Metrolinx - MoveOntario 2020

SteelTown · #1 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 12:38 PM**

WHOA! Lots and lots of good news for Hamilton yesterday!! Here's a list of APPROVED agendas for the GTTA....

MoveOntario 2020 Foundation Investments Total: $791.3 million

Hamilton A-Line, James-Upper James corridor and Airport connector - $6.9 million

Hamilton B-Line, King-Main corridor - $17.4 million

Hamilton James Street North GO/VIA Station - Gateway to Niagara - $3.0 million

Halton Region Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) - $57.6 million

Bolton GO Transit service improvements - $600,000

Dundas and Hurontario higher-order transit corridor development - $26.5million

Mississauga Transitway Hub: Airport-Renforth Gateway - $39.0 million

York-VIVA Highway 7, Pine Valley Drive to Kennedy Road - $62.0 million

York-VIVA Yonge Street, Richmond Hill Centre to 19th Avenue - $19.0 million

York-VIVA Yonge Street, 19th Avenue to Newmarket - $29.0 million

Toronto-York Yonge subway extension to Richmond Hill (Phase 1) - $423.7 million

Toronto-TTC Transit City Light Rail Transit (LRT) head start - $7.1 million

Toronto Yonge Finch-Steeles BRT - $17.3 million

Durham-Highway 2 BRT Spine - $82.3 million

SteelTown · #2 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 12:39 PM**

Yes you heard right, Hamilton is getting another GO Station and FINALLY a VIA Station at James St North.

SteelTown · #3 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 12:47 PM**

GTTA Quick-Wins: (meaning the money will flow right away)

Hamilton Upper James Corridor - $5.5 million

Six new articulated diesel-electric hybrid buses will provide increased service levels on the Downtown-GO Terminal-Mohawk College-Hamilton International Airport Route by 2009, as a precursor to future rapid transit improvements on Upper James Street

SteelTown · #4 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 12:48 PM**

It's all here

http://www.gtta.com/en/business/2007...nt_Package.pdf

http://www.gtta.com/en/business/2007...ov07agenda.htm

flar · #5 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 1:39 PM**

Alright now start building!

With a new GO/VIA station, the area around James North is set up to be the hottest property in town. Buy those old rowhouses now or you'll never be able to afford them.

SteelTown · #6 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:07 PM**

The James GO Station will be Hamilton's 24 hrs GO Station and VIA Station as well. These GTTA list is to be all done by 2009 so we'll probably see it built mid or late next year.

The Hunter GO Station will continue to have the GO buses and probably will continue to have rush hour GO Train service.

The GO Train will have two different routes into Hamilton. Hamilton will likely be a big GO Train hub in the future especially with being the Gateway to the Niagara as the GTTA is calling it.

DC83 · #7 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:11 PM**

Wow awesome news!!

If GO leaves TH&B on Hunter, then it would make the PERFECT HSR downtown Terminal: Indoor (climatized) waiting area, BATHROOMS FOR DRIVERS and passengers, food & drink.

Wow... I'm so impressed!

SteelTown · #8 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:21 PM**

^ Yea that would be a good idea!

I would close Hughson St to auto traffic and have covered and bigger sidewalks and install bus trolleys from Hunter GO or HSR Station to Liuna Station where the new GO/VIA Station will be located at.

DC83 · #9 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

^ Yea that would be a good idea!

I would close Hughson St to auto traffic and have covered and bigger sidewalks and install bus trolleys from Hunter GO or HSR Station to Liuna Station where the new GO/VIA Station will be located at.

Ya some type of connecting device would be needed. But I really hope the City rethinks their McNabb terminal idea now that GO will be moving to James North. This is the perfect opportunity to recreate the old Transit Terminal style of taking public transit.
It's a lot more attractive that waiting for a bus outside!

And with the way Light Rail trains are now-a-days, there shouldn't be a problem with having it go down James to Hunter then back up John to Main. Is this too expensive or worth the investment??

SteelTown · #10 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:30 PM**

Think all of the HSR buses could be re-routed to the Hunter station? Might have to leave a few buses at the MacNab terminal.

DC83 · #11 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:35 PM**

Well even if GO buses stay, there's still what? Half a dozen bays that don't get used in the back? Besides the back, there's tons of room infront of TH&B that could accomodate. The street already has an inset for parking. Those could be used as bays to park HSR buses instead.

SteelTown · #12 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:39 PM**

I'm pretty sure all of the current GO buses will be staying at the Hunter GO Station. There's also other bus services that uses the station like Greyhound. Obviously they'll be a bus or two going to the new waterfront GO Station.

SteelTown · #13 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 2:55 PM**

matt602 · #14 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:06 PM**

Very good to read, but sadly it seems light rail is not gonna be happening. I totally didn't expect the VIA/GO announcement, this is awesome. Also if I interpret the plans correctly, it seems like they somehow intend to use the existing station there? They only outline building platforms there, not a station. It also says they'll be using the "site of the former CN station". I guess they'd have to buy it back from LIUNA...

raisethehammer · #15 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:08 PM**

hmmm, sounds good.
Although it sounds like GO hasn't approved this idea yet.
I don't think I'd want all HSR buses re-routed to Hunter. Most pedestrians in the Gore area are there because of transit. I'd like to see Hughson used to connect Gore to Hunter and leave the King/Main buses on King and Main at Gore. Even when (if) it becomes a pedestrian-only zone I'd like the east/west routes to remain on the north side of King. Losing HSR at the Gore would result in a ghost-town type feeling compared with the bustle we're all used to now.
I can't see GO sending trains to two different stations so close together.
I worry about the current GO station if all trains were re-routed to James North.
Obviously VIA would use James North.
It's nice having GO Trains right in the heart of downtown.

So, are they ordering more artics for the B-Line?? Or just the A-Line?

raisethehammer · #16 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

Very good to read, but sadly it seems light rail is not gonna be happening. I totally didn't expect the VIA/GO announcement, this is awesome. Also if I interpret the plans correctly, it seems like they somehow intend to use the existing station there? They only outline building platforms there, not a station. It also says they'll be using the "site of the former CN station". I guess they'd have to buy it back from LIUNA...

what do you mean 'light rail won't be happening'??
because of the bus orders? I wouldn't think that. We could still do LRT downtown and use all the hybrid artics for the A-Line or busy routes like Barton.

matt602 · #17 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:10 PM**

Well I hope you're right honestly, I don't like the idea of bus rapid transit either... it just seemed that way to me.

SteelTown · #18 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:10 PM**

[QUOTE=raisethehammer;3181399
Although it sounds like GO hasn't approved this idea yet. [/QUOTE]

GTTA now operates GO transit so yea it's been approved haha

raisethehammer · #19 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:17 PM**

don't get me wrong..the odds of LRT is slim.
This is Hamilton, after all. We spend money like that on roads and highways not crummy public transit.

SteelTown · #20 Posted **Nov 21, 2007, 3:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

I can't see GO sending trains to two different stations so close together.
I worry about the current GO station if all trains were re-routed to James North.
Obviously VIA would use James North.
It's nice having GO Trains right in the heart of downtown.

GO buses will still be using the Hunter GO Station no matter what. Remember GO transit plans to build a yard for the Hunter Station so even if there's a new GO Station by the waterfront they'll still be trains coming to the Hunter Station, just that it won't be a 24 hrs station, it'll only have rush hour services as it's currently is. The waterfront station is where Hamilton's 24 hrs station will be at.