Comment 123098

By Haveacow (registered) | Posted June 22, 2018 at 18:50:51

I have been very busy doing a project with a client here in Ottawa that deals with the change associated with LRT. I can't say exactly what I am doing but it deals specifically the changes to long time commuting patterns of both the transit rider and the car based commuter environment post LRT.

The first stage of the Confederation Line should (fingers crossed) start operating November 30, 2018. This line is set to change Ottawa in many profound ways, not just in terms of transportation. Both the Libreton Flats and Bayview Development Lands will essentially double the built up area of the city's core in as little as 20 years. $2.5 Billion worth of buildings is already under construction!

These changes alone, will alter how and where people do things in downtown Ottawa. Not just due to a new arena for the Sens and the new Central Library but a new downtown elementary School for the French speaking Public Board of Education, followed by an English one as well as a sport facility for both enabled and disabled athletes. A whole whack of condos and office space is also planned for both development sites, about 8000 units are planned. Some of it will be affordable and city housing is already going up on the existing Trillium line at the new Gladstone Station site, which will open as part of the LRT Stage 2 program in 2021. How much affordable housing is actually built on the Bayview and Libreton Flats site is still up for debate. I believe they will build the minimum that the developer agreed to but I doubt it will be more.

As for the fear of change that drives a lot of pre LRT gitters and anti-LRT sentiment, you just have to ride it out! As the stations go up people are getting more excited here and the majority of the public is staying positive. Just as long as the system is ready for turn over to the city and the operator November 2 and ready for the start or rail operations November 30, 2018.

Here is a video of the first Alstom Citadis Spirit LRV's operating in 2 car consist that will be the common operating form for the Confederation Line once rail passenger operations begin.

Alstom Canada (@AlstomCanada) Tweeted: Another milestone: first video of @ottawacity #CitadisSpirit operating in multi-unit during a dynamic test run! | Un autre jalon: la première vidéo du #CitadisSpirit d'Ottawa fonctionnant en unités multiples lors d'un test dynamique! #readyforrail #Alstom https://t.co/HUH4KCmKoO https://twitter.com/AlstomCanada/status/...

Here is another series of videos from CTV Ottawa

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1...

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1...

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1...

The last video is about the city of Gatineau which is beginning it's own LRT project to the western sector called Alymer (part of an amalgamation of several cities on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River). Gatineau already has a BRT Line (like our Transitways) called Rapi-Bus. The city has an urban population of 275,000 and another 50,000 living in the outer rural areas beyond.

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