For most of us, it wasn’t so long ago that we were quickly trying to make our regular train. Though that does seem like a long time ago.

While the response to COVID-19 has meant an interruption to regular habits, we’re bound to return to those transit dashes.

At Lincolnville GO Station, getting to the train on time has traditionally meant making your way across several tracks. The station and its adjoining layover facility, where trains are kept at night at the Stouffville line’s most northern GO station stop, haven’t made it easy to quickly jump on the GO.

Most regular customers just took that in stride.

However, with the recent substantial completion of the Lincolnville Layover facility in October 2019, and the upcoming relocation of the station itself, passengers will soon be able to access trains easier, with improved crossings, more stable platforms, and better connectivity. With the construction of a relocated Lincolnville GO station roughly 500 metres south beginning this summer, more benefits are expected for passengers and the community.

We thought, during this social pause, as the tender was released today (April 3), you’d like an update to those changes – which customers will need when things get moving again.

The newly completed layover is expected to be complete this summer, with some final finishing touches now taking place. And while in the short-term, this has meant passengers only have access to the accessible platform, due to safety precautions, the new tracks and facility are up and running and will allow for more trains to run on the Stouffville line in the future. This has been possible due to extra room to store more trains and further benefits added to help the trains run more efficiently.

“In addition to the existing seven tracks, three new tracks have been added along with two maintenance tracks being relocated,” says Muyiwa Adebayo, manager of the project. “The three new tracks will include power charging, fueling and sanding facilities for the trains.”

Adebayo and his team have worked hard for the last two years to ensure the layover was complete, carefully balancing construction with commuters accessing the trains. Add to this, ensuring the safety of everyone in the area without disrupting that service.

“We worked hand in hand with the Customer Communications team to ensure messaging and wayfinding was in place ahead of time for passengers, before any platforms were changed for service,” adds Adebayo.

With the layover almost complete, a different project team begins to turn attention to the relocations of the GO station. Since its opening in 2008, the station and the layover facility have shared a space, creating a unique but awkward situation. The separation of the two is expected to significantly improve the customer experience.

For one, customers will be able to access GO train service without crossing the tracks.

Here are some of the other benefits:

• The relocated station will include 654 standard parking stalls.
• Plus 15 barrier-free stalls and four motorcycle stalls, with an additional 87 future standard parking stalls.
• It will also include enhanced multi-use access for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as a bus loop to connect GO Transit customers with local transit options.
• There will also be a passenger pick-up and drop-off area.
• As well, a new platform with a snow-melting system is also planned to make it safer and easier to maintain during the winter.

The preliminary plans for the relocated Lincolnville GO Station also included the removal of a 200 year-old elm tree to clear the path for the proposed bus loop. However, Metrolinx, the Town of Stouffville and a group of residents worked together to redesign the plan to preserve the tree and honour its importance to the community.

The relocated station is expected to be complete in 2022, with construction commencing this summer and a tender issue for contractors now being issued as of today (April 30).

Most of us have, in our movements at least, taken a pause from dashes to our trains and buses. But when we’re all moving freely again, the changes being made to Lincolnville will help save customers some valuable time.