I'm wondering if they will be doing the plantings in the spring. Considering the Larch St. woonerf was only completed this fall (I think?) doing the planting at that time might not have given the plants enough time to establish themselves before winter?

Could this be addressed somewhat by having a higher density configuration on the lower level and a lower-density configuration on the upper level?

I'm quite impressed with the details they included on the new bridges for 6th Line and Trafalgar over the 401. I don't have any pictures, but there is a textured detailing along the length of the bridge, and both have inset coloured figures on the abutments (a butterfly on one and wheat sheaves...

You have to imagine that having an untolled 413 north of the 407 would push down the tolls on the 407 as well.

I think construction was put on hold for quite a long stretch during Covid, which somewhat explains the slow progress. Even without that, though, this project seems a lot slower than others in the region.

Yeah, they had moved fully over to the new lanes on Friday. The right lane still "exits" under the 407 ramp before merging again just before Trafalgar. This is still a significant jump on traffic, because people still seem oblivious that they can travel that way and stop to merge into the...

I drive this everyday (exiting onto Winston Churchill), so you think I'd have more certainty, but I think the 401EB configuration is as below right now. So there is a mini-collector, but it's a lot shorter than the one going WB that takes you from Winston Churchill almost to Trafalgar. I suspect...

Right now you can only use this trick westbound, at least to such dramatically great effect. In the eastbound direction, you can use the Winston Churchill exit to bypass some traffic as there is a sort of mini-collector there as well, but you merge back with traffic after Winston Churchill, so...

A *very* popular bike trail.

The slide also references a 31 minute improvement in travel times, though, which makes me think the number isn't a mistake. If you check the schedule, express trips are 34 minutes and local are 42 regardless of direction. Perhaps the average out of Union includes all trains departing on the...

I know Metrolinx has been doing weekend work on the Guelph Subdivision (replacing bridge spans at least, and I think there is planned work to upgrade crossings as well), but I haven't read about any work adding passing sidings even though I understand it is a prerequisite for all-day two-way...

I was reviewing the Initial Business Case Update from 2019 that Metrolinx prepared for the Kitchener Line Expansion for 2-way all-day service (pdf) and noticed this little bit regarding when they are mandated to prepare a business case: This definitely seems like something that would normally...

Interesting. I did a bit of digging separately, and Metrolinx's news release states the following: Metrolinx also has a site up now about the extension, but it similarly has no information on schedule yet. I do think it's interesting how they frame the benefits:

I think the press release specified that the train would leave London in the morning and return in the evening, but I was thinking that it would be nice if GO did the opposite to complement the existing Via schedule. That said, I don't think the morning schedule on the Guelph Subd allows for...

If in conjunction with Metrolinx, the Guelph Subdivision were improved so that travel times were comparable to the southern mainline, perhaps we could have future express service with Via (London-Kitchener-Toronto) and some type of local service with GO. Schedule-wise, I've seen some times...

It will be interesting to see what the schedule is as that would make it clearer whether Metrolinx is targeting commuters into Toronto, or people traveling on points along the line. My gut is that this is tied some way into the endless promises for improved rail service on the corridor. An...

How exactly does 338 Canada put together riding-level projections? As far as I know, living in Kitchener Centre, they have only had one riding-level poll early in the election, and the results were quite suspect.

Only issue with that schedule is that they would likely want two platforms in Kitchener when they cross, at least for the morning trips.

Someone might board a 6am train from Kitchener to London, though.

Why deadhead if they could carry passengers? (besides the cynical view that Metrolinx seemingly can't fathom running a service without Toronto at one end)