Extension Westward
In September 2008, GO Transit unveiled a proposal to extend the line past Georgetown to Acton, Guelph, and Kitchener. In the final Environmental Study Report released in July 2009, the extension was identified as both viable and preferable to bus service. The report selected the following sites for four new stations:
- Georgetown - current GO Station to be retained and expanded in its current location
- Acton - to be located at the former GO Station site at Hide House
- Guelph - to be located at the existing Via station and former GO Station in that city's downtown
- Breslau - to be located on the eastern side of the village at the end of an extended Greenhouse Road. Would serve as the primary park and ride facility for entire Waterloo Region.
- Kitchener - to be located in that city's downtown at the existing Via station on an interim basis, and then ultimately relocated three blocks west to a new multimodal station on King Street with connectivity to the proposed LRT line.
A layover yard, potentially expandable to a full refueling and servicing facility, would be constructed on the western side of Baden. The report suggests passenger service could be added to this facility (akin to Lincolnville GO Station) at a later date, as well as identifying Rockwood as a potential location for an infill station as demand warrants.
In November 2010, a limited rollout of the above plan was announced to be in place by late 2011. Two trains daily were planned to serve Acton, Guelph and Kitchener (the latter two at their existing Via locations); layover for those trains would be at a small facility in Kitchener. $18 million would be spent to get this first stage operational, with further upgrades to come. Service to Guelph and Kitchener began December 19; the Acton station's opening has been delayed into 2013. The line was renamed the 'Kitchener GO Train line' on the same date.
Read more about this topic: Kitchener Line
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