The Region of Waterloo, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), and the City of Cambridge have announced a feasibility study on extending the GO rail service to Cambridge.
The project team is establishing the basic route for Stage 2 and finishing their public consultations before they go to the Waterloo regional council for endorsement. If they are endorsed, this allows them to proceed.
“This is welcome news,” Doug Craig, mayor of Cambridge said in a press release from the Region. “And we are committed to working with all our partners to find solutions that will ensure Cambridge is connected to the innovation corridor through a high quality passenger rail service.”
The Region and MTO will be funding the study, expected to cost around $200,000.
This will use the existing CN tracks along the Fergus subdivision. The train tracks will connect Cambridge to Guelph, allowing travellers easy access to the existing GO line to Toronto.
This would connect Cambridge to the future High Speed Rail Services. The Ontario government is going forward with plans to construct a high speed rail line between Toronto and Windsor, projected to be finished by 2031.
“A follow-up study to re-examine the feasibility of GO service between Cambridge and Guelph could leverage investments on the Kitchener Line, including potential future High Speed Rail,” said Ken Seiling, the Regional Chair.
“A new feasibility study would also provide the opportunity to investigate the possible linking of rail service with ION BRT/LRT, which would be a benefit to long-term transit ridership.”
