University of Waterloo station

University of Waterloo
Station structurally complete, November 2017
Location	Waterloo, Ontario Canada
Coordinates	43°28′23″N 80°32′28″W / 43.47312°N 80.54107°W / 43.47312; -80.54107Coordinates: 43°28′23″N 80°32′28″W / 43.47312°N 80.54107°W / 43.47312; -80.54107
Platforms	Centre platform
Tracks	2
Connections	GRT buses  201 iXpress  Fischer-Hallman  9  Lakeshore  13  Laurelwood  19  Hazel  30  Ring Road  31  Columbia GO Transit Laurel Trail / Trans Canada Trail
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Status	Complete
History
Opened	June 21, 2019 (2019-06-21)
Services
Preceding station Grand River Transit Following station Research and Technology toward Conestoga Ion Laurier–Waterloo Park toward Fairway

University of Waterloo is a stop on the Region of Waterloo's Ion rapid transit system in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.^[1] It is located on the Waterloo Spur rail line, between Columbia Street and University Avenue. It opened in 2019, and an attached bus terminal opened in 2022.

Overview[]

Located on the campus of the University of Waterloo, the station primarily serves students and employees of the university. The main campus is on the west side of the station, with additional engineering buildings to the southeast and administration buildings to the northeast. In addition, a major bus terminal has opened along an access road to the east, which serves Grand River Transit buses since January 3, 2022; GO Transit coaches will move there at a later date.^[2]

The station's feature wall consists of glass tiles in a pattern of black, blue, gray, and white.

Access to the platform is from both ends: from the north, directly from the bus terminal road; to the south, there is access to the Laurel Trail on the west side of the tracks only.

The southbound track is also used by freight trains on the Waterloo Spur line, which serves industrial locations in Elmira. These trains only run in the overnight hours after LRT service has halted. To protect the station structure (and the trains themselves), a gauntlet track is in place alongside this station that offsets the freight track a small distance.

History[]

Before construction of the light rail station, GRT and intercity bus services had been slowly intensifying at a set of stops along the east end of the University of Waterloo's Ring Road near the building, most significantly Grand River Transit (including the 200 iXpress bus which was the predecessor of the Ion light rail system), GO Transit's 25 Waterloo–Mississauga intercity bus route,^[3] and the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association's Fed Bus service.^[4]

Construction on the bus platforms in May 2021.

In 2016, with light rail infrastructure under construction, an adjacent dedicated bus station was announced. It would be east of the rail line and accessed from Phillip Street, shifting some buses off Ring Road and onto public roadways.^[5] Later, in 2020, it was announced that over $3 million^[6] in additional provincial, federal, and regional funding had been granted for amenities at the new bus station. This would include several heated waiting shelters and bike storage facilities.^[7]

The bus terminal partially opened on January 3, 2022, and then fully opened three weeks later, serving Grand River Transit routes; GO Transit buses still serve the Ring Road pending schedule adjustments.

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of Waterloo station.

• University of Waterloo station on GRT website

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