GO Transit

[gghtransit]

Originally Posted by dunkalunk

It seems odd to me that they would put the future platform on the part of the line that terminates in Baden instead of track that continues toward Stratford.

I wouldn't count on GO Rail ever being extended to Stratford. However, even if there's a slim possibility of service being offered west of Baden in the future they would likely just rebuild the tracks to the necessary configuration. Look at Oshawa GO Station for example, the tracks GO uses end just over 10 metres before the side wall of the Station Building, yet GO intends to extend rail service eastward towards Bowmanville, which will require a completely new station, this doesn't seem to both them.

[dunkalunk]

They're just building the berm there. Why move more earth than you have to?

[WilmotWarrior]

I doubt they'd extend it to Stratford anytime soon.

With Stratford only 15 minutes west of Baden and the west side population mass of Kitchener less than 10 minutes east, the Nafziger Road site is really quite central and easily accessible to a large population for a park and go.

A GRT loop from Highland Hills would get to Baden faster than it would to downtown Kitchener I suspect.

[zanate]

Originally Posted by gghtransit

Look at Oshawa GO Station for example, the tracks GO uses end just over 10 metres before the side wall of the Station Building, yet GO intends to extend rail service eastward towards Bowmanville, which will require a completely new station, this doesn't seem to both them.

I went to high school in Bowmanville almost 20 years ago, and remember GO "intending" to extend rail service to B-ville back then, too.

On the other hand, the town is much bigger now. I'm always blown away by the increase in population in that region when I go back there. Unlike KW, where I see it every day, it's years between stops in Bowmanville and the differences really jump out...

[0sprey]

Originally Posted by Duke-Of-Waterloo

Just got an email from GO with the revised Baden Layover site. Looks like they are serious about adding a future full-service park and ride station here in the future!

just found out that 'full service park and ride station ...in the future!' is slated for "potentially 2030"!!!! whoopee!.

[WilmotWarrior]

Lets be careful about poo-pooing the plan.
Its a heck of a lot better than nothing.
Wilmot residents are happy with a 20 year time frame. The key for us is that its in the plans.
In 20 years Baden and New Hamburg will have grown from about 11,000 currently to about 20,000 and the Township from 18,500 to 28,500 and having access to GO at the point will be awesome.
The new Regional Plan has a similar time frame and doesn't envision connections of the LRT to even Cambridge by then is my understanding.

[gghtransit]

Hi all, good news it appears...

570 News has just reported that the Region and GO Transit will be making an announcment today regarding the Proposed Rapid Transit System and the addition of GO Transit service rumoured to be buses that operating out of Cambridge. A member on the CPTDB Forum has said that GO Bus 3000 (which is one of their Hybrids) is currently in the Region for the press announcement. Keep an eye on the news!!

[bentonite]

GO Transit buses roll into Region this fall

By Jeff Outhit

WATERLOO REGION — GO Transit buses are coming to the region this fall to serve Highway 401 commuters.

The buses will ferry local passengers to GO commuter trains in Milton and to a transit hub at Mississauga City Centre. The buses will not go directly to downtown Toronto.

They will depart from park-and-ride sites that are not yet selected but are anticipated to be in Kitchener and in Cambridge.

Happy politicians announced the buses today. They are a “crucial first step towards full rail service,” said John Milloy, the provincial government MPP for Kitchener Centre.

A study is under way to extend GO rail service to Kitchener by 2011.

Rates, routes and schedules for the buses have not been finalized.

A GO spokesman said up to a dozen buses will operate daily along Highway 401, carrying 800 to 1,200 passengers a day within two years.

The federal and provincial governments are spending $2.5 million to build four park-and-ride sites in and near this region.

“We support public transit, and we encourage more people to use the GO Transit system,” said Peter Braid, the federal government MP for Kitchener-Waterloo.

Municipal politicians said they are happy to get GO buses and are still keen to get GO trains.

jouthit@therecord.com

[mark76]

does anybody know where GO bus is going to depart??Sportsworld Greyhound Terminal?

Will they stop at Aberfoyle park and go??

[Duke-Of-Waterloo]

Excellent News for Go!

I think they should have a station at the University of Waterloo, or partially between UW and Laurier. Although it wouldn't serve commuters per se, it would definitely serve the large number of students who commute to the GTA on weekends. The University of Guelph has GO buses stop there, so if it's coming to the Region, why not to the Universities?

[WilmotWarrior]

Hopefully its not Baden....I bought a house backing onto a road and I think now they should stop using the road for road purposes...laughing

[DHLawrence]

I can see them using Charles Street, Sportsworld, and the (not very)SmartCentres development at Hespeler and the 401. Maybe the universities, but definitely these three.

[Actonite]

This is good news for the Region.

If I were to get on a GO Bus at Sports World would it take me directly into Toronto by bus or does it take me to the closest available GO Train station were I transfer to a train for the rest of the trip?
Gary Doyle on 570 news today led me to believe you would transfer to a train.

[DHLawrence]

During the hours in which the Milton line operates, it will go to Milton station; otherwise, it will go to Mississauga City Centre Terminal (Square One).

[ForestryW]

My sources tell me they've pretty much settled on Sportsworld as the main stop. Which sucks for anyone (like myself) reliant on the GRT. Or does the iXpress stop at Sportsworld now?

[gghtransit]

Originally Posted by van Hemessen

My sources tell me they've pretty much settled on Sportsworld as the main stop. Which sucks for anyone (like myself) reliant on the GRT. Or does the iXpress stop at Sportsworld now?

The iXpress does not stop at Sportsworld, but there is a push to get the iXpress to stop there (and believe you me, if GO stops at Sportsworld, GRT will getting an earful if they don't make the connection). GRT staff have said there have been many requests to have the iXpress stop at Sportsworld, it is also a proposed Rapid Transit stop; the only reason they don't add the stop is because of the traffic headaches experienced on Highway 8 that already put buses behind schedule.

[jcollins]

Originally Posted by gghtransit

The iXpress does not stop at Sportsworld, but there is a push to get the iXpress to stop there (and believe you me, if GO stops at Sportsworld, GRT will getting an earful if they don't make the connection). GRT staff have said there have been many requests to have the iXpress stop at Sportsworld, it is also a proposed Rapid Transit stop; the only reason they don't add the stop is because of the traffic headaches experienced on Highway 8 that already put buses behind schedule.

So is there a solution to get a stop there? There was talk of a stop along side of highway 8 wasn't there?

[dunkalunk]

Eventually with the bus bypass shoulders in place, we could see something similar to an Ottawa 417 transitway style stop with pedestrian overpass/underpass.

In the mean time, there is no reason why GRT can not do a shuttle-express run connecting Fairview to Sportsworld along hwy 8 and Conestoga College to sportsworld along the 401. I assume that the GO stop in cambridge will be at SmartCentres, so there would be no real need for a Cambridge shuttle.

There is also no reason why GO busses cannot run to Charles Terminal or as far as UW.

Originally Posted by bentonite

GO Transit buses roll into Region this fall

By Jeff Outhit

WATERLOO REGION — GO Transit buses are coming to the region this fall to serve Highway 401 commuters.

Awesome news.

Does anyone know how much a one-way ticket would cost to Union Station from here? Would it be significantly cheaper than Greyhound?

[DHLawrence]

Depending on the time of day, it will be the price of a ticket to Milton plus eight dollars for the Milton-Union trip.