” Light rail an option in city study

By Doug Hallett, Guelph Tribune
Jun 30, 2009

Last nights vote was successful for the Rapid Transit supporters:

http://www.570news.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090624_214425_7112

According to the article above, now Council can proceed with courting the Federal and Provincial Governments for funding. In 2004, the Province said they would fund 2/3 of the project.

Once funding is found and approved, Council would be required to approve the plan once more prior to being final. The question is: Will the Federal Gov’t chip in the last 1/3 or will the Region be on the hook?

As the council meeting and vote is tonight starting at 5 PM, area residents may find some of the information here useful. Remember to e-mail your elected representatives to tell them how you think.

Implementation plans, preferred routes, maps, and other information:

http://rapidtransit.region.waterloo.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=52&Itemid=1000011

In short, the choices are:

• Bus Rapid Transit
• Light Rail Transit

The preferred solution is the Light Rail option, with a staged implementation, starting with Light Rail from Conestoga Mall to Fairway Mall in Kitchener. To Cambridge, users would switch to a Bus Rapid Transit system which would end in Galt.

Below is a link to a video series by CKCO TV, gives an overview of the RT plans, and also acknowledges and shows videos of Waterloo Regions past transit systems (Grand River Railway)

http://southwesternontario.ctv.ca/news.php?id=4968

For those in Guelph: We could in theory be connected to this sytem between Guelph and Hespeler using the now freight only rail line, and/or we will be connected at the Intermodal Railway Station proposed between the LRT/VIA/GO at King St in Kitchener, or both. GO integration would be almost immediate, but any link to Hespeler/Cambridge would be 10-20 years away.

More articles of interest:

“Light Rail Transit Is Only Part Of A Plan To Change The Face Of K.W.”

http://www.kwnow.ca/npps/story.cfm?nppage=1260

“Waterloo councillors prefer spur line for rapid transit”

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/555906

570 news “Rapid transit report still looking at trains”:

http://www.570news.com/more.jsp?content=20090619_165445_9332

Good luck to Waterloo region on this most pivotal day in their history.

This week, the Waterloo Regional Government will vote on a controversial plan to built Light Rail Transit (Like Calgary and Edmonton’s) in Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge. The Kitchener-Waterloo record has published an insightful, heartfelt article to plea to residents that “Full Speed Ahead” for light rail is the decision Council should make.

http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/556666

Light Rail will also integrate into inter-regional transit such as GO Trains/Busses, and possibly even integrate with Guelph Transit in the future. The time is indeed now for Light Rail in Waterloo region and supporters of GO Transit to Waterloo region would be well advised to support it. the LRT is likely to directly integrate with the Kitchener GO Station at King St and provide an anchor for GO transit’s future success in this area.

Waterloo region councillors: vote YES on Light Rail.

From GO Transit:

"Starting June 29, GO Transit  will add a sixth train trip that will depart Milton at

08:08 and arrive Union at 09:04. In the PM a new trip will depart Union at 17:40 and

arrive Milton at 18:38."

The 0630 University of Guelph trip connects to this new train service.

The schedule for the new weekend and holiday GO Train service which will bring tourists to/from Niagara has been posted.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2009/09/8692.html

For those in Kitchener-Waterloo/Guelph: VIA rail trains 86 and 89 connect to/from this service, giving you 7 hours of free time in Niagara Falls, assuming you don’t mind the 3 hours each way of travel time. I will note that driving direct Niagara Falls is an hour and 30 minutes from Guelph.

Split 1/3 each between Federal, Provincial and Municipal government, in a slew of funding announcements for the City of Guelph is the approval of the $8m transit terminal at the current VIA Station. Guelph Transit busses will move to this location, and integrate with GO Transit, VIA Rail, and Greyhound.

As well, the Guelph/CN Rail viaduct will be rehabilitated with 8.4 million in funding.

These projects are intended to be complete within two years.

“$8,000,000 - The new transit terminal will be home to local and regional transit services, as well as the rail operations of VIA and GEXR Guelph. The design and public consultation for the project is ready to be started in 2009 and construction is anticipated to be completed by March 2011. When completed, the project will contribute to sustainable movement of people and goods.”

“$8,400,000 - The railway bridge on Wyndham Street is almost 100 years old and in poor repair. The City is upgrading Wyndham Street from Carden to Wellington with the complete road, sewer and water reconstruction plus bicycle lanes along with the reconstruction of the bridge. It is also important that the bridge be upgraded before the proposed GO Transit expansion and increase in rail traffic.”

Source - Guelph Mercury, June 6 2009.

GO Transit is getting into the Tourism Commuter market by shuttling passengers to Niagara Falls and St. Catherines on Weekends and Holidays starting Summer 2009.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1568392

Four trips per weekend and holiday are expected.

Bus service will start in Septmeber with 9 daily trips for working commuters. WHat is interesting, is VIA Rail added extra weekend service over the last couple of years, and to have VIA Rail and GO Transit compete for the same tourism dollars is fairly unique. 

Students of  the University of Guelph, Waterloo and Laurier universities, and Colleges may find this an attractive method to commute home on weekends. Ride VIA to Toronto and catch GO to Niagara.. and vice versa.

- Steve

As part of the GO Transit push into Waterloo region ( Guelph has had GO service since at least 1990) GO bus service will begin this fall along the 401/Highway 8 corridor in Kitchener and Cambridge, connecting to the Milton line train service. This service is a major step forward for Waterloo Region, establishing GO service and a precursor for Train service (if approved). If train service is approved, GO bus service will remain to augment the train service, especially when trains are not running.

For more, please visit the KW Record:

http://news.therecord.com/News/article/533957

“Go expected to make transportation announcement in Kitchener