MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 29, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec; Bob Delaney, Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville; Her Worship Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga; and Bruce McCuaig, President and CEO of Metrolinx, today marked the start of the west segment construction of the Mississauga Transitway.
Set to open in 2016, the Mississauga Transitway west segment will feature a two-lane, 1.5- kilometre bus-only road on the north side of Highway 403. It will also boast two new state-of-the-art stations at Winston Churchill Boulevard and Erin Mills Parkway. MiWay and GO Transit will service the transitway.
"I'm pleased to see the Mississauga Transitway project continue to move forward," said Minister Raitt. "Projects such as this one will help increase economic growth and improve the quality of life for residents in Mississauga by providing a more efficient transit option, while cutting commute times and taking more cars off the road."
"Building public transit helps create good jobs, cuts traffic congestion and gets us where we need to be, whether that's work, school, or the mall," said MPP Delaney. "Our support for this project is strengthening our community and boosting our economy."
"The Mississauga Transitway will provide better and faster transit service to the citizens of Mississauga and our neighbouring municipalities," said Mayor McCallion. "Residents rate transportation as their number one concern. Our residents want less gridlock and better transit. This project is helping to deliver that."
"We're proud to mark another significant step in developing a truly integrated regional transportation network," said Mr. McCuaig. "Metrolinx is committed to implementing our regional transportation plan, The Big Move, and furthering our progress across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Starting construction on the west segment of the Mississauga Transitway is tangible evidence that real, meaningful change is already happening in Mississauga."
The west segment from Winston Churchill Boulevard to Erin Mills Parkway is being constructed by Metrolinx. The City of Mississauga is constructing the easterly corridor, a section of which will open in 2014 with stations at Central Parkway, Cawthra, Tomken and Dixie
When fully completed in 2016, the 18-kilometre transitway will have 12 stations, beginning at Winston Churchill Boulevard in the west and ending at Renforth Drive in the east. From the west, passengers will travel on a dedicated transitway from Winston Churchill Boulevard to Erin Mills Parkway. Buses will then travel on existing bus-only lanes on Highway 403 from Erin Mills Parkway to Mississauga's downtown core via Centre View Drive and Rathburn Road. The transitway then continues along a dedicated corridor that runs parallel to Highway 403 and north of Eastgate Parkway and Eglinton Avenue to Renforth Station. From there, buses will continue travelling to Pearson International Airport and the Toronto Transit Commission's Islington subway station.
The Mississauga Transitway project is a partnership between all levels of government. The Government of Canada is contributing up to $83 million to the project through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund: $59 million to the City of Mississauga for the east segment and $24 million to Metrolinx for the west segment. The Province of Ontario has provided $65 million to the City of Mississauga to support the project and is contributing another $48 million to Metrolinx for investments in GO Transit assets related to the transitway. The City of Mississauga and Metrolinx will fund the remaining project costs.
SOURCE: Transport Canada
Ashley Kelahear
Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Patrick Searle
Minister's Office
Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto
416-327-1815
Kimberly Hicks
Communications Advisor
Transportation & Works
City of Mississauga
905-615-3200, ext. 5232
TTY: 905-896-5151
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Bob Nichols
Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Toronto
416-327-1158
Vanessa Thomas
Media Relations
Metrolinx
Toronto
416-202-5974
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