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Caledon-Vaughan GO Rail Line

dowlingm said:
By your username I assume you can supply local perspective - what do you make of the prospects here?
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Lived in the area for nearly 30 years, a stones throw from the proposed station location.

Option 4 is about 6,500 square M and includes a residential home (occupied) that would have to be expropriated I guess. Option 2 is about 21,000 square M, also includes a home but I believe it is unoccupied and was last used as a sales office for the nearby townhomes. I'm not sure if it is a designated heritage building but the station property could be built around the building if necessary.

I support option 2 obviously due to the size, but also because it can still make use of the woodbridge foam property should that business relocate at some point in the future. It's also closer to the historical location of the CP Rail Woodbridge station, which was slightly north of the location.

The Fairgrounds property would be my second choice but I'd rather do as much to keep the fair going, rather than start to carve out pieces for other uses. It is closer and more accessible to the central Woodbridge area (though with significant elevation changes) opening up access to residents in that area though.

In the end I don't think that area is very good for a GO station to be honest. Public transit connections are nearly non existent, VIVA Orange passes 1 Km to the South, Route 10 passes the station but currently only runs during peak periods. Walk in potential is low as, despite some intensification over the last 20 yrs the surrounding area is still very much low density. Commuter parking is an issue as the property at best might be able to support 1,750 parking spaces (more if Woodbridge foam leaves and you use that space) but the surrounding road network would be completely overwhelmed by that amount of traffic. IIRC it already is very congested during peak periods. Woodbridge Ave would need to be converted to a 4 lane road from the station to Hwy 7 at minimum. The problem is any other location would have similar issues.

- Placing the station dead in the middle of "downtown" Woodbridge would capture much of the residents in that area but puts the station on a bridge with a significant grade change and no space for commuter parking.
- Same with a station at hwy 7. There's a potential connection with VIVA orange but again a significant grade change between the road way and the rail bridge.
- Langstaff might work but you begin to move away from the central Woodbridge area and are in VERY low density now.
- Then you have Hwy 27/Rutherford Rd area. Which would be ideal for a commuter station. Easy access to Hwy 27/50/427 and Rutherford Rd. It would serve as a Western anchor for rte 85 Rutherford and possibly 7 Martin Grove and 13 Islington. As well as GO Bolton Bus. And lots of land for parking

So in the end I would say that a small "village" station at Kipling (think Aurora GO minus the parking garage) and a commuter station at Rutherford would be the best option.

Unfortunately everywhere you might suggest to place a station has it's own issues.
 
In the virtual open house they kept mentioning the Markham GO Station as a "model" for the Woodbridge Go station because of similar size constraints and surroundings.
 
Maco in the 6 said:
In the virtual open house they kept mentioning the Markham GO Station as a "model" for the Woodbridge Go station because of similar size constraints and surroundings.
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I'm not familiar with Markham GO. Though taking a look on google maps I see that Main st is 5 lanes through the station area. That would require a significant rebuild of Kipling Ave.
 
Woodbridge GO Station Land Use Study - Report and Conceptual Station Plans

"...City staff and Hertel Planning agree that Site 1 (the Woodbridge Foam Corporation lands) should be selected as the preferred site for a potential Woodbridge GO Station, and that conceptual design work should be completed to visualize the potential layout of the area, along with work on an official plan amendment to protect for the station within the City’s planning framework."

1a.jpg
1b.jpg
 
I assume that crossing on the northwest end of the platform will likely not be grade separated given the tight turns at both sides?
 
With the $15 billion investment at Honda in Alliston, that town is set to grow.
Is it feasible to see this line eventually extended there, possibly ending in Allandale Barrie?
 
borgo100 said:
With the $15 billion investment at Honda in Alliston, that town is set to grow.
Is it feasible to see this line eventually extended there, possibly ending in Allandale Barrie?
Click to expand...

I thought the rail line connecting Allendale in Barrie to Collingwood (and the bala sub) had been abandoned
 
borgo100 said:
With the $15 billion investment at Honda in Alliston, that town is set to grow.
Is it feasible to see this line eventually extended there, possibly ending in Allandale Barrie?
Click to expand...
Two questions:
- what does this have to do with GO service to Bolton?
- what "this line"?

Woodbridge_Heights said:
I thought the rail line connecting Allendale in Barrie to Collingwood (and the bala sub) had been abandoned
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Yes, west of Utopia (CP crossing) but still pretty much intact. No where near Alliston or Bolton.
 
borgo100 said:
With the $15 billion investment at Honda in Alliston, that town is set to grow.
Is it feasible to see this line eventually extended there, possibly ending in Allandale Barrie?
Click to expand...

Bolton to Alliston seems likely at some point (20 year plan?) though just as a GTA land expansion rather than anything to do with the car plant, especially if Innisfill grows steadily. I very much doubt if they would try to connect into Alliston to Allandale via BCRY at any point in the future.

GO has full ownership over the Barrie Line and can run 5 minute frequencies on that route if they want. Barrie doesn't need additional connectivity to Toronto and there isn't the commuting volume to make a railway connection worth while without desiring far more Allandale <-> Toronto capacity. Yes, not all trips are to Toronto but railways carry tens of thousands not dozens or hundreds: Even Ford's piggy bank is getting low with Ontario bonds going for > 5%. His smattering of subway announcements occurred when they were under 1.5%.

Slim chance we might see an Angus and Midhurst stop on that line the distant future but there will need to be a very expensive project to take corridor control before that; not unlike what we desire for the Milton line.
 
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rbt said:
Bolton to Alliston seems likely at some point (20 year plan?) though just as a GTA land expansion rather than anything to do with the car plant, especially if Innisfill grows steadily. I very much doubt if they would try to connect into Alliston to Allandale via BCRY at any point in the future.

GO has full ownership over the Barrie Line and can run 5 minute frequencies on that route if they want. Barrie doesn't need additional connectivity to Toronto and there isn't the commuting volume to make a railway connection worth while without desiring far more Allandale <-> Toronto capacity. Yes, not all trips are to Toronto but railways carry tens of thousands not dozens or hundreds: Even Ford's piggy bank is getting low with Ontario bonds going for > 5%. His smattering of subway announcements occurred when they were under 1.5%.

Slim chance we might see an Angus and Midhurst stop on that line the distant future but there will need to be a very expensive project to take corridor control before that; not unlike what we desire for the Milton line.
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I don't see CP relinquishing control on their only domestic mainline to/from the west.
 
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