no matter what their transportation mode. Since 2004, a total of 82 road expansion or improvement projects have been ...
ION Update April 2014
“Its agreement to fund $300 million of our rapid transit project reflects Ontario’s strong commitment to managing the growth that we are experiencing here in Waterloo Region to ensure a healthy and economically vibrant region.”
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Minister presents funding In March, Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure, visited Regional Headquarters to present Ken Seiling, Regional Chair, with the final funding agreement that will provide the Region of Waterloo with $300 million from the Government of Ontario for ION Stage 1 rapid transit. The final agreement marked yet another milestone in the implementation of ION and followed Council’s decision to approve GrandLinq as the preferred team to design, build, finance, operate and maintain (DBFOM) ION Stage 1 light rail transit (LRT). “The Province continues to support the growth management strategies of this Region,” said Seiling.
The May edition of Region News, which is distributed to all households throughout the community, will feature a special four-page ION News pull out, filled with all the latest rapid transit updates, news and information. Keep an eye out for this special ION edition of Region News, which will be distributed in early May.
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These projects include:
Connecting to roads
The Region will continue to invest in roads throughout our community. Road improvements, in combination with ION, provide greater connectivity, quality and choice for all residents – no matter what their transportation mode.
Since 2004, a total of 82 road expansion or improvement projects have been completed on Regional roads and bridges, for a total investment of $247 million. Some of the most recent investments include:
Weber Street - widening and grade separation at railway ($56 million) Fairway Road - extension including new bridge across the Grand River ($50 million) Ira Needles Boulevard - construction ($35 million) Hespeler Road - grade separation at railway ($25 million) Maple Grove Road - widening and grade separation at railway ($20 million) Townline Road - widening ($13 million)
Over the next 10 years, there are a number of major road expansions and improvements planned, for a further total investment of more than $860 million.
River Road - extension (approximately $79 million) Franklin Boulevard - road widening and intersection improvements (approximately $50 million) South Boundary Road in Cambridge extension (approximately $17 million) Fountain Street - reconstruction and replacement of bridge over the Grand River (approximately $12 million) Ira Needles Boulevard - widening (approximately $11 million) CanAmera Parkway - widening (approximately $3 million)
ION Soundbite “This commitment is the single largest transit infrastructure investment in the Region of Waterloo’s history and demonstrates Ontario’s dedication to public transit in one of the largest and fastest-growing urban areas in the province.” Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure speaking at Regional Headquarters in March
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ION Spotlight: King/Victoria
The future King/Victoria Transit Hub The King/Victoria northbound stop
As part of the future Transit Hub, the ION King/Victoria stops will provide an important transfer point on the ION route as they will serve as key links in the Region of Waterloo’s transportation network with connections to VIA rail and GO Train services. King/Victoria will consist of two side-running stops. The northbound stop will be located in front of the Region’s new Transit Hub site, while the southbound stop will be in front of the University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy. Located within the City of Kitchener’s Innovation District, the King/Victoria stops lie in the heart of a transformed downtown neighbourhood, with ION stimulating further expansion.
Major redevelopments in this area include the rehabilitation of the former headquarters of the Kaufman Footwear company into The Kaufman Lofts, which is now a landmark residential building located at King. The historic Tannery district also played a vital role in the redevelopment of this neighbourhood, with the Tannery building now housing the successful Communitech Hub that features large and small tech firms as well as established companies such as Google and Desire to Learn. The University of Waterloo’s decision to open its distinctive School of Pharmacy building on the corner of King and Victoria in 2008 added yet another dimension to this area. King/Victoria will continue to remain vibrant with several new redevelopments already planned. Spearheaded by Perimeter Development, the Breithaupt Block – a former rubber manufacturing facility – is being transformed into a centre for innovation and creativity and will occupy a space
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as large as a full city block, where Google has already signed a lease for close to 200,000 square feet of space. Across the way, the Zehr Group has plans for three new buildings for a project that has an estimated value of $100 million. With major employers located in this area along with established transit connections, desire for residential units is high. The beginning of ION services in 2017 will help continue the story of revitalization, with developers already stating that the King/Victoria stops were a motivating factor in their decision to develop here. One Hundred Victoria
In terms of residential projects, Momentum Development’s One Victoria proved so successful that the company has plans to create another high-rise residential building along Victoria Street – One Hundred Victoria (pictured right), at the site of the old Dominion Bakery. Following the launch of ION, work to establish the King/Victoria Transit Hub will get underway. In preparation, this area will be home to the biggest piece of ION engineering – the King Street Grade Separation. Similar to the Region’s work at Weber and Victoria (separating tracks from road), this separation is required to accommodate the VIA rail and GO Train services that will operate from the Transit Hub. The grade separation will also help keep traffic moving as drivers will not be delayed by arrival and departure of trains.
The future Google offices at the Breithaupt Block
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About ION
ION timeline
ION, the Region’s rapid transit service, as approved by Council in June 2011, is a visionary plan that will fundamentally shape our community for the future by bringing LRT in two stages.
Summer 2014: ION adapted Bus Rapid Transit construction
Stage 1, which is expected to open in 2017, includes a 19 km LRT route from Conestoga Mall to Fairview Park Mall, with stops in Downtown Kitchener, Grand River Hospital, UpTown Waterloo, both Universities and Waterloo Park.
Summer 2014: Start of ION Stage 1 LRT construction Spring 2015: ION aBRT service begins Fall 2016: Delivery of the first ION vehicle Fall 2017: Start of ION LRT service
It also features a 17 km route of adapted Bus Rapid Transit (aBRT) from Fairview Park Mall to the Ainslie Street Terminal, with four stops along Hespeler Road. The aBRT service will begin operating in early 2015. Stage 2 will see the Region convert the aBRT line to LRT, creating a seamless 37 km ION service of 23 stops between Cambridge and Waterloo.
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