Ottawa puts light rail on the fast track

The Canadian City of Ottawa released a report to accelerate the implementation of light rail transit as directed by the city's Finance and Economic Development Committee. If approved, the revised schedule will see the light rail system fully operational in the spring of 2018, a full year earlier than planned under the previous Council. Advancing the procurement process and completing the selection of a winning firm will enable the construction of the system to begin approximately six months earlier than had been planned. The preliminary engineering effort allowed for a more detailed look at the construction schedule, saving an additional six months. It is expected that the private sector will provide additional opportunities to speed implementation through a competitive process. The accelerated timeline comes in response to committee direction in March to identify ways to realize the benefits of the project sooner. "This project is the backbone of Ottawa's future transit system and I've heard time and again from residents that they want to see this light rail project built," said Ottowa Mayor Jim Watson. "I feel very confident that this plan responds to the desire to speed up project delivery and keeps a strong focus on fiscal prudence and effective risk management." The report also sets out a proven, private-sector procurement model that includes taking responsibility for delivering an integrated system. This will include the final design, construction and ongoing maintenance.