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Union Station Is Actually Getting Samples Of Its Air Collected To Be Tested For COVID-19
Metrolinx isn't the first transport agency to do this, either.
Union Station is going to have its air and its high-touch surfaces tested for COVID-19.
For Metrolinx's Rail Safety Week, the transit company said it is going to be looking for COVID-19 as part of a pilot study of environmental sampling. This is all part of a campaign to bring awareness to the safety risks of transit, which include the possibility of contracting COVID-19.
To determine how effective Metrolinx's COVID-19 protocols have been, staff will be collecting air samples from high-traffic areas at Union Station and Union Station Bus Terminal, as well as from buses and trains. They will be swabbing high-touch surfaces in all of these areas, too.
After everything has been collected, the samples will be sealed and cooled down before they are sent over to a lab.
In a blog post, Metrolinx says that, while the samples won't be able to provide "an indication of infectiousness [...] they should provide evidence if the genetic material of the virus was detected."*
Other transit agencies have also looked into this kind of testing. Earlier this year, Network Rail in the U.K. conducted air and surface sampling for COVID-19 at its transit stations and found no traces of COVID-19; last year Transport for London performed regular environmental sampling and also found no traces.
The results for Union Station will be revealed within the next few weeks.
*This article has been updated.
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The GO Train Is Expanding & You'll Be Able To Get To London From Toronto In About 4 Hours
It will be making other stops along the way, too!
All aboard the GO train! Soon, you'll be able to step right up onto the GO for your next trip to London, Ontario, from the 6ix.
The provincial Ministry of Transportation announced today that, starting October 18, 2021, Metrolinx will officially open new GO train routes to Southwestern Ontario, with stops in Stratford, St. Marys, and London.
🚊GO train service is coming to London. As part of a pilot, we’re extending beyond the Kitchener corridor to serve S… https://t.co/LygwrfjtQ7— Metrolinx (@Metrolinx) 1631710853.0
Trains will now go beyond GO Transit's Kitchener line. The pilot project will have one train leaving from London in the early morning and one return trip in the evening each weekday.
The trip from London to downtown Toronto's Union Station will take about four hours, and travelling between London and Kitchener will take nearly half that time.
"Today's announcement to extend GO train service to London is part of our transportation plan for Southwestern Ontario, providing another option that will benefit individuals, families and workers in the region," said Stan Cho, associate minister of transportation. "We are keeping our promise to support local communities and reduce congestion through a better-connected transit network."
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Eglinton LRT Vehicles Are Finally On The Tracks & No, You Aren't Just Imagining It (VIDEO)
Vehicle testing started on August 24!
If you see Crosstown light rail vehicles strolling down the tracks on Eglinton Avenue, don't be surprised.
Metrolinx announced on August 24 that "Crosstown light rail vehicles (LRVs) will be zipping along the aboveground section of the route for the first time under conditions as if they were in service," according to a news release.
Eglinton Crosstown LRT vehicles are being tested on the tracks! 📹: @Metrolinx pic.twitter.com/uM0KIRUMy4
— Allysha Howse (@allysha8h) August 26, 2021
The LRVs will be doing brake testing, increased speed testing and concurrent vehicle testing for the next few weeks.
In the spring, the six LRV's were taken out of the Eglinton maintenance and storage facility (EMSF) for testing. After testing is completed this fall, the vehicles will return to the facility, according to the news release.
"While these are exciting times, Metrolinx officials are reminding all pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists that these are still active construction sites and to continue to exercise caution around these areas," the release states.
Metrolinx also warned that "pedestrians should only cross Eglinton Avenue at intersections."
Eglinton Crosstown LRT is predicted to open in 2022 as Line 5 Eglinton and will offer up to 60% faster travel times between east and west midtown Toronto, according to Metrolinx.
Along Eglinton Avenue, there will be 25 stations, and it will link to 54 bus routes, three TTC subway stations and even GO lines.
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TTC And Go Transit Have Finally Teamed Up To Give Riders Cheaper Fares
Commuting just got so much easier.
For anyone who commutes into the city on a daily basis, they know just how expensive those transit costs can be. If you take local transit within your city, plus a GO train or bus, plus a TTC vehicle, you can end up spending hundreds of dollars a week in transit fares.
Mayor John Tory's office has realized that this is an issue for many GTA commuters and have found a way to team up with GO transit and TTC to save riders quite a bit of money on thier weekly transit expenses.
Going forward, anyone transferring from the TTC to the GO or onto the Union-Pearson Express will receive a $1.50 discount off the fare price. Also, if you've paid for a GO or UP Express fare, you'll receive a $1.50 discount off of your TTC fare.
Don Peat, the spokesperson for Mayor Tory told the CBC, "This is the first step in fare integration, not the only step and not the end of the story, but a great beginning".
So who will compensate the $1.50 commuters are saving per ride? The provincial government has stepped up and will reimburse the TTC for the money lost on the discounted fares, meaning the TTC's budget will not be affected by the new deal.
Source: CBC
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