The news about streets, transit, and the shape of our cities in Waterloo Region for the last week or so:

Here’s the latest in walking, biking, and transit news for Waterloo Region from the last two weeks!

The City of Kitchener has been awarded gold status 🥇 by the Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) Program 🚲, administered by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition.

Why is Stage 2 of the Waterloo ION LRT so expensive, when the first phase of the project was reasonably cheap?

The first Jane’s Walks of the weekend start tonight! This one looks at the passenger railway past and future (i.e. ION light rail!) of Preston in Cambridge:

Buses are still running tomorrow!

ION light rail has been intended to help guide growth to a corridor well served by transit, but an important effect is helping the station areas become more walkable communities even without taking the train

Here's what's up this month on walking, biking, and transit in Waterloo Region. There's a lot!

I have been working on this one For A While, I hope local policy/politics people and transit cost nerds anywhere take a look

Why does ION Stage 2 cost 5x more per km than the original project, and as much as subways cost to build 20 years ago? @tritag.ca analyzed the data to find out why, looking through documents containing cost breakdowns for the original project and Stage 2.

Our new IONizeWR article is a deep dive into the evolution of plans and costs for ION Stage 2:

Stratford GO Station reopens for service on July 6, 2026! One round trip will be extended from Kitchener GO per day. This is the 72nd GO Transit station, and the only GO Station to be located outside the Greater Golden Horseshoe region.

Our newest episode is out! Rodney & guest Damian reminisce about lessons learned on their past campaign successes, preventing cuts to buses and ION LRT service, and reinstating a late-night bus! We also discuss the ALTO opposition and what meaningful consultation would actually entail. Links below!

The first “reverse trips” to and from Kitchener GO get rolling in a couple weeks! These new express trips are very welcomed options for riders 🛤️

The Record today covers our ION speed improvement ideas, and the Region’s response. Our full analysis — without the ION skepticism — is here:

The juxtaposition of these two stories really tells a deeper story of our transportation priorities.

Excited to see all levels of government work together to fund more LRT! Let's keep the same energy up for Stage 2 ION LRT to Cambridge in Waterloo Region!

We should get a whole lot more GO trains, but in the meantime there's no good reason we don't have regular all-day/all-week GO buses between KW and Guelph, or between Cambridge and Guelph for that matter. Thanks to MPPs @aislinnclancy.bsky.social and @mikeschreiner.bsky.social for pushing on this!

Guelph and Kitchener are 25 kilometres apart. Why does it take so long to transit between them? We chatted with transit advocate @mdruker.app about the importance of intercity transit and how we can make it easier and more affordable to travel between communities in Ontario.

We had a blast at our last event! Thank you everyone who came out, and we hope to see more of you next time!

The latest news, engagement opportunities, and (this week) YouTube videos relevant to Waterloo Region transportation:

Join us for a transit/urbanism themed boardgame afternoon Sunday, March 15th 2-5pm! DM for location.

🇨🇦 Bike infrastructure is a low cost, high impact solution for housing & health. But $500M in federal funding is now at risk. If approvals aren't issued now, we lose the 2026 construction season. TAKE ACTION: Email your MP by March 13! ✉️ EN: bit.ly/VCBatfletterEN ✉️ FR: bit.ly/VCBatflettrefr

The new CAO for the Region of Waterloo is Darshpreet Bhatti, who was the longtime project lead for the implementation of ION stage 1. Hopefully this is a good sign for getting ION stage 2 and beyond built.

What's happening in Waterloo Region transportation and the latest news:

Reminder to any ION enjoyers who haven't read this to do so (and to subscribe at tritag.ca/subscribe)

Glad to have had the full support of Council for this work last night! I look forward to the future report ahead of next season.

If you’ve tried to catch a bus this snowy winter and had snow blocking your way on or off the bus, I hear you. Next season, we must do better to keep bus stops accessible year round. ➡️ Learn more, below, about my motion coming to Council this week to improve bus stop snow clearing ❄️🪏🚌

Kitchener GO was bumpin! This was one of two weekend Kitchener GO train trips we get today. We need more ASAP!

ION is good, and it could be better. Here's how.

You can just watch buses and trains move across the city

Send these to your #valentines crushes, partners, or even situationship! (1/3)

We’ve got something new coming up this week. Make sure to subscribe at tritag.ca/subscribe to be the first to see our posts:

This was a blast! Thank you everyone for coming with us to ride the new Line 5 Eglinton They use the same Bombardier Flexity Freedom vehicles as the ION in Waterloo, except in a 2-car configuration Was pretty fast in the tunnels (50km/h) but slower in the surface sections. Better TSP still needed

If anyone is looking for us, we're on the top level of the first car of the train!

Go with TriTAG to ride Toronto’s new Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown LRT! 📅 Sunday, February 8 ⏰ 7:30 AM 📍Kitchener GO (accessibility cab area) Train Departs: 7:49 AM Arrives Mount Dennis: 9:19AM We’ll ride to Kennedy and back to Eglinton Station for lunch and meet @ttcriders.bsky.social at 1:00pm!

Anyone interesting in taking the Sunday morning Kitchener train to Toronto to check out the new LRT with us? Reply or DM us!

Great to see episode 2 cover snow clearing issues at GRT bus stops and how sustained community outcry can push agencies/governments to act.

We had such an amazing turnout today for TriTAG’s first social of the year! Thank you to everyone who showed up. Let us know if you have any ideas or venue recommendations for next time!

Happening tomorrow!

Here's what's on our radar over the last two weeks:

📑🏙️ First article is out! 🙌 Today, we're on the news! Discussing Toronto's Finch West LRT opening, how we can learn from Waterloo's ION LRT success, and the bigger conversation of prioritizing speed in our generational transit investments! Take a look below!🚈6️⃣ open.substack.com/pub/urbanplu...

Those advocates are right.

Join us for a TriTAG Social! 📆 Sunday, Feb 1st ⏰ 2:00 - 4:00 pm 📍ABE ERB - Downtown Kitchener Floor 1, Tannery Building 151 Charles St W

Due to the weather, we are postponing the social to next Sunday - February 1

If it has been more than 48 hours since a snow event and you notice a stop, shelter or station that hasn’t been cleared yet, you can: 📞 Call 519-585-7555 📝 Fill out the feedback form - link below! …or send me a message!

Join us for a TriTAG Social! 📆 Sunday, January 25th ⏰ 2:00 - 4:00 pm 📍ABE ERB - Downtown Kitchener 151 Charles St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6 Floor 1, Tannery Building

Parking Standards are the rules and guidelines that determine where, when, and how vehicles can park. We’re reviewing these standards and want to hear from you! 🚗 Share your feedback online at cambridge.ca/engage Survey closes Feb 8