Project updates

The extension of the O-Train South Line reaches beyond the southern limits of Ottawa’s urban core. The end of the line is roughly 3-and-a-half kilometres south of the Airport. This foray into new territories for the O-Train raised important considerations to ensure the local ecosystem was front and centre of the extension’s design.

To the airport and south, there are multiple structures that will allow wildlife movement from one side of the tracks to other. The vast majority have been designed as culverts and passages that will allow smaller animals to travel under the LRT alignment. The constructed bridge at High Road will allow larger animals (and people) to pass over the alignment. This will be the first wildlife crossing constructed as part of the O-Train Network.

Ecological Corridors

The High Road bridge is situated on the southern limits of Ottawa’s Greenbelt, which spans east and west of the rail line. The bridge itself is being constructed with a surface that will support soil and native local grasses and approaches that include planted shrubs and trees to naturalize the structure, while sustaining the ecological corridor that provides a continuous channel for flora and fauna.

Located just five kilometres west of the Rideau River, the High Road bridge, along with the culverts situated along the southern-most segment of the line, support the safe and uninterrupted movement of wildlife to both water sources and the expanses of Ottawa’s Greenbelt.

Planning for High Road Wildlife Bridge

The planning of the bridge was designed in supposrt of potential future development in the area. The bridge will connect to High Road which is often used by pedestrians and cyclists. To ensure safe movement of animals, the bridge was designed to be large enough for both animals and people.

The Stage 2 LRT project is more than just moving people across rail, but ensuring that the infrastructure works well with the local environment.

Ottawa’s frozen winters may be great for skating on the canal or for glorious afternoons out skiing, but for those who must work outside, and especially for those involved in major construction projects, winter represents an extraordinary challenge. Through the winter, hundreds of construction workers will be busy building the Stage 2 LRT extensions in Ottawa. Many of them work all night in ice, snow and freezing temperatures, using techniques and tools adapted to the harsh conditions. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to keep construction going during extreme winter conditions, here are some details.

When it comes to winter construction, there’s one major change in the environment that has huge consequences: frozen ground. Typically, in the coldest winter months, the ground is frozen to a depth of around four to five feet and simply breaking that ground can be an enormous challenge. Yet breaking the ground is necessary prior to digging and excavation. As a result, special equipment is often brought in to heat and then break through the frozen ground to enable construction crews to install pipes or foundations.

Breaking through the ground isn’t the only challenge in the winter, it can also be difficult to backfill areas. In freezing temperatures, workers must compact any backfill immediately. If too much time passes, the gaps between the gravel filled with moisture will freeze, and it will be too late to compress materials. Other materials like concrete and asphalt can also be difficult to work with in the cold. Only small patchwork is done with asphalt because asphalt plants in Ottawa are generally closed from early December until mid to late March, and concrete pouring is often left to the summer months. If concrete is poured during the winter, it must be done with extreme care and both the ground and concrete need to be heated with special equipment (hoarding/blankets and heaters) for it to set properly.

Ground heaters are just one example of the special equipment needed during the winter months. Almost everything you see on a construction site in the winter has been adapted to meet the associated challenges. Workers must dress accordingly for cold temperatures, with hand and feet warmers, as well as spike grips for the bottom of work boots that must be worn to prevent slips and falls on ice. This is all in addition to the safety gear workers are always provided with. Construction vehicles, machines and equipment need to take extra time to warm up, just like your own car in the winter, and workers need to take regular breaks to keep warm when they are exposed to the elements. Even portable washrooms must be warmed with special heaters. Unless temperatures reach extreme levels where it is no longer safe to work, based on Ministry of Labour regulations, these extra measures are enough to keep both the people safe and the equipment working throughout the year. 

It’s impossible for construction to completely shut down during the winter months in Ottawa. Projects have elaborate schedules and are planned to incorporate the challenges the winter months create in order to reach completion. It might be a little slower, and take more prep work, but when there’s work to be done, the cold and snow are just a few more problems that need to be solved.

2022 was a big year for the Stage 2 LRT Project. Now, with stations coming out of the ground, rail installation advancing, and trains on track testing, Ottawa’s future O-Train system is starting to take shape. Let’s take a look back at what made 2022 a successful year of construction and what you can expect next year for the Stage 2 LRT project.

O-Train East Extension

This year, the east segment transitioned from realigning the OR 174 transportation corridor into building a rail line. Crews focused on the full guideway construction, overhead catenary system (OCS) foundations, ballast installation and have started installing track.

Trackwork

The first tracks were installed in April at Jeanne d’Arc Station and installation continued eastward towards Trim Station. At this time, 60% of the rail has been installed for the east extension.  

This year also marked one of the biggest milestones to-date on the project, the rail connection between Stage 2 and the existing O-Train network at Blair Station. This milestone means east end customers in Beacon Hill, Blackburn Hamlet, and Orléans are one step closer to seeing trains being tested in their community.

The team also installed 350 OCS foundations across the segment. The OCS poles and cables are critical part of the LRT system that provides power to the trains once in service. The electrical contractor began installing the OCS poles in September, from Jeanne d’Arc Station west to Montréal Station.

Pedestrian Bridges

The Green’s Creek, Place d’Orléans Station and Trim Station pedestrian bridges were successfully installed which will enhance connectivity to the future stations.

Stations

Construction of all five O-Train East extension stations are well underway. After starting construction in 2021, Jeanne d’Arc Station has made impressive progress as crews have already built the stairs, platform, and station structure. Crews are working on completing window installation and utility works.

In 2023, this segment will continue to see more exciting milestones:

•  Track installation will finish
• Installation of the train control and communications cables in the guideway will begin
• Station construction will wrap up
• Testing and commissioning will begin, including train movements along the new eastern corridor.

O-Train West Extension

The O-Train West extension made impressive progress through the year, with advancement on the tunnels, station construction, and delivery of rail for the start of installation in 2023.

Traffic

During the first half of 2022, the west construction team was focused on the creation of the dedicated Woodroffe Avenue and Scott Street bus detours to close sections of the Transitway in June. This opened up the full LRT guideway for work between Iris Station and Algonquin Station, and between Tunney’s Pasture and Kìchì Sìbì Station.

In the fall, the team poured the last of nine bridge decks along Carling Avenue. This was a major step in realigning the traffic lanes on Carling Avenue, opening-up the area underneath the road for guideway work. Another major traffic reconfiguration took place with the building of a new bridge on Iris Avenue, which will allow for the LRT to run beneath.

Trackwork

The first plinths (a concrete base that the track gets secured to) were installed on the new rail bridge at Holly Acres Road. The existing pedestrian bridge at Woodroffe High School was demolished and a new pedestrian bridge was erected a few metres north, making it the first pedestrian bridge on the Stage 2 east-west project to begin installation. This bridge is anticipated to open to pedestrians and cyclists in the spring of 2023.

Rail has been delivered to Holly Acres, Moodie Drive, and the Light Maintenance and Storage Facility (LFSF). In these areas, the guideway is now ready for track installation to start.

Stations

Station construction continues to progress well, with stations taking shape across the west extension. Lincoln Fields Station is one of the most advanced with the roof installed, along with the elevator shafts, new bus loop, platform, and windows.

Cut and Cover Tunnels

Significant progress was made on the cut and cover tunnels in 2022.  Work on this segment transitioned from excavation to building tunnels and constructing the guideway at the Pinecrest Trench and the Parkway/Byron and Connaught Tunnels.

To optimize the tunnel building sequence, three specialized machines are being used to pour the tunnel walls and roof together. This system allows for 15 metres of tunnel to be poured in 7 to 10 days.

Tunneling activities began in September 2020. Concrete pouring began at New Orchard Station in June 2021. The first section of tunnel roof was poured in June 2022 just west of Woodroffe Avenue. Tunnel construction is progressing across the segment:

• Parkway/Byron Tunnel works are 50% complete
• Connaught Tunnel works are over 40% complete
• Pinecrest Trench works are over 60% complete

Once concrete works are complete, crews will begin installing rail and overhead catenary systems.

O-Train South Extension

O-Train South Extension crews hit major milestones this year on structures, stations, and guideway. The highlight of 2022 was the opening of a roughly five-kilometre section of test track earlier this year. With the delivery of all seven Stadler FLIRT trains and completion of the test track, testing and commissioning of the new trains began.

Trackwork

With the majority of the structural elements of rail infrastructure and stations complete, work can begin to integrate signalling systems and networks. This will ensure that all systems work together when in service. During 2022, crews worked overnight and on weekends to accelerate the progression of this work with a significant focus on laying rail towards the end of the year.

To date, over 90% of the 36.7km of rail has been laid on the O-Train South Extension project. Looking ahead to early 2023, the rest of the track will be installed and train testing will expand across the entire line.

Pedestrian Bridge

The pedestrian bridge over Rideau River was a major highlight of 2022 when it was successfully lifted by crane onto abutments on both sides of the river. The pedestrian bridge will provide a safe pathway for active transportation to Carleton University from the south.

Stations

All 14 stations are now 70% complete or higher. Four stations (Greenboro, Walkley, Mooney’s Bay, and Carleton) and the Walkley Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) are now approximately 90% complete. Crews are currently pouring concrete at stations, installing drywall, windows, elevators and conduit, connecting utilities to stations, and building transit shelters.

In preparation of the upcoming shift in focus from construction to Testing and Commissioning (T&C), the T&C team has set up a laboratory to do dry run tests and configure system components for different stations, including SCADA (the train control software),  cameras, and Passenger Information Display Systems (PIDS). These dry runs and configurations will help troubleshoot as the system testing proceeds.

Trains

All seven new Stadler Flirt trainsets arrived in the summer, marking a significant milestone. Once preliminary testing in the Walkley Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) yard tracks validated basic performance, the trainsets were taken out to the testing track and tested at high speeds for various safety and performance criteria. This also included testing during last winter season.  

The Alstom LINT 41 trains which previously operated on the O-Train Line 2 have been retrofitted, and will run on the new airport link when the line opens.

Despite the many challenges faced on all three extensions, the project continues to advance. Given these challenges, the completion timing for South and West extensions have been revised. The City continues to work closely with both contractors to provide updates and find opportunities to accelerate construction where possible. The Stage 2 LRT Project will continue to meet many exciting milestones in the coming year, moving us closer to completion.

The project team thanks you for your patience during construction and looks forward to meeting more milestones in 2023.

Stay Connected!

Stay up to date on Stage 2 LRT progress by signing up for the Stage 2 enewsletters and following us on Instagram @Stage2Etape2.

The Stage 2 project will change the way we move around our city. With an additional 44 kilometres of rail and 24 new stations, 77% of residents will be within 5 km of rail. This means better access to transit for more communities.

Over the weekend, for the first time ever, Stage 2 crews connected the existing O-Train Line 1 to the new rail that will extend the service east.  This milestone is vital to trains one day running past the current terminus at Blair Station and reaching more communities in the east end of Ottawa.

Before the connection between the two sections of track was made, crews had to prepare the guideway by creating space in the Highway 174 median. This required shifting traffic lanes, relocating utilities, and demolishing the former bus Transitway bridge. Track installation began in the East in the spring of 2022. To date, close to 55% of the track between Trim and Blair has been installed, almost 7 kilometres of the total 12 kilometre line.

Given the different components required to tie the existing tracks to the new, many teams came together to ensure that it was a success! From OC Transpo ensuring that operational service continued through the work, to Rideau Transit Group and Stage 2 crews coordinating the tie-in activities, to the safety and traffic teams making the area safe for workers and residents.

Once track work in the East extension is complete, signaling and communications equipment will be installed. Work to integrate the extension into the existing Line 1 as well as testing of systems and vehicles will commence in 2023.

Rail installation on the O-Train East Extension continues to track towards completion, making it one step closer to the LRT serving more communities in the Ottawa’s east end.

Quick Facts

• Blair Station is currently the terminus station for O-Train Line 1.
• The East extension will add over 12 km of new rail and 5 new stations (Montreal, Jeanne d’Arc, Convent Glen, Place d’Orléans, and Trim) between Blair Road and Trim Road.
• It also includes the addition of four new bridges, six rehabilitated bridges, three pedestrian bridges, and three major culverts.

Stay Connected!

Stay up to date on Stage 2 LRT progress by signing up for the Stage 2 enewslettes and following us on Instagram @Stage2Etape2.

This summer, the Stage 2 team met a significant milestone with the installation of the Rideau River pedestrian bridge. Given the close proximity of buildings at Carleton University, a detailed plan was needed to maneuver and lift the bridge into place.  

The pedestrian bridge is intended to improve access to Carleton University from the south.  While Bronson and Riverside are also used by pedestrians and cyclists, this new bridge will provide a safe, segregated pathway, making it a highly anticipated addition by surrounding communities.

Preparing for the lift:

The operation began months earlier with the on-site assembly of the bridge. In preparation for the lift, the fully assembled bridge was transported to the river’s edge where it was then lifted and placed over the Rideau River. One of the highlights of the bridge lift operation was most certainly the massive crane lifting the bridge and placing it onto the abutments on either side of the Rideau River.

The reinforced concrete abutments first had to be built to support the steel truss bridge. The abutments are on either side of the river and include electrical connections for lighting that will later illuminate the bridge.

The impressive steel truss bridge is prefabricated in Quebec, and then the six components were delivered and welded together  in a vacant lot at the university.

Set-up of the 750-tonne crane to lift the bridge over the river took place over two days, and on the scheduled lift day, the completed 65-metre truss structure was transported 900 metres from the parking lot to the Rideau River via University Road and then lifted into place. Many nearby residents stopped to watch the incredible lift on a sunny Saturday afternoon. You can watch the impressive lift here.

What’s next?

There are a few things to complete before the bridge is ready to open for use, including building the concrete slab that will form the solid path for pedestrians and cyclists to use to cross the bridge. At either end of the bridge, the approaches need to be built, leveled and landscaped so that pathway users can safely connect onto the bridge. Finishing touches will then be installed, including lighting, guardrails and bollards to block road vehicles.

This bridge will enhance access to the Rideau River Eastern Pathway and a host of local amenities, including Vincent Massey Park, the RA Centre, Hog’s Back Falls, the Billing’s Bridge Shopping Centre and Mooney’s Bay, once open.

We’ve reached the end of an era in Ottawa. After almost 40 years, the last bus traveled down the Transitway between Tunney’s Pasture and Dominion stations. This section of the Transitway has now closed to allow for the construction of the LRT guideway.  Over the next few months and years,  this area will be transformed from bus rapid transit (BRT) to light rail transit, enhancing the journey for customers.

That was then: 1980s

In the early 1980s, Ottawa’s then Council approved the construction of a bus rapid transit-only roadway that would run through the city’s core, the first of its kind in Canada. The purpose was to get customers city-bound faster, avoiding traffic and promoting public transit. The success was evident as the  Transitway was expanded and more connections were built in areas such as Nepean, Kanata and Barrhaven.

This is now: 2022

Earlier this month, the BRT closed between Tunney’s Pasture to Dominion stations and Iris to Algonquin stations to facilitate construction of the LRT tracks. Through the next several months work to remove concrete, renovate stations, and prepare the guideway will take place. As progress is made, crews will work to connect the new LRT to the existing Line 1 terminus at Tunney’s Pasture Station. You can find more information about building a Light Rail System here.

While the Transitway is closed, OC Transpo buses will be redirected onto the newly extended Scott Street to ensure bus routes are maintained.   All route information can be found on OC Transpo’s website.

The need for enhanced transit services continues to grow as our city does. The introduction of LRT in Ottawa allowed for increased capacity, reduction is greenhouse gases, and faster commutes. With the new expansion of the LRT, the benefits of LRT will reach more communities, bringing 75 per cent of Ottawa residents within five kilometres of an LRT station.

While Stage 2 LRT will forever change the way our city moves, the BRT corridor’s purpose will remain the same – safely getting residents across the downtown core.

Bayview Station will be where the public experiences the intersection of Stage 1 and Stage 2 LRT when the new south O-Train opens. There is already much behind the scenes work underway to ensure that this intersection is a seamless transition for customers. The process of integrating new rail lines into existing systems is not new – it happens all over the world as cities and their transit systems expand – and the building of the O-Train extensions is already working on how the existing and new systems will operate together in the future.

OC Transpo operates and monitors the entire transit system, including light rail, from the Train Operations and Control Centre (TOCC). This hub manages the systems related to the O-Train and will need to be ready when the O-Train South extension starts testing. Work is already underway to interface the two systems, all while ensuring that Line 1 continues its normal operation and construction work on the project proceeds.

At Bayview Station, passengers will be able to transfer between lines, so ensuring they work together safely and securely is top priority. To do this, we carry out extensive security and safety analysis as well as mapping out how all systems will integrate. We then test and check everything long before the railway is open to passengers to make sure everything works as intended.

Another key consideration when expanding existing systems is how humans will interact with them, both customers and OC Transpo employees. For example, the existing O-Train uses different vehicles than on the South Extension so there needs to be extensive training and integration of policies and procedures so that the customer experience is the same across both lines.

A testing lab is established so that much of the interface testing can be undertaken in a controlled environment. This approach ensures that any issues during testing can be tracked and resolved. Once the systems are functioning well, integration with the existing line can start without risk of service disruptions.

Building O-Train systems that work well together takes extensive planning and testing. The Stage 2 team is already working to ensure that the operation of the two lines work well for future customers.