GO reinstates rush-hour bus route

Recently, constituents raised concerns about the GO Transit service changes in Richmond Hill, and action followed. To accommodate the growing number of rush-hour travelers on the Richmond Hill line, GO reinstated the bus departing at 8:30 a.m. after it shut down several bus routes and replaced them with a single train.

Transportation remains one of the most important issues to residents and the extended service on the Richmond Hill corridor will help tremendously. Environment assessments have already been approved on the Richmond Hill rail corridor — south of Major Mackenzie Drive to north of Aurora Road in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Phase I, which will construct the new Gormley GO Station at Stouffville Road, is slated to start in 2014. Phase II for the new Bloomington GO Station is currently pending funding approval.

These improvements are not only valuable to Richmond Hill residents, but to the economic well-being of all Ontarians. Making sure that people and goods are moving is crucial, and that is why we are leading Ontario’s largest expansion of public transit.

Each year, gridlock and congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas cost our economy $6 billion in lost investment, job creation and household incomes. This is a problem we are solving through our regional transportation plan, The Big Move. I strongly encourage you to visit http://BigMove.ca to see what investments we are making in the region and what lies ahead for Richmond Hill. Or, please feel free to contact my constituency office at (905) 884-8080.

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO