Ottawa Light Rail On Track to Expand

Canada's capital has approved a major set of extensions to its light rail O-Train system, encompassing 27.3 miles of new track and 24 new stations.

March 22, 2019, 11am PDT | Philip Rojc | @PhilipRojc

shankar s.

Flickr

This month, Ottawa's city council approved the second stage of the city's light rail transit project. "Stage 2 is an ambitious plan to expand the O-Train network in order to bring 77 percent of the city's population within five kilometers (3.1 miles) of rail," writes Mischa Wanek-Libman for Mass Transit. Additions to the network's Trillium and Confederation lines will add up to 44 kilometers (27.3 miles) of track as well as 24 new stations, costing C$4.66 billion (US$3.49 billion).

In earlier coverage for CBC, Kate Porter reports that the price estimate for Stage 2 has grown substantially, by C$1.2 billion. "Only about $700 million of that comes from the add-ons: the rest is thanks to the increasing cost of scarce skilled labour, and the rapidly rising price of materials due to global trade factors far beyond the city's control."

Along the O-Train's diesel-powered Trillium line, planned improvements include cycling and pedestrian bridges, a grade-separated crossing for O-Train and Via Rail tracks, an upgraded tunnel, and a new train garage. Additions to the electric Confederation line, currently under construction and expected to open this year, will include similar features. Stage 2 expansions for the Trillium and Confederation lines are estimated to open in 2024 and 2025, respectively. See the CBC piece for station renderings.

Full Story:

LRT Stage 2: What Ottawa will get for $4.66B

Published on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 in CBC