictures of the sound barriers that looked like the Berlin Wall running through Leslieville to criticize the OL, so yeah, that's probably true to some extent.

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View this content on Instagram

 

[kev1n1m]

That’s partially correct. There are better solutions that do both BETTER and prevent graffiti but I digress bc you’re clearly ok with mediocrity and lack of progress

You know what infinite funds towards sound mitigation would result in? A TUNNEL. The noise mitigation created is within legal limits and within the budget. If you're unhappy about that advocate for a tunnel. Suggesting shrubs and rubber would impact a noise wall is ignorant. Stick to things you are actually knowledgeable about.

 

[smallspy]

That’s partially correct.

It's not partially correct - it's completely correct.

There are better solutions that do both BETTER and prevent graffiti but I digress bc you’re clearly ok with mediocrity and lack of progress

First off, there is nothing that will prevent graffiti. There are coatings that ease its removal, but there is nothing that can be done to prevent it short of banning paint.

Second off, as pointed out above, the only better solution is a tunnel. If you want to advocate for that, go nuts.

Third off, you really are a fool if you conflate explanations of options with people's positions on a matter.

Dan

 

[evandyk]

At Halloween last year I learned for the first time that you need to show ID to buy spray paint.

 

[crs1026]

I’m not that fussed with more elaborate sound mitigation options given that the corridors are trending towards medium to high rise buildings along the denser areas, especially in proximity to station platforms where all the loud and slow throttle action happens. No sound wall other than a full tunnel or roof will keep the noise out of anything above the third or fourth floor.
What ML’s walls are accomplishing is making the whole corridor less permeable to trespassing. That’s downright reasonable. The transparent panels retain some spaciousness where solid walls might not. And if you don’t like grafitti - well, I can’t think of an urban space anywhere in the world to tell you to move to..
I agree with more ivy, and if ML needs some cuttings to get that going,, I have plenty on my house that I just can’t kill. Free for the asking ;-)
When I visit the UK I marvel at the number of miles of heavy metal fencing - much of it ivy covered - along their row’s. At today’s steel prices, it would be impossible to procure that much steel, and I wonder how much building material it would provide if recycled. Possibly they might move to recycled plastic for their fencing! I’m not suggesting that for ML, but I would suggest that ML’s Choice of materials is good value for money and not that bad a design.
It will all get tagged, usually before they even have the additional track in service.

- Paul

 

[81-717]

You know what infinite funds towards sound mitigation would result in? A TUNNEL. The noise mitigation created is within legal limits and within the budget. If you're unhappy about that advocate for a tunnel.

At this point it's probably set in stone which sections are underground vs. at grade vs. elevated and way too late to change anything even if ML wanted to. Has underground ever been considered as an option under the GO corridor?

It's the same as your circular argument about whether funiculars count as railway vehicles or not.

That was a discussion between you and me, so why bring it up if everyone else wouldn't know the context. But since you brought it up, I'll just leave this here:

I thought they were always on the rails and could jack themselves. Today I learned something.

Looks like a railway vehicle to me.

 

[416InTrouble]

I’m not that fussed with more elaborate sound mitigation options given that the corridors are trending towards medium to high rise buildings along the denser areas, especially in proximity to station platforms where all the loud and slow throttle action happens. No sound wall other than a full tunnel or roof will keep the noise out of anything above the third or fourth floor.
What ML’s walls are accomplishing is making the whole corridor less permeable to trespassing. That’s downright reasonable. The transparent panels retain some spaciousness where solid walls might not. And if you don’t like grafitti - well, I can’t think of an urban space anywhere in the world to tell you to move to..
I agree with more ivy, and if ML needs some cuttings to get that going,, I have plenty on my house that I just can’t kill. Free for the asking ;-)
When I visit the UK I marvel at the number of miles of heavy metal fencing - much of it ivy covered - along their row’s. At today’s steel prices, it would be impossible to procure that much steel, and I wonder how much building material it would provide if recycled. Possibly they might move to recycled plastic for their fencing! I’m not suggesting that for ML, but I would suggest that ML’s Choice of materials is good value for money and not that bad a design.
It will all get tagged, usually before they even have the additional track in service.

- Paul

Agree with your point about Ivy…. Value for money on this line is an outright joke. You must work for Mx if you feel that $1.4BN per km (and counting) is good value for an LRT that isn’t even tunneled. It’s the costliest “tram” in the world and is a joke. It should have been tunneled and lined with gold for this price per /km