drum118
Superstar
Let them cry in their beer
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Waterloo Region Transit Developments (ION LRT, new terminal, GRT buses)
Let them cry in their beer
drum118
Superstar
The official ceremony for construction will take place at 1 p.m, on June 27 at Dutton Drive near Albert Street
ShonTron
Moderator
Member Bio
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- Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
Dutton Drive (off Weber St in Waterloo) is the site of the Maintenance and Storage Facility.
UWGrad09
New Member
The group that was pursuing the legal challenge against the LRT has dropped the suit: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/anti-lr...l-action-against-region-of-waterloo-1.1878391
ehlow
Senior Member
Getting on with actually building transit instead of fighting? That's great news. We need more of that in Toronto.
mpd618
Active Member
Waterloo Region has been getting on with actually building transit (but first getting all the details in place) full-steam since 2011, and that included fighting this frivolous challenge.
The official groundbreaking is set for next Friday, and there are finally big signs up at each station saying "Future ION stop".
DKsan
Active Member
So the groundbreaking didn't happen in June because the provincial election. The groundbreaking is on August 21, but work on the maintenance facility started on the 11th.
We now have a dedicated construction website: RideION.ca
We're mostly dealing with more vegetation clearing and utility relocations for the first four months, then actual construction starts in 2015. They are projected to actually finish building the system by the end of 2016, with the trains running in 2017.
News Link from the Waterloo Region Record
We now have a dedicated construction website: RideION.ca
We're mostly dealing with more vegetation clearing and utility relocations for the first four months, then actual construction starts in 2015. They are projected to actually finish building the system by the end of 2016, with the trains running in 2017.
News Link from the Waterloo Region Record
ehlow
Senior Member
Nice, thanks for updating. It's been a long time coming (years). KW looks better every year I go back and visit. Seeing double decker GO buses, GO trains, old factories turned into tech offices, new restaurants & buildings everywhere, it's pretty exciting.
This project and increased GO service would make a big impact. It's also nice that this project has a relatively short construction time.
mpd618
Active Member
There's some good coverage in the Record of probably the most important part - station-area planning.
MrsNesbitt
Active Member
Looking good! I have to say that once ION gets up and running + GO RER (or the ever-nebulous HSR proposal) reaches the area, KW will be the place to emulate when it comes to transit in Ontario. Kudos.
jamincan
Active Member
It tends to get overlooked with the LRT, but they are also planning on some major changes to the bus network that should make transit significantly more useful once everything comes together.
ShonTron
Moderator
Member Bio
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 12,453
- Reaction score
- 9,226
- Location
- Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
Today was the official groundbreaking on the Ion Light Rail Transit line between Conestoga Mall and Fairvew Park Mall in Kitchener-Waterloo. Work already started on the maintenance centre.
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4769982-shovels-in-the-ground-for-waterloo-region-lrt/
It is scheduled for completion in 2017.
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4769982-shovels-in-the-ground-for-waterloo-region-lrt/
It is scheduled for completion in 2017.
mpd618
Active Member
Construction has actually been underway on some other big pieces too: underpass at Highway 7/8, burying the Fairway Road hydro corridor, and utility relocation mostly along King Street.
mpd618
Active Member
A very large portion of the P3 project agreement with GrandLinq has been released (some description here of what hasn't.)
timio
Active Member
As with the municipal election in 2010, a number of candidates are campaigning against the LRT with promises to cancel it if elected, notably Regional Chair candidate Jay Aissa (who owns property along the route and I would imagine would have to declare a conflict of interest once in office, also the one who unsuccessfully challenged it in court earlier this year), and Waterloo Mayor candidate Dave MacDonald who six months ago said he would try to make sure it comes in at an affordable cost, but has since changed his mind. Then there's Mayor Doug Craig of Cambridge who has always been against the project and is running again.
People may be more willing to listen to these candidates this time as there is actual money on the table and construction has started to close roads whereas the 2010 election only had the idea of rapid transit on the agenda.
We'll see if any of these campaigns gain traction during the last month of the race.
People may be more willing to listen to these candidates this time as there is actual money on the table and construction has started to close roads whereas the 2010 election only had the idea of rapid transit on the agenda.
We'll see if any of these campaigns gain traction during the last month of the race.