Highway 7 - Kitchener to Guelph

[plam]

The March 2021 Preliminary Design Business Case for 2WAD service to Kitchener outlined two options [1], but did not recommend one approach over the other. The first, cheaper one requires only improvements to the line and the addition of passing tracks and second platforms at select stations. Work on these improvements was taking place last year and I expect we will see work continue this year. The second option involves a rail-rail grade separation east of Georgetown allowing Kitchener Line and CN traffic to cross without interfering. This would allow greater operational flexibility and reduce travel times for Kitchener-Union trips from the 98 minutes under the first option to 90 minutes with the grade separation. Metrolinx has just recently announced notice of expropriation of land along the Halton Subdivision [2] where the Silver Junction grade separation would be, which, while not evidence of proceeding with Option 2, is at least evidence that they are keeping that option available.

It seems to me that they have the business case outlining what is needed for 2WAD service, and that we have seen progress on that front this past year, so I think that we have enough evidence to allow some measure of optimism.

1. https://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalpla...-FINAL.pdf
2. https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/go...st-1798499

The PDBC is an interesting read, but I thought it is important to point out that even with Option 1, which has no grade separation at Silver Junction, Metrolinx would be able to provide hourly 2WAD service as well as 30-min peak service to Toronto in AM and from Toronto in PM. The second option just allows greater operational flexibility and speed.

Yeah, I'm a bit more optimistic than Bytor. The GO running time is now 1h43 = 103 minutes, which is the same as the old VIA time. (VIA now runs in 1h34 but there's now only 1 service a day). 90 minutes would be pretty good indeed.