GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[jks]

Could it be that they are announcing the funding of the Guelph (re)extension??

 

[DavidJamesTO]

The interm downtown station (the current VIA Station) will only have 45 spots, of which all seem to be reserved for VIA from what happened at the PIC #2. The Bresleau station (what I would call the outer fringe of K-W) will have the 1100 spots.

What they need to do is buy the used car lot behind the station and turn that into parking, then sell it for redevelopment once the new downtown station is built (hopefully with bus and VIA service moved at the same time).

 

[nfitz]

I think designing networks where there are central stations with no/little parking combined with less-central stations with lots of parking is a great approach. Best of both worlds.

If there was another station in Kitchener I'd agree. But with the only other station on the East side of the river in Breslau - one/third of the was to Guelph, what you are really doing is bring GO to Kitchener, with no parking.

I can understand not doing anything permanent downtown, as the station is supposed to move, and it's downtown - but I think a station with parking in Kitchener - perhaps Ira Needles? Perhaps a temporary station between Strange and Park where there is the virtually abandonded car park next to the tracks?

As it stands now, most people are going to have a 20-25 minute drive if they need to park - and that does seem to be how most people do it.

 

[waterloowarrior]

City pushes to bring GO yard to Stratford
Tori Sutton
Staff Reporter

Mayor Dan Mathieson said the push to bring a GO Transit train layover yard to Stratford is gaining steam.

In an interview earlier this week, Mathieson said his office has received plenty of positive feedback since last week’s public information session was held in Baden.

But it’s not just locals who are keen to see Stratford rail yards used as the layover site – those in the Baden area are also supporting the move.

“We’ve had a number of (Baden) residents contact our office saying they support it and they don’t want the rail yard in their community,†Mathieson told the Gazette. “They feel it’s appropriate to use existing yards that are already in place and they’ve offered their support where necessary.â€

GO Transit is proposing a trail layover site be established on the south side of the main line track between New Hamburg and Baden, at Nafziger Road. The site is part of a plan to expand GO train service from Georgetown to Kitchener.

As well, the mayor said many people in the agricultural community – especially those who have been following the Highway 7/8 corridor study – are happy to see the city advocating other modes of transportation.

Though GO Transit has publicly stated Stratford was not included in its study area and therefore could not proceed with a layover site here, Mathieson disagrees.

“I would say while that sounds like a very good answer, it’s not true,†he said. “Baden was never included in the original study area either, and they expanded it when they ran into resistance in the City of Kitchener.

“They’ve shown a flexibility to revise their study area when necessary.â€

The city has requested a meeting with GO Transit senior officials and Ministry of Transportation (MTO) strategic planning staff, though a date has not yet been set.

“At the end of the day, senior officials at the MTO are responsible for the decision and that’s why we’re taking a two-pronged approach,†he explained. “We’ll work with GO where necessary and we will definitely be pinting out to the officials at the MTO what we think is a flawed system.â€

 

[waterloowarrior]

Canada-Ontario Transit Announcement - Media Advisory

TORONTO, April 2 /CNW Telbec/ - John Baird, Canada's Minister of
Transport and Infrastructure, along with the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario
Minister of Transportation and GO Transit Chair, Peter Smith will make an
important infrastructure announcement.
A brief media availability will follow the announcement.

<<
Date: Friday, April 3, 2009

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Location: GO Transit Willowbrook Maintenance Facility and Yard
125 Judson Street
Etobicoke, Ontario

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2009/02/c7082.html

 

[dunkalunk]

Perhaps a temporary station between Strange and Park where there is the virtually abandonded car park next to the tracks?

The temporary station is where the existing station is now, I don't see the point in moving it.

The photo must have been taken on the weekend. This lot is used as overflow parking for Clarica/Sunlife Employees. I'm not saying this couldn't be used as parking, but it would could cause a lot of disruption

Keep in mind that waterloo region is getting a new rapid transit line and that the new train station will be on it. Many bus route would also likely terminate here. As it stands now, both Waterloo and Laurier students have a year round bus pass. I think it's GO's hope that there will be more inter-modal travel.

Although transit in Kitchener-Waterloo outside of the main corridor is absolutely horrendous. We'll see how that lack of parking turns out.

If there were a place for a parking garage, I would choose the plaza at the intersection of King and Moore just north of the tracks and across the street with ground level retail.

 

[yyzhyd]

Stouffville Line update

FYI:
Material for the second track on the Stouffville/Lincolnville line are showing up at the newly constructed 14th Ave. underpass (just south of Unionville Station)

Looks like they're moving forward quickly and all-day service to Unionville might be in the much nearer future.

 

[waterloowarrior]

edit: moved to http://www.urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?p=258056#post258056

 

[299 bloor call control.]

I hear there may also be the first stage of GO electrification announced tomorrow.

 

[lordmandeep]

it appears the bottleneck where the train tracks intersect near Weston is being addressed.

It looks like a train overpass is being built.

 

[nfitz]

The temporary station is where the existing station is now, I don't see the point in moving it.

I wasn't advocating moving it, I was advocating a second temporary station.

Perhaps not the best option, but it seems particularly bizarre to me, that GO is talking to expanding to a city of over 300,000 (combined Kitchener/Waterloo), and despite their demand being primarily from people parking at their stations, it doesn't seem they are planning any parking within the city of Kitchener! As much as I hate more parking lots, it seems to me that there should be one.

 

[lordmandeep]

Of course, GO has learned its lesson from Barrie.

If you build they will came.

 

[khris]

I hear there may also be the first stage of GO electrification announced tomorrow.

Wow! *crosses fingers* I wasn't expecting to hear about that yet.

 

[ShonTron]

The other commuter railway now in the process of converting into a regional rail network (and electrifing) is CalTrain - the service between San Francisco and San Jose (with limited service south to Gilroy).

I am looking forward to the announcement tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be a lead-up to nothing. It also might help GO to figure out what kind of locomotives to buy next to replace or augment the remaining 20-year old F59PHs.

 

[Second_in_pie]

Let's hope they get some sleek new cars, like the talent. They would continue to use the old cars for rush hour routes, but use the Talents for Express, as the Talent isn't nearly big enough for commuter traffic.

I hope the announcement tomorrow is good!