OTTAWA — Extensions to Ottawa’s light rail lines continue to fall behind schedule, with the western extension of the electrified Confederation line now likely to be completed 17 months late, and the southern addition to the diesel-powered Trillium line at least a year overdue.
The CBC reports a city committee was told Tuesday that the delays to the western extension, which will add 11 stations, reflect labor and cement shortages and mean the line is now expected to be delivered to the city in late 2026. The 17-month delay is a significant slide from earlier this year; in April, the city’s rail director, Michael Morgan, estimated the project was three months behind schedule, and in August, he said it could be up to a year late.
A five-station eastern extension is only about 36 days behind at this point, he said.
Meanwhile, the southern extension of the Trillium Line, which will service Ottawa International Airport, was supposed to have been completed by now. It is now expected to be handed over to the city in August 2023. The Stadler FLIRT trainsets have arrived and about 65 of the track has been laid, but signal testing can’t begin in earnest until trackwork is done.
Imagine if there were these modern day issues back in the 1860s when the transcontinential railroad was being built. The railroad would be pushed back time after time, constant reconfigering of the line and maybe the NIMBYs of their day would protest a railroad coming through their land. If there were the environmetalists of their day then, they might take issue with the land and animal population being desroyed or displaced. If the issues of today had interferred with the building of the transcon we might have a rairoad running by 1900 instead of 1869. In New York City the orginal Contract One subway line from City Hall to 145th Street was started in 1900 and completed and open for business in 1904. No issues with shortages, NIMBYs or special interest groups then. They just built ahead and ignored any obstacles that that up. Today with all thetechnology, the bright minds and know how, it seems like things take longer to build . Think of the Second Avenue Stubway not subway
Joseph C. Markfelder
Hey folks! – No other place to post this as of right now. Transport Canada has announced what will be the end of Via Rail and the privatization of Canadian passenger services, in a few years. If Trains Newswire hasn’t picked this up, find it at Railway Age. This may be a good thing.
Totally agree with you as a good thing.
Couldn’t be worse. What is there now, three R/T a week to the Maritimes? What’s the difference between three trains a week to a big part of Canada, or none at all?
VIA has dropped a number of Maritime routes and reduced the frequency of the one remaining, if my info is correct.
Oh and BTW, some people posting in recent days have advocated returning the passenger trains to the freight railroads. Won’t happen. Here in USA, it’s Amtrak or nothing. It’s VIA or (most likely) nothing in Canada Ukraine would be embarrassed if they had trains like here in North America..