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Recently released renderings of the proposed $1 billion CAD, 11-kilometre light rail plan for Hamilton, Ontario showcase the LRT in action as it would appear throughout various points across the downtown. Travelling east-west on Line B from McMaster University, through the heart of downtown along both Main Street and King Street, to the Queenston Road Traffic Circle, and north-south on Line A along James Street North from downtown to the Waterfront, the system would massively transform Hamilton's urban landscape and metropolitan character.
Beginning in 2007 with the Ontario Liberal government's announcement of their Move Ontario 2020 plan, which earmarked billions of dollars for transit across the province, Hamilton City Council has been among the first in an increasingly long list of municipalities to jump at the chance to build light rail in their city. While it has not been entirely smooth sailing for the proposed Hamilton LRT, with the usual contingent of more conservative councillors and residents voicing concerns over impacts upon car traffic and the nuisance of tearing up city streets, the majority of Hamilton City Council have been in favour of this project since its inception.
The Hamilton LRT would run the entirety of its east-west route along Line B within its own dedicated right-of-way, thus freeing up at least one lane of automobile traffic on either side, with the added possibility of placing cycle tracks along the route and creating what urban planners refer to as a series of 'complete streets.'
Moving bidirectionally, the LRT would greatly alter the long-held grid of one-way streets and thoroughfares for which Hamilton is known, forcing Hamiltonians to embrace the possibilities of bidirectional traffic along large sections of both King Street and Main Street.
Seen in the image above, the Hamilton LRT would operate as a streetcar in mixed traffic for a short section of James Street North along Line A, as the trains travel north-south between downtown and the waterfront. Travellers on Line A would be able to make an easy transfer to the adjacent West Harbour GO Station, allowing for added transit options for commuters travelling in and out of the city. In the same vein, the Hamilton GO Station, accessible from the proposed James Street Stop, will be connected via a covered pedestrian walkway. Future plans may even see the addition of what would be called the 'Confederation GO Station' which would use the existing track that extends east from West Harbour GO Station, placing a terminal at Highway 20 close to the the Red Hill Valley Parkway-Queen Elizabeth Way interchange.
Travelling well east of the city centre, the LRT will bring passengers to the up-and-coming Gage Park neighbourhood, a rapidly gentrifying area of Hamilton in close proximity to downtown, which is home to Gage Park, public schools, and an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and cafes along nearby Ottawa Street.
Terminating in the east at the Queenston Road Traffic Circle, the LRT would run the length of Hamilton's downtown and then some, for a total of 11 kilometres of tracks. Along with the more obvious benefits of the proposed light rail plan, there is good reason to believe that an increase in development and urban revitalization will follow wherever the tracks are laid. In particular, the connection to Hamilton's long-neglected waterfront will more than likely see a rise in new development, such as the proposal now underway for the City of Hamilton's Pier 7 + 8 redevelopment plan, depicted in the rendering below.
In the coming weeks, Hamilton City Council will decide on the fate of LRT in their city with an upcoming vote to settle the question of whether or not the City will make a formal request to the Province for the necessary $1 billion in funding needed to get this project underway. If successful, construction could begin as soon as 2019, with the first LRT trains trundling down Main Street by 2024. While this may seem like a long time to wait, in the realm of transit this time scheme is virtually light speed when compared to similar plans in other cities, especially for those following the ongoing transit file slowly playing out in nearby Toronto.
SkyriseCities will be sure to follow up with updates on this story as Hamilton moves towards a final decision on the future of light rail in their city. For more information, check out the associated Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below. Should Hamilton build an LRT? Let us know what you think!
