GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[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. Rouge Hill - 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.

 

[Deadpool X]

2. Port Credit - 1.63 hectares, as described above.
View attachment 580170

This can't be Port Credit. Maybe Rouge Hill.

 

[reaperexpress]

This can't be Port Credit. Maybe Rouge Hill.

Oops. Fixed. I was thinking of Port Union.

 

[drum118]

Oops. Fixed. I was thinking of Port Union.

You had me saying where in Port Credit is located as all the stations are not next to the lake and where is it located? The PC south parking lot is already sold for for 2 towers and no GO parking as well very few parking spots for the towers. Cannot do much for the north lot due to the Mary Fix Creek and existing low density housing.

Clarkson station south parking lot is part of the redevelopment for the area around it. Long Branch is seeing development with the new station development. 2 developers have come and gone for Mimico parking lot with plans for the whole area by different developers.

Most stations need to see far less surface parking, but a lot are in the boondocks that will not see development 20-50 years down the road. It cost money to build something on the current GO land and with the market in free fall, better to build rental than try sell them to fast track projects.

As for Brampton parking lot, it will be remove in time as the city is planning on tearing the downtown area down and go for high density mixed-use area as well redeveloping the existing GO station for the 3rd track and a new bus terminal for GO and Brampton Transit,

Bramalea is industrial land and there is a lot of land around it that can be redevelop first before touching it, if it every get touch at all.

 

[dowlingm]

Re Hamilton West Harbour - will the switch be under/before the overbridge? I’ve been assuming the width of the graded area is one track and a service road because it seems hard to believe two parallel tracks will fit under the bridge span, but perhaps I’m mistaken?

 

[Chris R.]

Re Hamilton West Harbour - will the switch be under/before the overbridge? I’ve been assuming the width of the graded area is one track and a service road because it seems hard to believe two parallel tracks will fit under the bridge span, but perhaps I’m mistaken?

I have to assume the 2 tracks will continue under James St and John St and will then have a switch to the east of John St. The entire point of the John St bridge rebuild a few years back was to fit two tracks under the bridge so it would be lind of pointless to have the switch before that bridge.

This great picture post by @tsm1072 provides in my opinion some obvious clarity on where the tracks will be going. If you're not familiar with the area I can draw on the photos to provide some additional context:

GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

Updated Metrolinx capital program procurement pipeline document posted to MX website here. Lots of GO projects included, along with other rapid transit work. Something that caught my eye was: Oakville Existing Station Renovations: Upgrades including civil, mechanical, and utilities work...

urbantoronto.ca

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Re Hamilton West Harbour - will the switch be under/before the overbridge? I’ve been assuming the width of the graded area is one track and a service road because it seems hard to believe two parallel tracks will fit under the bridge span, but perhaps I’m mistaken?

This work notice from 2023 is the only track diagram we have for the West Harbour tie-in. It is by no means a technical drawing but might give some clues. It shows station tracks converging just past James, and the mainline tie in just before Mary.

 

[Northern Light]

@Allandale25 posted this clip of the Mx Board Meeting elsewhere:

I'm not sure what's been reported out on timelines elsewhere and as a few are mentioned, I'm not going to search them all out.

But I made these notes:

1) Caledonia Station (Barrie GO) on target to start construction by year's end, with an in-service date of 3-4 years given.

2) Maple GO targeted for full-return of normal operations by Spring' 25

3) For Stouffville GO Line, there will be a major closure in July (this month) to upgrade signals at 5 at-grade crossings. New track near McNicoll has been commissioned.

There was a rather vague statement about a third and final commissioning phase for tracks works 'in the southern area, close to Scarborough Junction' (his words). That would be 'later this year'.

That would seem to suggest that the full twin track operation will be possible by late this year. @crs1026 may wish to listen to that bit at roughly 45:35 of the video.

The bolded above is:

From: https://www.gotransit.com/en/the-fu...touffville-line-service-adjustment-july-26-28

 

[felix123]

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 ?

In my opinion, you're right on the money. GO was crude when they started the expansion program, and years later, it's still crude. Services are nowhere near turn up and go, and even when they do achieve 30-minute all-day service on a line, there are numerous exceptions.

I hope that with all the concurrent projects, everything falls into place at the same time and all of a sudden we have something that's better than diesel trains lumbering into grass fields far from whichever town centre the station is named after. But after this many years of waiting, that seems like wishful thinking.