GO train riders in Mississauga's south end will need a backup plan for the next two weekends as Metrolinx shuts down part of the Lakeshore West line to keep replacing an aging rail bridge on the city's eastern border.
The provincial transit agency said there will be no train service between Oakville GO and Mimico GO on Saturday, Jan. 17, and Sunday, Jan. 18. The same shutdown will be repeated on Jan. 24 and 25. Trains will run as usual between Niagara Falls and Oakville.
What riders need to know
GO buses will run between Oakville and Clarkson GO stations, then directly to the Union Station Bus Terminal in downtown Toronto.
There will be no GO service at all at Port Credit and Long Branch stations during the closures.
Special trains will run hourly between Mimico GO and Union Station.
The changes apply all day on Saturday and Sunday on both weekends.
Riders who normally board at Port Credit can catch the replacement buses at Clarkson GO.
Why the work is needed
The work centres on the Etobicoke Creek railway bridge, which carries the Lakeshore West line across the creek at the Toronto-Mississauga border. Metrolinx says the bridge is more than 100 years old and has reached the end of its useful life, and that crews can only work on it when trains are not running.
The goal is to replace the bridge structure this winter.
— Metrolinx
The agency has also said the new bridge must be built to support future expansion of the rail corridor so that more trains can run.
Weekend closures on this stretch of the line have been running for the past couple of months. Metrolinx said that during closures in December, crews tested and commissioned the large crane needed to lift the new bridge into place and replaced the structures supporting two of the tracks over the creek.
Plan ahead
Metrolinx advises riders to check trip planners and service updates before leaving, and to allow extra time for the bus connection.
Details on the construction and the replacement service are posted on the Metrolinx and GO Transit websites.
