GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[SubHuman]

This is looking south from the Dundas St W bridge over the rail corridor, west of Lansdowne Ave, to the space between where the Barrie and Kitchener lines merge/separate. Since there's no plans for a station there, maybe this has something to do with adding another track?

Edit: 28 May 2025; replaced photos with ones of higher resolution.

 

[bearcat]

This is looking south from the Dundas St W bridge over the rail corridor, west of Lansdowne Ave, to the space between where Barrie and Kitchener lines merge/separate. Since there's no plans for a station there, maybe this has something to do with adding another track?
View attachment 653994View attachment 654007

Isn't there going to a bridge from this space over the Barrie Line tracks for the Railpath extension? And some stairs down from Dundas St W.

perhaps it's related to that?

 

[ShonTron]

Yes, but for now it’s a staging area for the Bloor Station expansion.

 

[crs1026]

An old friend of mine is on the Metrolinx board. Obviously he's not going to tell me anything that's not public record, but I'm going to tell him people I know are very keen on getting answers to these questions.

You can tell him that my letter will ask about all of the following

Stouffville Line

• Between 2017 and 2019, extensive work was undertaken to double track this route, but the double tracking remains incomplete
• West Highland Creek bridge has never been built, leaving a gap in the constructed trackage such that none of the double tracking has been placed in service, no target completion date announced, funding not confirmed
• Milliken Agincourt and Kennedy stations were rebuilt with second platform added, but as the line remains single track, none of the second platforms constructed have ever been used
• Target implementation date for full 2WAD service including counter peak trains has not been communicated

Kitchener Line

• Woodbine Station – The commitment to build this station was announced by Ministers Yurek and Surma in 2019, but no construction work has ever begun. No target date has been announced, funding not confirmed
• 401/409 Tunnels – Substantially complete in 2021 at a cost of roughly $100M, but have never been connected and are sitting idle
• Weston GO Station – Fourth platform added and declared open, but has never been placed in service
• Bloor GO Station – Inordinately slow pace of construction to add fourth track and pedestrian underpass to Randolph Ave; considerable disruption to the heavily-used West Toronto Railpath during this interval, no apparent sense of urgency to complete this project
• Halton Subdivision – ML has maintained since about 2018 that it was negotiating with CN to upgrade this line to permit enhanced service; no agreement has ever been announced; it is unclear what improvements (if any) have been agreed nor whether these have been funded (e.g. Flyover? Third span for Credit River Bridge? Passing capability for bidirectional operation between Silver and Bramalea GO?) and no target completion date for these
• Guelph Subdivision – A second platform was constructed at GO Guelph, but track has never been connected and platform remains unused, no target completion date, funding not confirmed
• Guelph Subdivision – A passing track at Acton was announced around 2019 but has only recently been tendered, no completion date has been announced
• Target implementation date for full 2WAD Kitchener service including counter peak trains has not been communicated

Barrie Line

• Caledonia Station – has only recently been contracted, target completion date undefined
• Rutherford GO Station – An elaborate two-platform station has been completed, but remains single track with only one platform being used
• Completion of Second Track Parkdale to Sheppard Ave – no target completion date has been announced, funding for track laying not confirmed

Lakeshore West Line

• Construction - Confederation Station – target opening date for Confederation Station has varied over time and present target completion date remains unclear;
• Service Plan - Confederation Station - is this station a new end point for hourly 2WAD or is it merely a new stop for existing peak trains and Niagara trains?

Lakeshore East Line

• Restoration of Third Track and express service – target completion date has not been communicated
• Bowmanville Extension – target completion date has not been communicated

- Paul

 

[evandyk]

He knows I have no interest in that level of detail, so I'll let your letter speak for itself But I have never actually told him that I find Metrolinx's lack of transparency offensive, and I think he generally values my feedback (I used to report to him for a few years in a job many years ago).

 

[Voltz]

You can tell him that my letter will ask about all of the following

Stouffville Line

• Between 2017 and 2019, extensive work was undertaken to double track this route, but the double tracking remains incomplete
• West Highland Creek bridge has never been built, leaving a gap in the constructed trackage such that none of the double tracking has been placed in service, no target completion date announced, funding not confirmed
• Milliken Agincourt and Kennedy stations were rebuilt with second platform added, but as the line remains single track, none of the second platforms constructed have ever been used
• Target implementation date for full 2WAD service including counter peak trains has not been communicated

Kitchener Line

• Woodbine Station – The commitment to build this station was announced by Ministers Yurek and Surma in 2019, but no construction work has ever begun. No target date has been announced, funding not confirmed
• 401/409 Tunnels – Substantially complete in 2021 at a cost of roughly $100M, but have never been connected and are sitting idle
• Weston GO Station – Fourth platform added and declared open, but has never been placed in service
• Bloor GO Station – Inordinately slow pace of construction to add fourth track and pedestrian underpass to Randolph Ave; considerable disruption to the heavily-used West Toronto Railpath during this interval, no apparent sense of urgency to complete this project
• Halton Subdivision – ML has maintained since about 2018 that it was negotiating with CN to upgrade this line to permit enhanced service; no agreement has ever been announced; it is unclear what improvements (if any) have been agreed nor whether these have been funded (e.g. Flyover? Third span for Credit River Bridge? Passing capability for bidirectional operation between Silver and Bramalea GO?) and no target completion date for these
• Guelph Subdivision – A second platform was constructed at GO Guelph, but track has never been connected and platform remains unused, no target completion date, funding not confirmed
• Guelph Subdivision – A passing track at Acton was announced around 2019 but has only recently been tendered, no completion date has been announced
• Target implementation date for full 2WAD Kitchener service including counter peak trains has not been communicated

Barrie Line

• Caledonia Station – has only recently been contracted, target completion date undefined
• Rutherford GO Station – An elaborate two-platform station has been completed, but remains single track with only one platform being used
• Completion of Second Track Parkdale to Sheppard Ave – no target completion date has been announced, funding for track laying not confirmed

Lakeshore West Line

• Construction - Confederation Station – target opening date for Confederation Station has varied over time and present target completion date remains unclear;
• Service Plan - Confederation Station - is this station a new end point hourly 2WAD or is it merely a new stop for existing peak trains and Niagara trains?

Lakeshore East Line

• Restoration of Third Track and express service – target completion date has not been communicated
• Bowmanville Extension – target completion date has not been communicated

- Paul

I would also mention the Stouffville line from Kennedy to Scarborough Stations, nothing has been mentioned about how, when or if it will be double tracked along this narrow section and grade separated from Danforth Rd, or how the tracks will connect to the Lakeshore line.

Such a mess of disjointed and uncoordinated work.

 

[Amare]

He knows I have no interest in that level of detail, so I'll let your letter speak for itself But I have never actually told him that I find Metrolinx's lack of transparency offensive, and I think he generally values my feedback (I used to report to him for a few years in a job many years ago).

If you could also tell him that most of the public thinks that Metrolinx should be abolished because we think the organization does nothing but sit on their hands and twiddles around, that would be great as well!

Not a dig at your friend, just a shot at the the execs at Metrolinx who seem to be truthfully lost.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I noticed this on Hamilton's development tracking website - a potential building on GO's Stoney Creek Yard:

 

[sixrings]

He knows I have no interest in that level of detail, so I'll let your letter speak for itself But I have never actually told him that I find Metrolinx's lack of transparency offensive, and I think he generally values my feedback (I used to report to him for a few years in a job many years ago).

The question is if anyone named Doug generally values your feedback. I’m guessing he doesn’t just like he doesn’t mine or anyone else’s.

 

[crs1026]

I would also mention the Stouffville line from Kennedy to Scarborough Stations, nothing has been mentioned about how, when or if it will be double tracked along this narrow section and grade separated from Danforth Rd, or how the tracks will connect to the Lakeshore line.

Such a mess of disjointed and uncoordinated work.

A very good catch!

For the moment I am differentiating between work that has already been announced and (in theory) should be under way, and things that we know ML will need to do but is not on the public record as having started.

My axe to grind with the "committed" work is that it may have been quietly deferred or maybe was never funded in the first place. ML seems to have a habit of starting procurement without a firm release of funding. And while in many cases there are shovels in the ground, some other prerequisite piece is missing (such as building platforms but not track) so while the completed piece is talked up as a victory, nothing has been accomplished. And when there are no target dates, there can be no measurement of being on track versus behind.

I agree, it's unacceptably disjointed, with no one taking accountability. But celebrations of victory with each new tweet frm ML.

- PUl

 

[Aplus23]

What's the last substantial thing Metrolinx delivered?

 

[felix123]

What's the last substantial thing Metrolinx delivered?

Misery.

 

[rbt]

What's the last substantial thing Metrolinx delivered?

Probably Georgetown South and UPX; one of the rare GO projects where specific service levels were required on opening day.

 

[crs1026]

I'm on UP Express right now so staying on topic for this thread it looks like some of the rails have been delivered for the Kitchener Line fourth track at Bloor. The pile of rails are just north of the Bloor Station. I didn't expect to see them so I wasn't able to get a picture. Georgetown South Project memories.

So that's some small positive progress news.

Rode by there today and there was a crew welding and stretching rail between the Bloor Station and the West Toronto underpass.
Won’t amount to anything until the new Randolph pedestrian entrance is opened and track is extended further south, but it’s nice to see this short gap getting filled in - one more bit complete.

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

^ I had hoped to get over there to take some pictures but I think someone will beat me to it.