Ottawa’s LRT project shifts gears again
Posted Feb 29, 2012 07:02:47 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – Ottawa’s light rail project appears to be shifting gears again, according to a new report published by the city.
The report finds the station that is currently set to be under the Rideau Canal by the National Arts Centre is too close to the station at O’Connor. The report suggests moving the station further east from the downtown core to Rideau Street, just east of Sussex as part of the anticipated Rideau Centre expansion.
“It’s ridiculous ” according to David Jeanes of Transport Action Canada. “We’re putting our stations further apart and making people walk even greater distances than they had to with the Transitway”.
According to the report, the change would make the station more accessible to residents of Lowertown and Sandy Hill and would also spell the end of overhead walkways on Rideau, moving them underground. Transit Commission member, Rainer Bloess applauds the changes. “It’s quite obvious from the work that’s been done, by moving the station over, you’re actually providing a better service to more people”. Fellow Transit Commission member, Steven Blais tells 1310News, ” we have transportation experts telling us this is the best location”.
Other changes include the station to be located near the Via Rail Station moving west. According to the report, the move would provide better access to the soon to come pedestrian bridge over Highway 417 to the baseball stadium.
Jeanes isn’t a supporter of that change either. He tells 1310News, “The actual walking distance for pedestrians going from the light rail to the Via trains looks as though it’s going to be even greater than the previous plan that they had”.
There are also proposed changes to Bayview Station, which would be moved above the O-Train Station. Planners also want to move the entrance of the tunnel west of Commissioner Street, the protect the encampment at Cathedral Hill.
The city also wants to combine the widening of Highway 417 with light rail work because it will need buses running on the highway while the transitway is being converted.
According to the report, the changes could mean more expropriation of land for the project.
The report will be debated at the Finance and Economic committee on March 6.
