Ottawa’s Stage 2 LRT plans expand

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson presenting the expanded scope of the Stage 2 LRT project.
City of Ottawa

Ottawa's planned Stage 2 Light Rail Transit Project is expanding its scope with a proposal that would extend the project to the west, south and east. Stakeholders also explained a recommended procurement model for the project.

The Stage 2 Implementation report, as presented by city staff, provides recommendations that meet the directions given by Council in the “Stage 2 Light Rail Transit (LRT) Environmental and Functional Design Report,” approved by City Council on July 8, 2015. The report updates changes in project scope, provides information on the final alignment adjustments, includes the recommended procurement model and the specific activities the city will undertake to prepare to implement Stage 2. The city said if the report is approved, it will allow for a competitive procurement process for all three Stage 2 extensions and the related supporting projects and permit the projects to be built within the city’s affordability envelope.

“In 2013, Council set out an ambitious goal for our city: to extend and share the benefits of light rail to more people in Ottawa by going farther and faster to the South, East and West. Today, staff delivered a report that, once approved, will transform Ottawa’s LRT network into a world-class transit system. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with our federal and provincial partners on this important environmental transportation vision,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

Following what the city called extensive public consultation and preliminary engineering work, it is proposing an expanded scope of work “to extend light rail further and faster to the west, south and east.” The proposed scope now includes:

  • Confederation Line West: beyond Bayshore to Moodie Drive, and southwest to Algonquin College;
  • Confederation Line East: beyond Place d’Orleans to Trim Road;
  • Trillium Line extension to Bowesville and Riverside South; and
  • An Airport Rail Link from South Keys Station on the Trillium Line

As part of the western line extension, an additional Maintenance and Storage Facility will be built in the Moodie Drive area to continue to fast-track LRT progress westerly and service the 8,500 public servants at the new Department of National Defence employment hub at the former Nortel Networks campus.

The Stage 2 LRT Project budget is CA$3 billion (US$2.28 billion) and excludes the Trim Extension with one station at CA$160 million (US$121.6 million) and the Airport Rail Link with two stations at CA$155 million (US$117.8 million). The city says the Trim and Airport extensions will only proceed if they are fully funded by the federal and provincial governments. Ontario committed to covering half of the capital costs for both of these projects. The Moodie extension is expected to be achievable within the original budget envelope for Stage 2

The city suggested an approach to procurement that would be undertaken through two new procurements and would continue its work with existing partner Rideau Transit Group to ensure an integrated and consistent expanded system, while maximizing the amount of work to be procured under new competitions. The first bid package would be for a new CA$2.5 billion (US$1.9 billion) design-build-finance contract for the Confederation Line East and West extensions that would include Airport, Trim and Highway 417 and city-bundled works and the second bid package be for a CA$535 million (US$406.7 million) design-build-finance-maintain contract for the Trillium Line extension.

The city believes that bundling the light-rail contracts with additional city infrastructure projects will improve construction integration, reduce detours, save money and reduce impacts to the community.

If Ottawa’s Council approves the report, the project would go to market later this winter, followed by a final report in early 2018. The project is scheduled with staggered openings to allow for faster expansion of LRT service that would see the Trillium Line South completed in 2021, the Confederation Line East including Trim completed in 2022 and the Confederation Line West to Moodie completed by 2023.

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