KITCHENER - Construction has begun on a new pedestrian crossing at the Ion Fairway station to create a more direct connection between bus and train platforms as well as the mall.

"There's a wall that's going to get cut out," said John Cicuttin, manager of transit development for Waterloo Region. "That will make it a lot more convenient for folks."

Currently, marked crosswalks at the Kitchener station - which includes both bus and Ion platforms - are indirect and some riders instead walk on the roadway where Grand River Transit buses and delivery trucks drive.

The straight path between the platforms is now blocked by a concrete curb and glass barrier. Those will be removed to put in the crosswalk, which pedestrians will easily spot with patterning that looks like bricks already used elsewhere at the station.

"This way they just cross the road directly from the platform," Cicuttin said.

A mobility advocate on the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee raised concerns about the station's accessibility in the summer shortly after Ion launched.

The committee audited stations before light rail service started but didn't get an early look at the Fairway station because it was under construction until the morning of the June opening ceremony held at the Kitchener terminus of the light rail system.

Paula Saunders said during a July tour that the intended path between the transit areas was unclear, and pointed to many people who were on the roadway behind the Leon's store instead of using the painted crosswalk at the far end of the Ion platform.

The region said it was aware of the issue during the area's design, but the separate components and available space made layout a challenge.

A couple more improvements are planned for the station before the end of the year: a bus shelter closer to Fairview Park mall as well as a bike shelter.

The shelters will be installed in the stop area for bus routes 7, 23 and 27, near the driver facility alongside the Ion tracks.

"It gives riders that are waiting there for these routes some protection," Cicuttin said.

Construction on the new crosswalk is expected to take three weeks, finishing in mid-October.

During the work, the Route 206 stop will be moved further back to the route 1 stop closer to Fairway Road.

The new iXpress route goes from Fairway into Cambridge, travelling through Preston, past Cambridge Memorial Hospital, into downtown Galt and as far as west Galt. End to end, the trip takes about 45 minutes.

The new route is free to try on Fridays until the end of the year, which saves the trouble of getting an EasyGO electronic fare card or cash fare for those who aren't regular transit riders.

"This is an easy way to experience it," Cicuttin said.

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