View attachment 519608
I've talked about pieces of this in various threads, but I threw together a sketch of my thoughts on the far western GTA and Grand River Valley. Aside from my interest in the area it's also what I'd consider an appropriate alternative use for Highway 413 funds, as well as a good mix of projects for the "GTA West" transit study that the consultant felt needed to be recommended in the original 413 EA.
Basically (in [mostly] counterclockwise order, starting in Milton):
- Milton line extension to Guelph via Guelph Junction Railway
- Cambridge ION as planned, ideally using alternative T3 for a Concession Street terminal, with an eventual, likely mostly tunneled (but realistically wholly suitable for on street operation) extension to the Main / Dundas area
- Fergus Sub Tram Train through running to Galt via Guelph
- Grand Valley Railway reconstruction from Galt to Brantford via Paris
- I've marked, and am sympathetic to reviving the Guelph Junction spur allowing through running from the GJR onto Fergus (which I tend to assume will end up owned by Waterloo Region at some point, and would wholly support contracting out ops to Guelph on), but this is definitely not strictly needed
- Frequent local rail service from Guelph to at least Ira Needles, potentially on to Baden and/or new Hamburg
- Elmira Tram Train terminating in Downtown Kitchener via either new chord at Benton / Charles or crossover at Market Station; this really isn't a short term priority, but should replace the Elmira bypass in Region of Waterloo long term plans
- Brantford - Hamilton Tram Train mostly re-using whatever VIA see fit to run on and entering Hamilton via LRT
- Dundas extension to Hamilton LRT, surface running, entering Dundas via Hatt street
- Dundas LRT tunnel mostly under Sydenham then paralleling Dundas Sub to wherever a VIA station can be built (I tend to assume Hwy 8 / Brock Rd) - no underground station
- James North LRT spur, potentially cut back to West Harbour, potentially extended east to serve industrial waterfront
- Confederation GO LRT extension
- Mountain LRT Spur, on the face of things I'm inclined to suggest a surface alignment on John, tunneled south of Arkledun under Claremont Access, surfacing for a terminal at West 5th / James; bear in mind that if gradients become ! an issue the portal can be pull west along Fennel
- eventual extensions/branches on Mountain, Fennel, James, Mohawk routing ending at Wentworth/Mohawk seems a good first stage
- GO Sub extension from Burlington GO, rejoining Dundas Sub somewhere east of Bayview Junction (I assume a significant viaduct, quite possibly following the 403); potentially including branch for direct Hamilton access
- relocation of VIA service from Aldershot to Burlington, Tram Train LRT connection to be built at West Harbour providing frequent link from Burlington onto James Street spur (likely operating as tail end of through running Guelph - Brantford - Hamilton service, but definitely not the only pattern that would work)
Aside from presuming permissions for some kind of Tram Train operation one of my bigger concepts in this is that I've been wrestling with whether Toronto - Windsor/Detroit trains should be sent into Hamilton given the improved stub terminal operations with double ended sets. my conclusion is that no, reactivation big chunks of the Hamilton and Brantford radial ROW (mostly trails now) isn't worth it. Better to build a simple Bayview bypass and create better link to the LRT at Aldershot/Burlington and Dundas.
