GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[Bojaxs]

Am I too much of a pessimist, or is it just a sad truth? Over that last 5 years or so, Billions have been spent, incredible amounts of new infrastructure is in place or on the cusp of coming online, however it looks like GO Transit is not much further ahead than it was when work was started? To me it seems significant service improvement still requires one more major project to be completed before promised land is reached.
Even when that so called last major project hurdle is completed, there is always one more project to complete before frequent service can happen.
Again am I correct in this mindset, or am I being too negative and GO Transit has made great progress ?

It often feels like Metrolinx's work force is spread thin because they have too many projects going on at the same time.

I wish they would focus on improving one line at a time.

 

[rbt]

It often feels like Metrolinx's work force is spread thin because they have too many projects going on at the same time.

I wish they would focus on improving one line at a time.

TTC projects are presented as: Here is the service we intend to offer, and here is the project to get us there.

Metrolinx projects, until recently were: Here is a project we intend to build, and there may or may not be service improvements.

Crosstown and Finch are the first projects they're completing with a promise of specific service levels; but reality is TTC made the service promises and Metrolinx got those promises as baggage.

Hurontario LRT clearly adjusted service goals in 2018 to fit the project design, rather than designing the project to meet a service goal.

So yeah, Metrolinx is often 1 more project from providing service because providing service hasn't been an explicitly stated goal of their projects; they're not doing a comprehensive review of all choke-points that interfere with service targets and resolving them in a single project, they're just doing bits and pieces as convenient without really knowing what they'll get.

Ontario Line and GO Expansion are a big change to how Metrolinx has historically handled projects. Both set out with specific capacity and quality targets as the primary goal, then designed the whole project around those targets.

 

[tsm1072]

Some signs of work at West Harbour. Appears that they are clearing the area around the end of the current track in preparation for grading. No signs of rail on site yet, but with the CN yard right there, I can't really distinguish between rail ready for installation and general rail being stored at the yard.

 

[Bojaxs]

Metrolinx projects, until recently were: Here is a project we intend to build, and there may or may not be service improvements.

Which often gives the impression that these are all "vanity projects".

Will a LRT along Finch provide better service than say simply improving buses along Finch? Metrolinxs probably has no idea. They just know LRT's are chique and cause property values to spike.

 

[crs1026]

Some signs of work at West Harbour. Appears that they are clearing the area around the end of the current track in preparation for grading. No signs of rail on site yet, but with the CN yard right there, I can't really distinguish between rail ready for installation and general rail being stored at the yard.

Those trucks appear to be dewatering something underground. I don't see any sign they are about to finish the grading, although there are piles of granular material there.

When it's track time, the switch(es) will come in as prebuilt panels. Won't be hard to spot. But, I'm predicting another layer of subgrade to be poured before that.

- Paul

 

[crs1026]

Ontario Line and GO Expansion are a big change to how Metrolinx has historically handled projects. Both set out with specific capacity and quality targets as the primary goal, then designed the whole project around those targets.

Well, RER, er, GO Expansion was proposed in 2014 and blessed in 2015. ML took forever to figure out a procurement model. So that "big change" has lasted a decade. And service targets have always been a key element of GO Expansion. And 2024-2025 was the original tcd.

ML's public narrative has been closer to "we have this more than half built, so let's celebrate". But oops, there's a bridge missing here, and some double or triple track missing there, and a double track tunnel built but unusable there.... and tenders that have been cancelled (LSE Guildwood-Durham Jct being one example).

The really unfortunate part is, none of what they are doing is a white elephant or a controversy. All sides agree we need it all, it just isn't falling into place effectively.

- Paul

 

[SaugeenJunction]

I'm seeing the track work in Acton for RFP in Q3, but this makes it sound like they're going to start working with Waterloo Region to build the Mobility Hub at King Street in Kitchener?! Didn't think that was happening anytime soon.

I'm also hopeful the Georgetown Go works will include a mainline platform and finally streamline through operations!

For the Kitchener Central Transit Hub (new project name), they are advancing building the platforms and bus loop in the near term with the existing funding pot. The full station building is awaiting a federal ICIP contribution, which may come this year. Phase 1 rendering at the official project site.

 

[Metroscapes]

For the Kitchener Central Transit Hub (new project name), they are advancing building the platforms and bus loop in the near term with the existing funding pot. The full station building is awaiting a federal ICIP contribution, which may come this year. Phase 1 rendering at the official project site.

Well at least it won't take major modifications to the bridge, appears that was already roughed in.

 

[lenaitch]

Those trucks appear to be dewatering something underground. I don't see any sign they are about to finish the grading, although there are piles of granular material there.

When it's track time, the switch(es) will come in as prebuilt panels. Won't be hard to spot. But, I'm predicting another layer of subgrade to be poured before that.

- Paul

Badger really doesn't do de-watering. Their claim to fame is hydraulic utilities excavating, trenching, etc., particularly when other buried infrastructure is present.

 

[KevinT]

Well at least it won't take major modifications to the bridge, appears that was already roughed in.

View attachment 579968

Funny story, they're not allowed to use the platforms that were built into that bridge, as the trains would be too close to the signal for the switch to the Huron spur. They're permanently closing Duke St to build the platforms farther east.

 

[reaperexpress]

I don't know if it's plausible for Metrolinx to get the shovels in the ground today. But I would like to see an accounting of parking at each station, and a plan for future use to, say, the 2050s.

The plans should include timeframes for developing, or not developing, Metrolinx-owned lots near GO stations, as well as a commitment to improve the pedestrian and cycling access in the immediate approaches at all stations. For example, here's what I drew up for Rouge Hill GO in about 2 minutes:

View attachment 578735

I would like to see this exercise (with slightly more detail) repeated at all current and future GO stations, minus the few that don't have park and rides.

I've been thinking along the same lines as you, though my thinking is that we can redirect parking demand by having different rates for different stations. Stations in urban growth centres like downtown Brampton or downtown Kitchener should have very expensive parking (if any at all) while stations with less development potential like Bramalea or Breslau should have cheap/free parking. So the question becomes just "which lots have the most developmet potential?".

For Rouge Hill I actually prioritized the north lot for redevelopment since it's less valuable as parking than the south lots and more valuable as residential. People generally prefer to live not directly next to the station but a short distance away where it's quieter (both in terms of activity as well as literal noise). The south lots would be a great site for a commercial/office development but there's no market for that at the moment.

My sketch for the north lot includes 41 rowhouses, a neighbourhood parkette, and a mixed-use building with a midrise podium and modest towers above.

And without further ado, here are my subjective top 5 GO Transit parking lots to redevelop ASAP:

1. Brampton Central - 0.86 hectares. What on earth is a park-and-ride lot doing in downtown Brampton?! Just drive to Bramalea!
I've highlighted the south lot because it's closer to downtown but the north lot should be redeveloped as well. I remember hearing plans for redevelopment but not sure what the status is at the moment.

2. Port Credit - 1.63 hectares, as described above.

3. Rutherford - 0.82 hectares. No need for this surface lot now that the garage is open. Could go highrise here.

4. Kitchener Central - 0.25 hectares. This site is already offered for development as part of the Kitchener Central station plan but the Region hasn't been able to find an interested developer so it's going to be a parking lot until they can find one.

5. Maple - 1.47 hectares. Just copy/paste more of the same development pattern. This parking lot is very wel used but we can shift some demand to Rutherford, cycling and transit. Once the new bus loop opens (already complete as you can see below) YRT could run more convenient connecting bus service. There are also plans for a bicycle/pedestrian bridge across Major Mac to connect the station to the neighbourhood to the south, making cycling much more attractive. The original plans for the station reconstruction also included a new entrance on the west side of the tracks to allow those residents to walk to the station, but residents on Railway Street freaked out about having a railway station on their street so the entrance got removed from the plans and people from that neighbourhood will need to keep driving around the block to get to the other side of the tracks.