Metrolinx is undergoing a process to plan all of its rail stations, in preparation for the largest expansion of service in GO Transit's history and a massive shift towards transit-oriented station area development. The planned GO Expansion will support the growth from 3,500 weekly trains (2019) to over 10,000. With increased train service and subsequent increased ridership, Metrolinx must address the need for station improvements to meet growing needs for customer access and amenities.

Access, in partnership with Perkins&Will and Nelson\Nygaard, was retained to lead the development of 19 GO Station Master Plans (SMPs) across the network. SMPs are a high level design concepts for the ideal future station infrastructure based on the requirements outlined in the GO Rail Station Access Requirements document (2023), and considering local planning initiatives, and discussions with stakeholders. The goal was to provide a foundational integrated vision for the future roles, functions, and priorities of the stations that future designs can pivot from as technical and stakeholder considerations evolve.

Our team was able to leverage our deep experience of planning station areas across a range of North American jurisdictions to lead a collaborative SMP development process where in contributions and refinements were consistently supported by Metrolinx planners, Metrolinx internal stakeholders, municipal planners, and local transit providers. Access delivered 19 SMPs, each a crucial tool and roadmap to inform future Metrolinx decision-making about improvements, programming, and management of the GO stations, including station access, operation and maintenance considerations, customer amenities, and other factors such as universal design and integration into the community.