Transit
Status of transit studies/projects-Towards 2031 target network
Last Updated: Dec 2012
Click on any of the underlined blue hyperlinks below for a more detailed description of each project. Refer to the map provided below this list to see graphically where each of these projects fits into the 2031 target transit network (as per the 2008 Transportation Master Plan).
Committed Projects In Service Date Notes
P1. East-West LRT line with downtown tunnel 2018 12.5 km conversion of existing BRT route
P2. O-Train Service Expansion 2014 Existing route from 15 to 8 minute headways
P3. West Transitway - Bayshore to Moodie 2013 Construction underway 2011-2013
P4. Adding 75 double decker buses end 2012 Part of 2011 Network Optimization Plan
Studies Report Expected Notes
S1. Interprovincial Transit Study Released May 2013 STO-OC Transpo Integration
S2. LRT route selection west of Tunneys Pasture end-2011 Carling Ave vs Byron vs Parkway
S3. Bus Priority on Baseline Rd started 2011
S4. South-east / Cumberland Transitway finished-2011 Change of plans in 2013 TMP
S5. Kanata West Transitway (Centrum to Fernbank) finished-2011 Change of plans in 2013 TMP
S6. Kanata North Transitway (417-March) EA start Nov 2012 417/Eagleson to Kanata North
S7. O-Train Extension to Bowesville not started O-Train to Riverside South by 2023
S8. West Transitway (Moodie to Eagleson) not started Not contemplated before 2031
S9. LRT Lincoln Fields to Bayshore not started Approx Implementation date: 2023
S10. Barrhaven to Riverside South BRT EA Draft Jun 2014 Alternative to 2006 N-S LRT
S11. LRT Blair to Place d'Orleans not started Approx Implementation date: 2023
S12. Interprovincial Transit Implementation not started Not contemplated before 2031
The map below depicts the 2013 Transportation Master Plan view of the anticipated 2031 Transit Network and beyond. The above listed projects and studies are labelled on the map to better illustrate their role in the overall network plan.
NCC Interprovincial transit study
In 2009 the NCC launched a study (together with City of Ottawa and Gatineau) to recommend ways to improve the quality and efficiency of transit across the Ottawa River. This is of particular interest to downtown communities because today 120 STO buses per hour are found on Rideau & Wellington streets during rush hours, significantly reducing quality of life in these areas. A better integrated inter-provincial transit system has the potential to take the majority of these buses off these roadways. The CCC was an active participant in the PCG (Public Consultation Group) guiding this study.
The concluding report of this study was finally released in April 2013. It consists of a single summary document together with a number of supporting documents focused on specific sub-topics (long term evolution, user experience, bus operations, governance).
This Final Interprovincial Transit Study Report (7MB) recommends tweaks to improve the operational integration between OC Transpo and STO but does not recommend any major inter-provincial transit changes until at least 2031 at which time it is suggested that the STO Rapibus facility be converted to LRT with a link across the Ottawa River west of downtown. The report identifies challenges to finding a way to terminate this new interprovincial LRT line in downtown Ottawa, outlines several possible options and leaves a final decision to some time in the future.
In terms of STO bus operations in downtown Ottawa, the report basically calls for the status quo of > 100 buses per hour during peak periods on Rideau/Wellington streets for another 20 years. This is combined with 35 OC Transpo buses per hour on the Rideau portion which together translates to approximately 1 bus every 25 seconds (during rush hours). Uninspiring to say the least.
In the interim (between 2013 and 2031) the study identifies the possibility of extending the existing O-Train across the river. This will not address the core challenge of moving large numbers of passengers to/from Ottawa's downtown. It's main benefit would be allowing some interprovincial passengers better connections between points south and west in Ottawa to/from Gatineau's downtown without them needing to connect through existing downtown bus transit routes. This would help to reduce slightly the number of STO buses downtown. The O-Train interprovincial extension and bus routes on any proposed east end Kettle Is bridge are not core to the long term interprovincial transit strategy.
More detailed information about the results of the study, it's detailed background documents, and the CCC's involvement can be found on this interprovincial transit study webpage.
This was the NCC's interprovincial transit study website. (Note: no longer functioning in Nov 2013)
Increased O-Train service/capacity by 2014
Jan 2015 Update: Initial projections were for service operation to begin in fall 2014. A final system testing date as of Jan 2015 is still unknown. The O-Train service will be shut-down for approx 1 week and replaced by Route 107 bus service when final system testing commences.
June 2011: The O-Train has operated successfully since its introduction as a pilot project on October 15, 2001. The Bombardier Talent diesel-powered trains operate seven days a week in an eight‑kilometre corridor between the Greenboro and Bayview Transitway stations. Today, the O‑Train is one of the City’s most important public transit links, especially for customers traveling north and south. Each of the three trains has surpassed one million kilometres of service, and the O-Train’s historical passenger count is quickly approaching 10 million. The O-Train pilot project’s initial ridership target was 5,100 to 6,400 customer trips per day; actual ridership has now reached more than 12,000 customer trips per day.
Full report on O-Train expansion
Some Highlights from the report:
------------ Rationale
OC Transpo modeling has confirmed that over 5,000 daily transit riders traveling from the south end through the city’s downtown core via Hurdman Station could travel more quickly to their destination if they were routed via the O‑Train line through Bayview Station.
In the busiest hour of the morning peak period, over 200 buses run west through Hurdman Station. There are also significant numbers of buses running east through Hurdman, as well as terminating at Hurdman and returning east or south.
Expanding the O-Train service, as outlined in this report, would reduce bus traffic at Hurdman Station by approximately 6 per cent during the morning peak. This represents a significant reduction in congestion and would be a positive step towards greater service reliability.
Further, over 3,000 additional daily transit riders travelling from the west to Carleton University and points south would benefit from being re-routed to the O-Train line with its increased level of service.
On a daily basis, O-Train expansion would reduce the equivalent demand for 12 articulated buses per hour through Hurdman Station. It would also support a gradual increase of transit modal share in the north-south corridor, in line with the recent service improvements in the Leitrim and River Road areas and the forthcoming completion of the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge; future origin-destination surveys would provide more information on this particular aspect.
------------- Financial
The $59-million cost of the recommended O-Train service expansion (35m$ of which is for the purchase of 6 new trains) can be supported by the reallocation of $3.63 million from the existing O-Train train purchase budget. The requested budget increase of $55.37 million will be offset by future cost efficiencies and revenues, including:
A reduction in the cost of transit service mitigation during east-west LRT construction;
Revenue from the sale of the current Bombardier trains, and avoidance of major costs to refurbish and overhaul those aging vehicles;
Reduced requirements for growth of OC Transpo’s bus fleet and operations in other corridors; and
Revenue from increased transit ridership attributable to the improved quality of O-Train service.
The financial analysis reveals that, from 2011 through the first 10 years of operation (i.e. from 2011 through 2024), the capital and operating costs of O-Train expansion would have a neutral net present value (within the project’s recommended margin of contingency) compared to the “base scenario” represented by continued operation of the current O‑Train service.
Approval of this report’s recommendations by the Transit Commission and Council would enable expanded O-Train service to begin by September 2014.
2011 Business Plan (Route Changes, Fleet Changes)
OC Transpo has proposed the following measures to achieve annual operational cost savings of 22m$ per year starting from 2012 with the cost savings impact of these changes increasing in future years. In 2012 the savings will come from 4 different sources.
$2.5m - Buying 75 more double decker buses and using them on express routes
$1.8m - Lowering Peak hour coverage commitment from 98.6% to 95% of customers to be within a 5-minute walk (400m) of a transit stop
$17.7m - Lowering off peak coverage commitment from 99.9% to 95% of customers to be within a 10-minute walk (800m) of a transit stop
$.7m in other operational cost efficiencies
The savings come from 2 main different sources:
Route Changes: 80% of the cost savings come from reducing service in off-peak hours in lower density areas where transit ridership tends to be lower.
The details of which routes will be adjusted as part of item #2 and #3 above will be presented to the transit commission and for public comment on Mar 23, 2011.
The following points were made regarding the upcoming route changes:
94% of riders would see no service changes (although they would enjoy increased frequency on a number of routes as a result of these changes)
6% of off peak daytime users would see changes involving a walk to get to a bus stop of 10 minutes or less (vs 5 minutes or less today), partially offset by the fact that these new fewer/farther bus stops would see slightly more frequent service compared to those stops proposed for elimination
1% of peak users would experience a similarly extended walk
some routes will be modified where 2 or more routes overlap too closely
Double Decker Buses:
The second major item in the 2011 business plan changes is the proposal to purchase 75 new double decker buses and put them into operation as soon as possible as express buses. OC Transpo was planning to add another 118 buses to it's fleet by 2016 as this was going to be necessary to cope with route detours that will happen while the LRT is under construction. Todays' proposal basically asks to buy more buses now four years sooner and to buy double deckers having them used as replacements for older generation articulated buses. This will result in annual operating costs savings of 2.5m$ in 2012 and 10m$ in each of 2013 to 2016. The 2013 to 2016 savings will be offset by 4m$ per year of financing costs to buy these buses (resulting in a bottom line annual savings of 10-4=6m$ per year). Following are some points which were noted regarding double decker buses:
carry 90 riders rather than 70 for an articulated bus
have seating for 82 vs 55 for an articulated bus
uses 11% less fuel per km than an articulated bus (while carrying more passengers)
performs better on slippery roads in winter than an articulated bus
has less headroom (esp on 2nd level) compared to an articulated bus
is slightly slower (4-6% outside of the downtown)than an articulated bus
takes longer for passengers to load and unload vs an articulated bus
This last point is the reason why it is proposed to use them only on express routes where there will be less stops. It was also noted that they anticipate with a double decker bus overall end-end trip times on the express routes to be on average 6% longer than today (because of longer loading/unloading times).
More information on the business case behind the double decker bus proposals will be provided at the Mar 23, 2011 Transit Commission meeting.
LRT Ph1 (Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel - DOTT)
After the cancellation of the 2007 North-South Light Rail project and as part of the preparation for the 2008 update to the City of Ottawa Transportation Master plan, the City undertook public consultations for a new Rapid Transit Expansion plan. A key component of this new plan is the proposal for a downtown LRT transit tunnel and a focus on alleviating the congestion / increasing the capacity for east-west travel to downtown. The system would be based on using 4-car electric rail vehicles.
It had become clear that the current situation with up to 180 buses per hour travelling in each direction during peak hours on Albert and Slater streets is nearing its maximum capacity and had little room for future growth. Already on days where issues are encountered in the 2-3 km section of the downtown network significant bus congestion and delays can occur. These issues combined with the calls of the downtown business community to reduce the number of buses in the downtown were the major drivers behind this new plan, referred to as the DOTT (downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel). This plan was approved by City Council in Jan 2010.
The CCC participated in the consultations during the development of the DOTT plan. The CCC is supportive of a light rail project intended to address the congestion in the east-west direction through the downtown. However the CCC also registered some concerns regarding the decision to base the solution on a deep tunnel (10 stories below ground) and on the fact that this tunnel would mean the system would not see its first ridership for at least 9 years (in 2019). These concerns were expressed in this DOTT letter to council.
In July 2011, in a staff report back to council, it was decided that a new tunnel alignment would be pursued which followed Queen street rather than the original 'cross-country' alignment. It was stated that this new alignment would enable a shallower tunnel (for most of the route through downtown. but not at the Rideau Centre). It was also stated that this route and the shallower tunnel would provide the tunnel construction firm more flexibility in tunnel construction methods and improve the chances that the tunnel could be built under a fixed price contract. Details of this report can be found at the LRT Business Case Update to Council - Minutes Jul 14, 2011. The following quote is extracted from that report:
"By reducing the required depth of the tunnel, the improved alignment achieves significant benefits for the project. The tunnel portion of the project will now be less expensive to build. Running underneath Queen Street allows for decreased depths throughout, and ensures that downtown stations and additional private sector accesses are less costly to construct and service. This proposed alignment will no longer be under the deep foundations of multi-floor buildings."
These are exactly the issues that the CCC had highlighted during the public consultations held for this project. Although we were disappointed that these concerns were not taken seriously at the time, we are encouraged that this project has been improved now as a result of these reconsiderations.
Detailed and updated information on this topic is available by following this link to the DOTT project page
LRT Ph 2 - Extension west of Tunney’s Pasture (W-LRT)
The City of Ottawa has initiated a study to determine the best choice of route for extending the east-west light rail project (sometimes referred to as the DOTT=Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel) west from Tunney’s pasture which is the western terminus of the first phase of the LRT implementation. This W-LRT extension would extend westward to Algonquin College. This extension has been planned as Phase 2 of Ottawa’s LRT expansion and is to occur sometime after 2019 when the 12.5 km long Phase 1 begins operation (from Tunney’s Pasture, east through downtown to Blair Road).
The study will focus on 3 main corridors. (1) Ottawa River Parkway (2) Richmond/Byron and (3) Carling Ave. The study will include several different variations of each.
A public consultation group has been established by the City of Ottawa and the CCC is represented in this group. The consultation process began in spring 2010 and is expected to carry on for several years.
In June 2012 an interim report was brought to council. This report ranked the 15 corridor/sub-corridor combinations and asked for permission to focus their efforts over the next year specifically on the top 4 ranked corridors. One of these is the Ottawa River Parkway and 3 of the remaining 4 are different variations of the Richmond/Byron corridor. None of the Carling Ave corridors were listed for further study.
The NCC and many citizens continue to voice strong resistance the Parkway Corridor. Similarly many groups are also opposed to the Richmond/Byron corridor. Meanwhile the Carling corridor which is supported by many community groups and politicians at provincial and federal levels will be given significant less study. A couple of the main reasons cited for this is Carling's purported significantly higher cost and slightly slower travel times.
More details about this study and the position of the CCC on the issues can be found at this W-LRT extension page.
Further details and the latest status of this project can be found on the city website at the W-LRT extension project page. This is the W-LRT statement of Work used to commission this project.
Baseline Road Transit Intensive Corridor
Feb 2, 2011: The City of Ottawa Transportation Committee approved a statement of work to commence an Environmental Assessment study to select and design a solution for improving transit service along Baseline road from Bayshore station to Prince of Wales Drive.
The present bus service along Baseline Road operates in mixed traffic with delays which affect reliability. Baseline Road is a major transportation corridor that facilitates movement of people and goods in an east-west direction. It is approximately 9.5 km in length. Along the corridor, there are 42 intersections of which 24 are signalized intersections. Many signalized intersections operate at Level of Service (LOS) ‘E’ or ‘F’ during AM and PM Peak periods with average delays ranging from 62 to 142 seconds per vehicle. This poor LOS adversely affects transit service efficiency and causes delays to transit passengers. Any growth in traffic volumes along and across the corridor could create further delays to transit service.
The Study will ultimately recommend a preferred alignment from Bayshore Station to Prince of Wales Drive. A range of alternative corridors and designs will be examined, including on-street bus lanes (centre and curb side) and segregated transit service.
The study will carry on for 18 months and will examine the need, the existing conditions, and potential alternatives. Those alternatives will be evaluated against a number of criteria and a cost and design proposed for a recommended solution. During this time period numerous public open houses will be scheduled as well as meetings with smaller consultation groups from citizens, businesses, and other government agencies.
Further Information can be found at the City of Ottawa's Baseline Road Transit Intensive Corridor project page.
Cumberland Transitway (Hurdman to Blackburn Hamlet)
In the 2008 TMP the City was moving forward with plans to extend the BRT system along a route heading in a south easterly direction from Hurdman station along Terminal/Belfast and then eastward via Innes Rd. During 2009 and 2010 several different route options were evaluated and this preferred route was chosen. An environmental assessment was performed on this route and as part of that process a preliminary design of the route and associated stations was completed.
In the 2013 TMP priorities were changed and the implementation of this project was pushed to beyond the 2031 time horizon.
The map below illustrates the route and proposed stations.
The cost of this proposed system is 340m$ (2010 estimate). No date for construction start has been provided at this time.
The 2008 Transportation Master Plan envisioned that all sections of the current project would be implemented as fully segregated bus rapid transit corridors. The current study has confirmed that a fully segregated transitway standard design for the Cumberland Transitway (from Navan Road to Blair Station) is justified due to projected higher levels of transit ridership (4400 in the peak hour). However, due to somewhat lower ridership levels projected for the segment between Blair Road (at Innes Road) and the Hospital Complex (2600 in the peak hour), the study recommends a mixture of bus lanes, bus queue jumps, and buses operating in mixed traffic.
More details can be found in this Aug 2010 Cumberland BRT report to Transit Committee.
This Cumberland BRT design document (6MB) contains more detailed diagrams illustrating each section of the route and associated bus stops/stations.
Notice of Completion for the Environmental Assessment was August 26, 2011.
Timing: The 2008 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) breaks this project into 2 stages. The first stage from Blair station south to Innes and then east to Navan Rd is listed as a Phase 1 Increment 1 project (prior to 2020). The timing of the portion between Hurdman and Blair is unclear as at the time of writing of the 2008 TMP a completely different route had been envisioned for this connection. (Lycee Claudel via Altavista Corridor / Browning Hydro Corridor). At this time, it had been listed as a Phase 2 (Post 2031) project.
Western Transitway (Kanata Centrum to Fernbank Rd)
After release of the 2008 TMP, the City commenced the EA process for laying out the extension of the BRT Transitway west of Kanata Centrum to Scotiabank Place and then southwards to Fernbank Rd. This extension includes 8 stations over a length of 7.9km with an estimated total cost of 425m$ (2010$). An overview and current status can be found at the City's Western Transitway public consultation web page.
In the 2013 TMP this project was significantly changed and is now envisaged to consist various bus priority measures implemented on planned roadways (as opposed to a dedicated BRT facility). The implementation of the roadway and transit measures is to be undertaken in such a way as to permit future evolution to full BRT as easily as possible. It is unclear the extent to which the EA study work performed thus far (if any) will need to be redone prior to implementation of the bus priority measures.
This Oct 2010 presentation to the Transit Committee provides more detail on the various alternatives that were considered and the reasons for selecting the preferred route which is depicted in the diagram below.
This detailed section-by-section design document (11MB) gives a more in-depth look at how the actual roadway will be constructed.
Timing: The official Ontario Provincial Enviromental Assessment for this project commenced in the fall of 2010. Regarding construction timing, the 2008 Transportation Master Plan breaks this project into 2 stages. The stage from Centrum to Scotiabank Place is listed as Phase 1, Increment 3 (2020-2030 timeframe) and the remaining section is listed as a Phase 2 project (post 2031).
Kanata North Transitway (Eagleson to Kanata North)
S6. The City is also drawing up plans for BRT extension from the 417/Eagleson Rd area into Kanata north. During 2010 various alternatives were studied and a recommended solution was presented at several public meetings. In Nov 2012 the Environmental Assessment was completed and a report provided to council. The City's Kanata North BRT public consultation web page provides an overview and current status of this initiative. The diagram below illustrates the various corridor alignments under evaluation.
The top contending corridors were along Teron Rd or along March Rd. March Rd is more promising from the point of view of being less disruptive to adjacent communities while also holding potential for being a faster connection to the dense employment nodes in the Kanata North business parks. A more detailed view of the different corridors and how they are being evaluated against eachother can be found in this Apr 5, 2011 Public Consultation (2MB) presentation.
The alignment 2 on the map above (along March Rd) was recommended as the best option. It is estimated to cost 350m$ (2012 dollars). A brief description of this recommended design is:
- includes dedicated bus lanes along the median of March Rd. for 6.5km
- 8 transitway stations along this route
- including a new grade separated transitway station at the junction of March Rd and Hwy 417
(requires complex grade separated crossing of March Rd and Hwy 417 ramps)
- a pedestrian overpass of the 417 connecting this station to the Eagleson Rd. Park and Ride lot
- a new 1000 vehicle park and ride lot at Terry Fox/Innovation Dr.
Commencement of the Environmental Assessment of this final recommended alignment (Alignment 2 along March Rd) was approved by Council in Nov 2012. Kanata North Environmental Assessment Report.
Timing: Regarding construction timing, the 2008 Transportation Master Plan lists this as a Phase 2 project (post 2030). In the 2013 Plan, this project was moved forward in priority for implementation prior to 2031 but with some potential changes in scope. For example grade separated crossings of March Rd may be omitted and the resulting cost savings used to extend the corridor slightly further north than originally contemplated.
Western Transitway (Bayshore to Moodie)
P3. This project extends the grade separated Transitway westward from Bayshore to Moodie Dr along the north side of the 417. Funding of 43m$ was committed to implementation of this project in the 2011 budget and construction will be ongoing throughout 2012.
Further information is available in this Aug 2010 report to City Council as well as in this Recommended Design Document (2MB).
This project involves building a bridge over Holly Acres road to separate the buses from the traffic on Acres road, a new transitway station at Moodie Dr, as well as a grade separation with Moodie Dr. by passing the transitway underneath Moodie. Buses would then merge onto the 417 at Moodie Dr and remain on the 417 west to Eagleson.
In order to reduce the initial cost of the project, it was decided to delay the grade separation under Moodie Dr until after 2021 as that is the date at which congestion at that intersection is expected to become an issue.
Interestingly, implementation of this new leg onto the Transitway was expected to result in a 1 minute or so increase in total trip time, partially because there is now one new stop for the buses to make along the route (at the new Moodie Dr. station). Compensating for this a more constant/predictable delay between Kanata and Bayshore is expected by removing the risks that buses would encounter delays on the eastbound 417 particularly on the Moodie Dr to Acres Rd. section. OC Transpo indicated that from a ridership satisfaction point of view, predictability was more important than a slight increase in end-end travel time.
O-Train Extension to Bowesville
S7. In the 2013 TMP plans for a N-S LRT to Riverside South gave way to a new plan to extend the existing O-Train to Bowesville instead, and to accelerate the planned deployment of this transit connection to be completed by 2023. The same project will also add several new stations to the O-Train line along the existing part of its route (a new station at Gladstone, Walkley, South Keys). The cost to implement this project was 99m$. The diesel O-Train technology has the limitation that it cannot be extended deeply into the town centre of Riverside south as could have been possible with an LRT line. However by deploying the O-Train instead this rail based transit connection to Riverside south can be implemented sooner at a lower cost.
LRT from Lincoln Fields to Bayshore
S9. Transitway buses merge onto the 417 and operate in mixed traffic between Woodroffe and Pinecrest Ave. In 1996 an environmental assessment was completed for extending the transitway along this section on the north side of the 417. Making the 90 degree turn between the north-south existing transitway and this new east-west section proved to be challenging. In the end it was decided that the best solution was a 400m tunnel that would allow a gradual curve underneath some residential areas.
In the 2008 TMP implementation of this original 1996 plan was not forseen until close to 2031 and so some interim measures were to be taken in 2012 to modify the merge ramp eastbound onto the 417 at Pinecrest (modifications underneath the Pinecrest overpass) in order to reduce the delays experienced by buses attempting to merge onto the 417. Details of this new plan can be found in this Oct 2011 report to the Transit Commission.
In the 2013 TMP the plan for this corridor changed again. It was decided that the cost of building this leg as BRT and then converting at some future point to LRT was high enough that it warranted a closer look at building as LRT right from the beginning. At the same time it was decided that extending a leg of the western LRT to Bayshore should be undertaken sooner than previously envisaged. As a result, the 2013 TMP now indicates that this section should be converted to LRT for completion by 2023 at a projected cost of 396m$. A new environmental assessment for this project will be required.
In 2007 council decided to look at lower cost alternatives and a decision was made to follow a surface route just south of Roman Ave which would require the removal of 25 homes. That alternative is illustrated in the diagram below:
Since that time, some homes have been acquired by the City however in 2010 after initiating a detailed study for the implementation of this new alternative it was decided that it would be better to return to the original 1996 tunnel based plan. The City acquisition of homes along Roman Ave is now discontinued.
Barrhaven to Riverside South BRT
S10: The N-S LRT project that was cancelled in 2006 anticipated an LRT line from downtown through Riverside South to Barrhaven. The revised plan delays this N-S line implementation until after an E-W line is in operation and shortens the N-S line to only Riverside South. This plan changed again in the 2013 TMP where plans for LRT to Riverside South were changed to a sooner extension of the diesel O-Train but only as far as Bowesville. This results in a requirement to provide a BRT connection between Barrhaven (over the new Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge) to Riverside South to connect Barrhaven to the O-Train line.
The Barrhaven to Riverside South Environmental Assessment was initiated by council in Nov 2012 to plan this project. The graphic below depicts the planned LRT route (changed in 2013 to be a diesel O-Train route as far as Bowesville) in red and the BRT connection to it from Barrhaven in blue.
A variation of the BRT plan allowed the option of extending the current diesel O-Train line southwards to Riverside South as far as the Leitrim or Bowesville station and then extending the BRT connection from this point to the Riverside Town Centre. Both of these variations are discussed in the EA document and given the 2013 plan to implement the O-Train connection to Bowesville it is likely that this variation with the BRT extension to Bowesville will be the one that is implemented.
The final Barrhaven to Riverside South BRT EA report was completed in mid 2014.
A summary of this BRT project is:
- intended to serve approx 1000 passengers/hr (~ 20 buses/hr) at peak hours
- section 1 from Barrhaven to Riverside South Town Centre: 85m$
- some sections implemented as dedicated bus lanes in the median or arterial road
- other sections implemented as bus only lanes in right lane of arterial roadway
- 3 park and ride lots at Woodroffe (825 spaces), River Rd (940 spaces) and
Riverside South Street 4 (1660 spaces)
- section 2 from Riverside South Town Centre to Bowesville: 95m$
- implemented partially as dedicated bus lanes in the median of an existing road
and partially as a dedicated busway in a transit only corridor
- an 1175 space park and ride lot at Riverside Town Centre
- section 3 from Bowesville to Leitrim or Bowesville: 45m$ (O-Train terminus)
- implemented as a dedicated busway in a transit only corridor.
- 975 parking spaces at Leitrim
- 2580 parking spaces at Bowesville
Implementation phasing will be released as part of the 2013 Transportation Master Plan update.
LRT from Blair Station to Place d'Orleans
S11. In the 2013 TMP the plan to extend LRT further east from Blair station was accelerated and committed as a project for implementation by 2023. In the 2008 TMP it had been contemplated that this extension would not be undertaken until after 2031. The cost for this extension has been estimated as 500m$. An Environmental Assessment will need to be undertaken.
Interprovincial Transit Implementation
S12. The release in 2013 of the results of the interprovincial transit study were acknowledged in the 2013 Transportation Master Plan. However this TMP did not list any commitments for any kind of interprovincial transit initiatives over the time span of the plan (2008-2031).
Lansdowne Park re-development (Lansdowne Partnership Plan)
In Nov 2009, City Council approved in principle a plan to re-develop Lansdowne Park. This approval spawned a number of more detailed studies (transportation network impact, retail viability, etc) and based on these studies final City Council approval to proceed with the project occurred in June 2010. This plan involves the City of Ottawa investing 130M$ to renovate the existing stadium and co-fund with the private developers construction for approximately 1200 underground parking spots. In addition, 300,000 sq ft of new retail development, a multi-screen cinema, and some new townhomes, office space, and a hotel would be constructed on the site by a private developer.
One of the key issues surrounding this project is whether the transportation network (basically Bank street and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway) will be capable of coping with this incremental demand from all of the new aggregated uses on this site, particularly during 20,000+ person events in the stadium. In these cases, a number of special measures will be needed such as special bus operations, occasional closings of sections of Bank street to all vehicles except buses, special shuttle bus operations to remote satellite parking lots, etc. Ottawa is now embarking on a 6B$ multi-decade plan for a new rail based transit system and the Lansdowne site is not located anywhere near this new rapid transit line. Should we be investing 130M$ in a large public stadium which is not located anywhere near our rapid transit system? A recent City of Ottawa study evaluating potential sites for a new stadium ranked at least 4 other possible locations higher than Lansdowne as the preferred location for a stadium.
Another key issue is understanding the magnitude of the impact that the transportation measures will have on the surrounding communities. The City has agreed to form a committee in which the communities will participate and a monitoring program is to be set up before the project is finished (to establish baseline metrics) and to continue once the site is developed in order to quantify the impact and propose additional mitigation measures.
The CCC was involved together with other downtown community associations in examining closely the transportation study which in June 2010 concluded that the transportation issues could be managed adequately for this re-development. Click on this link if you wish to see a copy of CCC's Lansdowne letter to council.
Click this link to view/download the detailed Lansdowne transportation report.