Ottawa Pushes Alternative to Light Rail
A coalition of transit advocates is using Ottawa's municipal election to push a diesel-electric alternative to the light rail deal signed by the City of Ottawa in July.
David Jeanes, a spokesperson for "Friends of the O-Train" said his group's plan has numerous benefits and will cost $300 million less than the current north-south light rail plan, which is worth close to $800 million.
"You'll reduce the congestion, you'll get better productivity out of the transit system, you'll get better bus service in the suburbs, and you'll get clean air," he said.
Jeanes said the $446 million plan was developed by city staff in consultation with his group, and will address one of the main concerns cited by critics of the current light rail plan — that it will not reduce congestion downtown.
Jeanes said the plan will also preserve the city's north-south diesel O-train line, which would have been out of service for three years under the light rail plan.
* Doubling the frequency of the O-Train.
* Extending the O-train line south to Armstrong Road and building a new park-and-ride there.
* Building a six-kilometre electric rail line through the city's downtown, from Bayview to Hurdman stations.
Jeanes said the plan will eliminate the need for buses in the congested Albert-Slater corridor downtown. He said 10 or 11 light rail trains could replace the 130 buses that clog that corridor at any given time during rush hour and allow for a potential capacity of more than twice the peak number of people that now take transit downtown.
It would also free up existing buses for better suburban transit, he added.
Transit users would transfer from downtown light rail to suburban buses at Bayview and Hurdman stations.
Plan first shopped to council in 2003
Jeanes told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning that his group first tried to sell its plan to city council in 2003, before the federal and provincial governments agreed to put money into Ottawa's transit expansion.
"Unfortunately, our cost-saving ideas became very unpopular with the city once there was $600 million to spend," said Jeanes, who called the current light rail plan "unaffordable."
But he added recent events have given his group another chance.
Federal Treasury Board President John Baird announced in early October that the federal government is withholding its $200-million contribution to the almost $800-million light rail project until Ottawa's new city council is elected and can re-approve the plan.
When Jeanes was asked if it was a problem that his group's plan was not part of the light rail contract already signed by the City of Ottawa, Jeanes said he did not know because the contract remains secret.
The group has generated some interest among municipal candidates, including mayoral hopeful Alex Munter.
Munter said he thought the proposal was interesting and would consider including some of its elements in his own transit plan after a closer examination.
David Jeanes, a spokesperson for "Friends of the O-Train" said his group's plan has numerous benefits and will cost $300 million less than the current north-south light rail plan, which is worth close to $800 million.
"You'll reduce the congestion, you'll get better productivity out of the transit system, you'll get better bus service in the suburbs, and you'll get clean air," he said.
Jeanes said the $446 million plan was developed by city staff in consultation with his group, and will address one of the main concerns cited by critics of the current light rail plan — that it will not reduce congestion downtown.
Jeanes said the plan will also preserve the city's north-south diesel O-train line, which would have been out of service for three years under the light rail plan.
* Doubling the frequency of the O-Train.
* Extending the O-train line south to Armstrong Road and building a new park-and-ride there.
* Building a six-kilometre electric rail line through the city's downtown, from Bayview to Hurdman stations.
Jeanes said the plan will eliminate the need for buses in the congested Albert-Slater corridor downtown. He said 10 or 11 light rail trains could replace the 130 buses that clog that corridor at any given time during rush hour and allow for a potential capacity of more than twice the peak number of people that now take transit downtown.
It would also free up existing buses for better suburban transit, he added.
Transit users would transfer from downtown light rail to suburban buses at Bayview and Hurdman stations.
Plan first shopped to council in 2003
Jeanes told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning that his group first tried to sell its plan to city council in 2003, before the federal and provincial governments agreed to put money into Ottawa's transit expansion.
"Unfortunately, our cost-saving ideas became very unpopular with the city once there was $600 million to spend," said Jeanes, who called the current light rail plan "unaffordable."
But he added recent events have given his group another chance.
Federal Treasury Board President John Baird announced in early October that the federal government is withholding its $200-million contribution to the almost $800-million light rail project until Ottawa's new city council is elected and can re-approve the plan.
When Jeanes was asked if it was a problem that his group's plan was not part of the light rail contract already signed by the City of Ottawa, Jeanes said he did not know because the contract remains secret.
The group has generated some interest among municipal candidates, including mayoral hopeful Alex Munter.
Munter said he thought the proposal was interesting and would consider including some of its elements in his own transit plan after a closer examination.
posted by Ottawa Gas Prices | 10:42 AM
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