GUELPH/ERAMOSA – Any plan to connect Cambridge and Guelph by train is going to require cooperation from the County of Wellington, including adding an overpass to a major county road already scheduled for upgrades this year.
That’s what the Wellington County roads committee heard in a delegation from Oriana Aguas, Region of Waterloo transportation services department project manager, at a Tuesday morning meeting.
Aguas explained the region is developing a business case for a passenger rail line between Cambridge, at a potential future light rail station in Hespeler, and Guelph at the downtown station.
The service would run on a railway line right now used exclusively for freight running through Guelph/Eramosa township called the Fergus subdivision line. The tracks would require upgrades.
This project, Aguas explained, would benefit Cambridge by giving Guelph commuters an option and would provide a connection point to Union Station.
It would however require upgrades at railway crossings in the County of Wellington.
“We identify the crossing at Wellington Road 124 should be upgraded to, not an at-grade crossing anymore, an underpass or overpass,” Aguas said, later adding others would see more minor upgrades as well.
The rail line crosses Wellington Road 124 west of Wellington Road 32 South. Aguas said the rail line is skewed there, providing little visibility on the busy road which is why it requires this sort of upgrade.
Committee chair Gregg Davidson noted Wellington Road 124 is a major corridor between Guelph and Cambridge with already planned upgrades beginning this year.
The county will be expanding the road to four lanes and installing roundabouts at Wellington Road 32 North and Wellington Road 32 South.
Davidson wanted to know who pays for this and didn’t think the county should foot the bill.
“The project funding and funding model comes in the next steps, we don’t have the answers to that yet,” Aguas said.
Coun. Michael Dehn wondered if the region had considered connecting with the Milton line to get Cambridge commuters to Union Station.
Aguas said this wouldn’t help the large commuter base that goes to Guelph but also wasn’t feasible because the Milton line is already at capacity and Metrolinx is not looking to add more in the near future.
Right now, there is no direct GO bus line between Guelph and Cambridge which Dehn asked if that would be a more logical first step. Aguas agreed that would serve the needs in the immediate future and could be put in place faster.
The Region of Waterloo is hosting three public consultation meetings: at Cambridge City Hall on March 18 from 6 to 8 p.m., a virtual meeting on March 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and at Guelph City Hall on March 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The region plans to come to impacted municipalities seeking a support resolution at a later date.
More information on the project and the upcoming consultation can be found here.
