No. H 018/09
For release - January 16, 2009
Improvements will shorten commute for GO Transit users
TORONTO — Construction of an underpass to separate GO commuter rail lines and Canadian Pacific Railway's (CP's) freight trains along GO Transit's Georgetown line is well underway. The $277-million West Toronto Diamond grade separation will be a welcome improvement for commuters who use this GO Train service.
"This investment will help cut commute times on GO Trains and will help get commuters out of their cars and onto public transit," said John Baird, Canada's Transport and Infrastructure Minister. "Projects like this will help clear the air, reduce congestion and stimulate the economy in the Greater Toronto Area."
The CN tracks along the Georgetown line will be lowered to run below CP's North Toronto line rather than across it. The new underpass will eliminate scheduling conflicts between CP freight trains and GO Trains, increasing the frequency of GO service on the Georgetown line. Of the $277 million, $159 million is being funded through the GO Transit Rail Improvement Program (GO TRIP) funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and municipal governments in the Greater Toronto area through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.
"Investing in our transit infrastructure is creating jobs and improving customer service," said the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario's Minister of Transportation. "More frequent and reliable service means people spend less time travelling and waiting for trains, and more time doing the things that are important to them."
To date, third-party utilities, as well as the Dupont Street bridge, train signals and a major water main have been relocated to enable construction of the depressed corridor and two additional bridges. The project is expected to be complete by spring 2011.
"The West Toronto Diamond rail-to-rail grade separation is one of the largest and most comprehensive projects in the GO Transit Rail Improvement Program," said Gary McNeil, managing director of GO Transit. "Not only will the separation allow GO Trains and freight trains to pass through the area with fewer interruptions, but it will also lay the groundwork for future development of GO Train service for customers in this part of the Greater Toronto Area."
A backgrounder with information on federal and provincial transit funding, as well as the GO TRIP projects, is attached.
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