Oakville mayor rips Metrolinx’s decision to defer Kerr Street underpass

Oakville Mayor Rob Burton says Metrolinx has created a “chicken and egg” situation with their decision to defer the Kerr Street Grade underpass.

“Electrification will double the GO train trips, and you have to have a grade separation. Otherwise, nobody will be able to get to the Go station,” said Burton at Wednesday’s Halton Region Council meeting.

“So, it’s a chicken and egg problem that Metrolinx has now created with their decision to indefinitely defer this important project.”

Metrolinx, which announced Thursday it would adding evening and weekend Go train service on the Lakeshore West line for Oakville riders, has acknowledged the Kerr Street Grade Separation must proceed before electrification (conversion of machine system to electrical power) is achieved.

Outside of Union Station in Toronto, Oakville has the busiest station on the Go Transit network. In 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 1.5 million trips using the Oakville Go Station.