unimaginative2
Senior Member
http://www.ottawalightrail.ca/en/newsroom/2012/report-on-olrt-design-improvement-update
A few new design changes have been introduced to improve service and lower costs. The Bayview station will now be built right over the O-Train, shortening walking distances while apparently still protecting for extension of the O-Train to downtown. The Train station will be built closer to the VIA station. The biggest change is at Rideau, where the station will be shifted from under the canal to under Rideau street between the Rideau Centre and Freiman Mall. There are some downsides to this change, particularly the loss of the station west of the canal near the NAC. The advantages are at least as significant, with much closer proximity to the Byward Market and the eastern part of Rideau Street. They argued that there is much more population concentrated in that area than around Confederation Square, which is quite reasonable. They also want to use the underground passageways of the subway station to eliminate the elevated walkways over Rideau Street. The new location would allow for a shallower station.
Some people have complained about the loss of the station near Elgin Street, and it's not an unreasonable complaint. A fourth station in the downtown core wouldn't be crazy, though the distances still aren't exactly unmanageable. Elgin would be barely two blocks from the Downtown East station. Then again, shifting that stop right to Bank and adding a stop at Elgin could be beneficial. The mayor said that the $40 million cost of an additional station is not affordable. (If only Toronto could build stations in an empty field--let alone in the middle of an urban area under a canal--for less than $100 million!)
While automated light metro would obviously make far more sense and would be cheaper than light rail vehicles, on the whole Ottawa's LRT plan is fantastic. I can't wait for it to be built. On that score, they're receiving design-build proposals from three consortia in July and the final decision will be made in December. The consortia will be offered a lot of leeway to design and build the line as economically as possible. The design stage, in particular, has been where TTC costs have spiraled out of control. The LRT project will be combined with a 417 widening, which will replace the Transitway during construction and should further solidify funding.
A few new design changes have been introduced to improve service and lower costs. The Bayview station will now be built right over the O-Train, shortening walking distances while apparently still protecting for extension of the O-Train to downtown. The Train station will be built closer to the VIA station. The biggest change is at Rideau, where the station will be shifted from under the canal to under Rideau street between the Rideau Centre and Freiman Mall. There are some downsides to this change, particularly the loss of the station west of the canal near the NAC. The advantages are at least as significant, with much closer proximity to the Byward Market and the eastern part of Rideau Street. They argued that there is much more population concentrated in that area than around Confederation Square, which is quite reasonable. They also want to use the underground passageways of the subway station to eliminate the elevated walkways over Rideau Street. The new location would allow for a shallower station.
Some people have complained about the loss of the station near Elgin Street, and it's not an unreasonable complaint. A fourth station in the downtown core wouldn't be crazy, though the distances still aren't exactly unmanageable. Elgin would be barely two blocks from the Downtown East station. Then again, shifting that stop right to Bank and adding a stop at Elgin could be beneficial. The mayor said that the $40 million cost of an additional station is not affordable. (If only Toronto could build stations in an empty field--let alone in the middle of an urban area under a canal--for less than $100 million!)
While automated light metro would obviously make far more sense and would be cheaper than light rail vehicles, on the whole Ottawa's LRT plan is fantastic. I can't wait for it to be built. On that score, they're receiving design-build proposals from three consortia in July and the final decision will be made in December. The consortia will be offered a lot of leeway to design and build the line as economically as possible. The design stage, in particular, has been where TTC costs have spiraled out of control. The LRT project will be combined with a 417 widening, which will replace the Transitway during construction and should further solidify funding.
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