GO Transit

[ijmorlan]

Certainly I cannot be the only one who thinks it is insane that we are considering a train where we currently refuse to run a bus?

I think there should be a train, but I agree that it’s weird not to start by running a bus. This isn’t a route that would regularly be ruined by congestion, I don’t think?

[the_conestoga_guy]

Stealing this from an Urban Toronto thread, the Initial Business Case for the Cambridge-Guelph GO link has been published.

https://pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeet...entId=8846

Some interesting observations made on the original thread.

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/gu...sed.38915/

Certainly I cannot be the only one who thinks it is insane that we are considering a train where we currently refuse to run a bus?

I agree that it's weird, but I'm not going to let it stop me from thinking this is a worthwhile idea. I think part of their reasoning is that this is a plan that will be aligned with the future frequently scheduled Kitchener GO train. Considering present GO service sucks, it doesn't make as much sense to connect to it with a GO bus. But they're banking that the future service will be more worthwhile.

I do wonder why a stop in Hespeler isn't being considered. It would add a couple minutes to the overall trip time, but it seems like it would be a good opportunity to connect a community to the Regional transit plan that has been fairly neglected by the ION or other transit plans. I understand the argument that it would add too much time to the schedule, I'm just surprised to not see discussed in the IBC.

[KevinL]

Yeah, Hespeler should at least be a talking point. I can imagine some pushback from some parts of that community if this gathers steam; giving them a station of their own would probably help offset that.

[bravado]

Hespeler did come up in the public meetings as a potential for future expansion and the city/region are trying to stop a land sale downtown Hespeler because it's a possible future stop: https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news...ld-9058948

I have to assume it was skipped to keep this project cheaper to get quicker/more likely approval. But on the other hand, if Hespeler wants public money, they need to actually allow growth to happen. They're by far the worst vs Preston and Galt in allowing new housing.

[mgregorasz]

Stealing this from an Urban Toronto thread, the Initial Business Case for the Cambridge-Guelph GO link has been published.

https://pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeet...entId=8846

Some interesting observations made on the original thread.

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/gu...sed.38915/

Certainly I cannot be the only one who thinks it is insane that we are considering a train where we currently refuse to run a bus?

I had a look at the August 13 agenda for what used to be the Planning and Works Committee, and there is a request for Metrolinx to run a Go Bus between Cambridge and Guelph.

Link to the agenda: https://pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeet...ng=English

[Bytor]

Why not both? In the same way that we have the 7 and the ION LRT. The 7 hits more stops than the tram, and a GO bus would hit more stops than this hypothetical train.

[ac3r]

Trains have greater capacity and don't get stuck in highway traffic. Most importantly, it future proofs transit.

Do we need a train to Cambridge? I don't fully think so since Cambridge is regressive, but if Metrolinx wants to do it, then they should.

[Bytor]

Greater capacity doesn't solve that who bit about not stopping at the intermediate stops. Or are you gonna tell a person to ring the bell to get the tram to stop at 1897 so they can get off to visit their friend in the Midtown Lofts?

[KevinL]

Toronto-based transit vlogger Reese Martin has done a good breakdown on the Cambridge proposal. 

[Momo26]

Re that Breslau station...that would be new last stop correct? Or come before Kitchener?


And I agree the Cambridge connect you to Guelph seems a bit silly. I always felt Cambridge connecting to Milton made more sense.


And for the love of all things good...make KIT line two way go AND weekend service. I don't even care if it isn't all day to start. + more express. Shave that bad boy down to 1h15 and watch the ridership grow more...

[Acitta]

German firm taking over GO trains promises increased efficiency

[Momo26]

Wow that's big. And welcome.

[nms]

Re that Breslau station...that would be new last stop correct? Or come before Kitchener?

Breslau would come before Kitchener Central as it's to the east. Someday the last stop might end up further west should some miracle extend service to the west end, Baden, New Hamburg or even Stratford. This forum is for the dreamers, right? It would be interesting if the further west that service pushed that the line could be called the "Baden Line" in keeping with current GO Transit practice of naming the line for the last stop.

[neonjoe]

I’ve always thought that a west side Boardwalk station could work as well. The land is there and The Boardwalk already is one of the biggest transit hubs. Move the bus terminal off of Glasgow and there would be a well integrated connection. This would definitely serve more park and ride commuters but it it could also lead to some more intensification of the boardwalk.

[danbrotherston]

I’ve always thought that a west side Boardwalk station could work as well. The land is there and The Boardwalk already is one of the biggest transit hubs. Move the bus terminal off of Glasgow and there would be a well integrated connection.  This would definitely serve more park and ride commuters but it it could also lead to some more intensification of the boardwalk.

I mean, sure...but like all GO things, this puts the car before the horse...or rather the parking lot before everything.

I.e., building it at boardwalk would be done because there's tons of space for parking, instead of because there's a good land use plan in place to develop lots of dense urban fabric around the station.

I.e., the opposite of what GO says they want to do, and also the opposite of good transit planning practice.