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Metrolinx details planned train service to Bowmanville

The start of procurement for a construction partner is a positive sign for extending GO rail service east of Oshawa into Bowmanville, according to Metrolinx, the operator of GO trains.

It’s a long-standing goal of the Province and Metrolinx, said a company statement.

Metrolinx provided details of the planned service, even though the train project is yet not 100 per cent approved. The funding for the Lakeshore East Expansion was in the yet-to-be-passed Ontario budget.

Expanded rail service to Bowmanville – including on weekends – is taking its next step forward, said Metrolinx.

Metrolinx has now advanced the future service plan for Bowmanville through the Preliminary Design Business Case (PDBC).

“Once required infrastructure is complete, customers will benefit from express peak service every half an hour operating express between Union Station and Pickering GO Station and making all stops between Pickering and Bowmanville,” said the statement.

“In the off-peak, GO trains will travel hourly making all stops between Bowmanville and Union Station. Weekend service will be every two hours making all stops between Bowmanville and Union Station,” it added.

The expanded service will reduce commuters in-vehicle travel time an average of 15 minutes from Bowmanville to Union Station, Metrolinx pointed out.

In the Initial Business Case (IBC), completed in February 2020, Metrolinx narrowed the field of four routing options to just one. The preferred option focuses on the route that uses Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway’s existing alignment north of highway 401 through to Bowmanville.

Partnership with CP Rail

Metrolinx then moved on to the PDBC, which is the next step in the planning process and is more good news for those wanting to see GO rail extended further eastward. Working in partnership with CP, Metrolinx advanced and assessed service options that will deliver two-way, all-day services on weekdays, but with varied weekend service.

The Metrolinx Board of Directors endorsed the option that provides weekend service every two hours and recommended the project advance to construction and procurement. Metrolinx experts have found this will provide the best value for money, in terms of ridership and operating costs. Once service is in place, Metrolinx will monitor ridership and service levels, and additional service can be added as more customers use the service.

Under the Preliminary Design Business Case, all stations along the Bowmanville Extension (Thornton’s Corners East, Ritson Road, Courtice, and Bowmanville) will be pursued through Metrolinx and the Province’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program.

The TOC Program aims to create connected communities, next to or within a short walk of transit stations and stops, while leveraging third-party investment to build infrastructure.

Procurement Underway

Metrolinx has started the procurement process to find a construction partner for the required rail infrastructure for the Bowmanville Extension project, said the company.

The procurement process to identify a construction manager kicked off with a Request for Proposals (RFP) released in April 2022.

The method of procurement for this RFP will be the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) model.

Expanded GO rail service to Bowmanville has taken another step forward. Shown is map of the alignment for the project.
Expanded GO rail service to Bowmanville has taken a step forward. Shown is map of the alignment for the project.

The CMAR procurement delivery model allows for a collaborative approach between the construction manager (contractor) who comes onboard in the design stage of the project to assist with early problem solving, reducing the potential for risks during the construction stage of the project.

During the design stage, the contractor works closely with Metrolinx on potential solutions to design challenges – allowing for innovation, efficiency, and quality management throughout the design process.

Construction Schedule

Near the end of the design stage, the contractor will provide an estimated construction schedule and associated costs for the proposed work – at which time, Metrolinx and the contractor will negotiate terms of a construction contract, including a target price, or guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the construction stage of the work.

The construction is anticipated to kick off following the design phase.

Related Story

Bowmanville Train: Treasury green light, RFPs, RFQs going out

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