Confederation Line

Confederation Line
Overview
Type	Light Rail
Stations	13
Services	1
Website	ottawalightrail.ca
Operation
Operator(s)	OC Transpo
Depot(s)	LRT depot at Belfast Road and St-Laurent Boulevard
Rolling stock	Alstom Citadis Spirit
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Confederation Line is the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line to be constructed in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; while it will be named the “Confederation Line” during the construction period, once construction is complete, OC Transpo and the Transit Commission will determine the name of the line during its operation that will consider wayfinding and integration into the entire transit system.

The project’s thirteen stations and the connectivity it provides to Ottawa symbolically mirrors Canada’s own development as a nation through the federal government’s investment in national railways to bring together the country. With project approval by Ottawa City Council and the contract award in December 2012 the construction schedule will see the downtown portion of the project substantially complete by 2017, the 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation. At a cost of just over two billion dollars, it is the largest infrastructure project awarded in the history of the city.

History

The line was approved unanimously by Council on December 19, 2012 after many years of debate on a rapid transit netork for the city. The line represents the initial phase of the network and will be implemented through a 30-year Design-Build-Finance-Maintenance agreement with the Rideau Transit Group. The Citadis Spirit light train will be used to provide passenger service.

Route and stations

Route

Scale drawing of LRT expansion plan. Current O-Train shown for reference.

Plans call for Confederation Line to extend from Tunney's Pasture in the west to Blair Station in the east end, a distance of 12.5 km including a tunnel running under Queen Street in the central business district.

Stations

There will be 13 stations along the line. The three downtown subway stations are to have 120 metre platforms; the remainder will be 90 metres with provision for future expansion.

• Tunney's Pasture, a major federal government employment area.
• Bayview Station, a major transfer point between the future east-west line and the current north-south line.
• Lebreton Station, improving transit connections with Gatineau and create a new transit node along Booth Street.
• Downtown West, located under Queen Street, replacing the Bay and Kent stations. To be integrated with Place de Ville's underground concourse.
• Downtown East, located under Queen Street, replacing the Bank and Metcalfe stations. Possible integration with the Sun Life Centre.
• Rideau, located under Rideau Street, integration with the Rideau Centre complex. Replaces the existing Mackenzie King Station and will be the most important transfer station, providing transfers between the Confederation Line and the city's urban bus routes to the east (Montreal Road) and south (Bank Street).
• Campus Station, to be built over the existing station, also replacing Laurier Station, serving the University of Ottawa.
• Lees Station
• Hurdman Station, a major transfer point between LRT and the Southeast Transitway.
• Train Station, a transfer point to the Via Rail Ottawa Train Station. A pedestrian bridge is to be built to serve Ottawa Stadium north of the Queensway.
• St. Laurent Station, integrated with the St. Laurent Shopping Centre. Major transfer between the Confederation line and east end bus routes. Possibly the simplest conversion since it is already underground.
• Cyrville Station
• Blair Station, a major transfer point between the LRT and Bus Rapid Transit Route 95 to Orleans.

Vehicle

The Citadis Spirit (wider variant of Citadis 302) light trainset has been ordered and will be assembled in Altsom's plant in Hornell, New York with finally assembly in Ottawa at the new Belfast yards.

Depot

A new depot and rail yard will be built at Belfast Road and St-Laurent Boulevard, directly behind OC Transpo's headquarters and main bus depot (down the track from Ottawa Train Station).

Rail signalling

Signalling will be handled by Thales’ SelTrac semi-automatic communication-based train control (CBTC) technology. Thales will design, build, maintain the system, and support its installation and commissioning.

References

• Schepers, Nancy (December 4, 2012). "DESIGN, BUILD, FINANCE AND MAINTENANCE OF OTTAWA’S LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (OLRT) PROJECT". Report to Council. City of Ottawa. Retrieved December 2012. 

External links

• The Confederation Line website