Project updates

If you’ve driven west on Highway 417 lately you have probably noticed the ongoing construction of a large building complex to the north of the highway, just west of Moodie Drive. This site is home to the future Moodie Light Maintenance and Storage Facility (LMSF), an integral part of Ottawa’s Stage 2 light rail transit (LRT) system.

The LMSF facility, which includes five buildings, and a switchyard is responsible for light maintenance and vehicle storage for the trains running on the LRT system. The goal of the facility is to ensure that vehicles in the fleet are ready for service and operational within the rest of the LRT system as efficiently as possible. Any trains needing major repair or maintenance work will still head to the Belfast maintenance facility, built as part of Stage 1 LRT, where all major work is done.

Activity at the Moodie LMSF facility includes visual inspections to check for any issues, both inside and outside the train, to spot anything from minor repair issues to vandalism. At the LMSF, trains will be serviced daily, including interior cleaning, repairs to seats or doors, window replacement, system testing and more. Trains are also topped up with any fluids, like window washer fluid, that they need to continue operating safely. The LMSF will even include a drive-through train-wash, although unfortunately passengers won't get to ride along, while the trains are being cleaned!

One thing that might surprise you about train maintenance is the need for sand. Sand is regularly applied to the wheels on the LRT trains to maintain proper friction with the track. Each train is equipped with sand boxes, and these will be filled from large reserves stored at the new Moodie LMSF site.

Sand isn’t the only thing that will be kept at the new facility. The site will also serve as storage, with a 24-train capacity at the end of Stage 2 construction. In the future, the facility can be expanded to a capacity of 90 trains to service the operating fleet in use for future system expansions.

Designing a state-of-the-art LRT maintenance and storage facility requires tremendous planning and effort. Construction on the site began in April 2021 and is underway, with buildings being constructed, mechanical and computer systems being assembled and integrated, and much more. The site itself is adjacent to popular outdoor trails and the Wesley Clover recreational complex, so great care is being taken have been undertaken to respect both the integrity of the surrounding environment and the residents of the community.

As work continues to move forward towards completion of Ottawa’s LRT system, you will see the LMSF at Moodie develop into a critical hub of storage and maintenance, serving as a key point for the City’s entire light rail system.

There’s no shortage of excitement when it comes to the new Stadler FLIRT vehicles that will run on the future O-Train South Line. Since the start of vehicle arrival in December 2021, crews have been busy getting the trains ready to get on the tracks.

Starting in January, the Stadler Train Testing and Commissioning team and the Train Control Office (TCO) began static and dynamic testing in Ottawa. This team is responsible for ensuring that the vehicles perform safely during testing and all regulatory requirements are met.

So, what’s the difference between static and dynamic testing?

Static Testing

Static testing is done when vehicles are stationary in the yard, allowing testing to begin while construction on the track progresses. This phase of testing is used to verify elements such as onboard electronics, the automatic announcement of next stops over the speaker system, heating tests, safety features, door functions and many more.

Dynamic Testing

Dynamic testing is accomplished with the vehicles operating at various speeds on the test track. Examples of dynamic testing include acceleration and braking tests, ride quality, noise and vibration, and system integration tests. In 2021, a 5 km test track was built between Hunt Club and Leitrim Road to allow dynamic testing to start. Watch a video of the Stadler Flirt’s first trip on the test track.

As the guideway construction advances, the testing and commissioning team will use the vehicles on other areas of the track to verify that infrastructure, signal systems, and other elements work correctly.

Vehicle Integration

The Alstom LINTs, the vehicles that served on the original Trillium Line, will be used to service the new Airport Link. These vehicles are undergoing a rehabilitation program and are having new signal systems installed onboard. Once the new signal system is installed, the vehicles will be retested to ensure they work correctly with the updated train control system on the South Line. The process for testing the existing vehicles is slightly different than the brand new vehicles, but certainly an important part of getting the trains ready to be put into service.

Testing on the tracks will continue throughout the Stage 2 project. Keep an eye out while along the O-Train South Line to catch a glimpse of your future trains on tracks!

There are many visible aspects of an LRT project, from the construction of new structures and stations to the new trains as they commence dynamic testing and commissioning on the track. However, there are many other teams and countless hours spent behind the scenes supporting the project and laying the foundation for its successful completion.

An example of this is the Systems Engineering and Systems Assurance (SESA) on the Stage 2 O-Train South Extension. A critical element of the Stage 2 team, SESA is centrally focused on assuring the railway systems, as a whole, are safe, secure, and integrated. SESA is also responsible for ensuring the train and railway systems (track, signaling and communications) are compliant with the project agreement, legislation, standards and international best practices.

SESA starts at the very beginning of the project with full review of lessons-learned and the detailed identification of all possible hazards, threats and issues on a new train system, including everything from major issues and cyber security to physical threats as specific as worker slips, trips and falls during maintenance. Each possible hazard or issue is then assigned mitigation measures to be addressed through the design, construction, testing and commissioning and long-term maintenance of the system.

Well-planned mitigations can reduce risk as far as is practicably possible. Through each phase of the project, SESA ensures that mitigation measures and safety requirements have been implemented and tested to demonstrate compliance. This data is meticulously gathered throughout the project execution phase before it is provided to the City to demonstrate that the system is safe, secure, integrated, reliable, compliant and proven through a series of checks and balances.

Given the technical complexity and the interdependence of so many systems required to run and operate an LRT, it is common for a new system to experience challenges and growing pains. And yet, the involvement and integration of the SESA team from the earliest days of the project has been and will continue to be integral to the delivery of a railway ready for passengers.

Significant progress was made in 2021 on the O-Train East and West Extensions that will add approximately 27 km of new rail and 16 new stations to Ottawa’s light-rail transit (LRT) network. 2022 is set to be another ambitious, productive, and transformative year!

On the O-Train East Extension, crews will focus on completing construction activities in the LRT guideway, including the installation of drainage systems, ballast and natural gas piping for switch heaters, as well as the foundations for the overhead catenary system (OCS) and the traction power substations (TPSS) early in the year. When complete, the OCS and the TPSS’s are critical components of the electric system that will provide the power to the light-rail trains.

In late 2021, the first 240 metres of test track, including 330 concrete ties, were installed west of Jeanne D’Arc Boulevard. Rail installation will begin between Montréal Station and Jeanne d’Arc Station in April. All track work in the East, from Blair Station to Trim Station, is expected to be complete in 2022.

This year, east-end residents, or travelling the OR 174, will also see continued construction of the five new stations being added to the O-Train network at Montreal Road, Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Orléans Boulevard, Place d’Orléans Drive and Trim Road, as well as the construction and installation of pedestrian bridges at Green’s Creek, Place D’Orléans and Trim.

Noise wall installation will expand in 2022 as crews complete two noise walls on the north side of OR 174 between Bilberry Creek and the Orléans Park & Ride, and between Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard and Orléans Boulevard. The replacement of the existing noise wall on the north side of OR 174, west of Montreal Road, will also take place and plans are underway for the installation of more noise walls on the south side of OR 174.

West Extension

On the O-Train West Extension, crews will be working to advance the guideway, start station construction on all stations, and work to progress the Cut and Cover Tunnel.

Cut and Cover Tunnel construction of the Parkway and Connaught Tunnels will continue to advance. Activities include Support of Excavation (SOE), ongoing throughout the segment including secant pile walls, soldier pile lagging, and rock bolting, rock breaking and tunnel excavation. Crews will also continue hauling out a large amount of material daily as they work towards milestones to complete civil works. This year, crews will begin the cover work on the Cut and Cover Tunnels, a major milestone of the project.

The first section of the Transitway between Holly Acres Road and Moodie Drive was closed last year and construction of the LRT guideway began with the installation of drainage systems. Guideway work will significantly ramp up in 2022 at additional locations with the closure of the Transitway between Tunney’s Pasture and the Sir John A. Macdonald (SJAM) Parkway in April, and between Iris Station and Baseline Road later this year. The widening of Woodroffe Avenue will allow for a dedicated bus lane while the Iris Transitway is closed. As guideway work is completed, track work can begin.

A significant achievement in 2022 will be station construction beginning on all the remaining stations in West. This will also mark station construction starting on all stations along all three alignments.

2022 will also see more connectivity enhancements begin to take shape on all alignments. In the west, pedestrian underpasses (under the SJAM) at Churchill Avenue and Cleary Avenue, the pedestrian bridge at Woodroffe High School, and construction of various multi-use pathways (MUPs) will commence.

The Stage 2 LRT team is excited to continue to work to bring LRT closer to you and thanks you for your patience through construction.

Community Impacts

Most construction is scheduled from Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm. However, there will be requirements for overnight work across the entire corridor and some intermittent weekend work. Construction notices will be sent prior to any work starting via our enewsletter.

The City of Ottawa thanks residents for their patience as we work to complete these construction activities and build this exciting new connection for communities across the city. The safety of the public and the construction crews is paramount.

Stay Connected!

Sign up for our enewsletter here for the latest project updates!

Contact Stage2@ottawa.ca for questions or concerns.

Thanks to extensive planning and attention to detail, the fouth brand-new Stadler FLIRT train has arrived in Ottawa! These brand-new trains will carry customers along the main O-Train South Line.

Stadler Flirt Trains

The Stadler FLIRT trains are 80 metres long, and at full capacity, will have the ability to carry up to 420 passengers.

The trains will travel along the main O-Train South line, from Bayview Station to Limebank Station and will run every 12 minutes.

Manufacturing, assembly and testing

Prior to the first delivery of trains, over two years of collaboration between the City of Ottawa, TransitNEXT and Stadler teams was required. Teams completed detailed design reviews, vehicle production, quality assurance and control oversight, system safety analysis and in-plant testing and commissioning. Since the OC Transpo operations group and TransitNEXT maintenance group will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the trains, they too have been actively involved in the design, production and testing of the vehicles prior to their shipment to Ottawa.

First trainset onboard for shipping

The FLIRT vehicles are shipped from Bussnang, Switzerland. The vehicles travel first by truck, then by boat across the Atlantic Ocean to the Port of Newark, New Jersey where they are loaded onto trucks to complete their journey to Ottawa. In total, the Stadler FLIRT trains travel approximately 7000 km, and cross numerous countries and states, including Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York! Upon arrival at the new Walkley Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF), the trainsets are re-assembled before they undergo extensive testing. A total of seven trainsets will make this trek to Ottawa. The first train arrived in October 2021 and the final train is expected this Spring.

Preparing for revenue service

As the train sets arrive in Ottawa they will be tested extensively before they are accepted and placed into revenue service. At the same time, extensive testing will be completed on the new Signaling and Train Control (S&TC) system, the communications network, and operations centre to ensure all systems are integrated and working seamlessly.

Stadler Flirt 3 Trains at a glance

• 7 trains will operate on the O-Train South Extension
• Each train includes 2 cab cars, 2 coaches, 1 diesel power pack car
• Seating capacity: 192 passengers
• Total capacity: 420 passengers
• 16 passenger side entrance doors per train provides easy entry and exit
• The vehicles are built with low-level floors to permit ease of access from the station platforms.
• Accommodation for 2 mobility devices in each car for a total of 8 mobility device designated areas per train.
• Continuous updates on the train’s next-stop are provided to customers with onboard audible messages and digital
• Closed circuit television (CCTV) for safety and security of passengers and crew
• Trains will operate via new Signal and Train Control system (S&TC)

2022 promises to be another busy and productive year on the Stage 2 O-Train South Extension, with construction progressing in key areas. This year will see station construction advance, more rail installed, and the testing and commissioning of the new Stadler FLIRT vehicles!

Stadler FLIRT Vehicles

Most significant to the 2022 schedule will be the complete delivery of the Stadler FLIRT trains and their dynamic testing and commissioning. These new trains will travel along the 5 km stretch of completed track between the new Walkley Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) and Leitrim Station. In addition to being an exciting milestone that allows people to see the new trains in action, this testing is vital to ensure the integration of the train fleet, signalling systems and infrastructure to prepare the system to operate safely.

Rail Bridges

Construction will progress and ultimately conclude on the Hunt Club, Rideau River and Ellwood Diamond rail bridges this year, representing the full completion of the rail structures included in the South Extension project scope.

The exciting launch of the Rideau River pedestrian bridge structure is expected to commence in the early months of the new year, which, once complete, will provide enhanced pedestrian access to Carleton University and the O-Train station.

Stations & Walkley MSF

A big focus for the year will be building stations. This year, we will see more stations take shape with the installation of the steel frame. This will provide residents with a real picture of what the future stations will look like. The new stations along the extension from South Keys Station to Limebank Station and Airport link are most advanced, and rehabilitation work at many existing stations continues. All stations on the O-Train South Extension will be complete this year.

The construction of the new Walkley MSF is more than three-quarters complete, and 2022 will see this key facility and yard become operational as dynamic testing and commissioning of the full Stadler FLIRT train fleet gets underway.

Guideway

With the completion of the 5 km section of permanent rail that will serve as the test track, crews will be focused on the installation of rail throughout the remainder of the alignment. All rail in the South is expected to be complete in 2022, which will mark a huge milestone for the project.

Connectivity

Another exciting accomplishment that the crews will meet is the reopening of the Trillium multi-use pathway (MUP) under the Highway 417. This pathway closed to allow for the safe rehabilitation of the MUP. Once reopened, the detour on Preston Street will be removed, and this section of the MUP will be returned to its original north-south alignment.

Community Impacts

Most construction is scheduled from Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm. However, there will be requirements for overnight work across the entire corridor and some intermittent weekend work. Construction notices will be sent prior to any work starting via our enewsletter.

The City of Ottawa thanks residents for their patience as we work to complete these construction activities and build this exciting new connection for southern communities. The safety of the public and the construction crews is paramount.

Stay Connected!

Sign up for our enewsletter here for the latest project updates!

Contact Stage2@ottawa.ca for questions or concerns.

In 2021, the Stage 2 team accomplished many milestones extending the O-Train Network farther to reach more communities in Ottawa. From realigning OR 174 lanes in the east, completing the rapid bridge replacement in the west, and installing track in the south, the Stage 2 team was busy advancing the project. You can watch progress made throughout 2021 in this video.

This year also marked the peak of employment with approximately 2,700 employees advancing the project. Despite the global pandemic, the Stage 2 Team continued to work with 513 local companies, injecting $977 million into the economy through the purchase of services, products, and materials for the project.

O-Train East Extension

The O-Train East Extension will see LRT continue from Blair Station to Trim Road, adding 12.5 kilometres of rail and 5 new stations to the O-Train network at Montreal Road, Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Orleans Boulevard, Place d’Orléans Drive, and Trim Road. The East extension will travel predominantly within the median of OR 174 requiring lanes to shift to make space for future LRT guideway and tracks.

In 2021, the East extension of the LRT project faced its biggest year for roadway and structures construction. Crews accomplished the full construction of three Montreal Interchange railway bridges over the course of the year making them ready to receive direct fixation of railway tracks in spring 2022. With all three Montreal Interchange bridges complete, along with the Blair to 174 Median Rail Bridge, highway and railway bridges are over 95% completed for the East extension.

Roadway crews were considerably busy in 2021 completing the realignment of OR 174. The construction team completed 14 highway traffic flips from mid-April to the beginning of December working over many weekends. This was achieved while maintaining traffic with limited road, lane, and ramp closures.

2021 saw the start of four of the five stations for the East extension with Jeanne d’Arc Station being the first one, beginning in May. This winter, the final station in the East, Convent Glen Station, will begin construction.

Construction activities in the LRT guideway are currently at 50% completion. All the rail required for the East extension is on-site and has been welded together. Crews and equipment have installed the first 240 metres of test track including 330 concrete ties, west of Jeanne D’Arc Boulevard, and will return in the spring to lay all the rail from Blair Road to Trim Road.

O-Train East Extension by the numbers

• 51 girders installed
• 450 metric tonnes of rebar installed
• 126 Overhead Catenary System (OCS) foundations installed
• 72,500 metric tonnes of asphalt for paving
• 272,300 metric tonnes of excavation

O-Train West Extension

Throughout 2021 nearby residents, pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit users have witnessed a great deal of O-Train Stage 2 construction activity in West Ottawa. The West extension will add 15 km of rail and 11 new or converted rapid transit stations to the City’s LRT network.

2021 has been an important year for the West extension to prepare for the closure of the west-end Transitway to begin the construction of the LRT guideway in 2022. Crews have been working on twelve different bridges at the same time; six of which were completed during the year. All this work involved the reconstruction of seven Highway 417 ramps, as well as detouring multiple city streets and utilities to accommodate the alignment for the trains.

Some notable achievements were accomplished this year, including the successful construction of a new bridge at Pinecrest Road, and the sliding of it into place in less than one hundred hours to allow for future tracks and guideway beneath Pinecrest Road. As well as the construction and placement of the temporary bridge at Roosevelt Avenue for the Scott Street transitway detour, scheduled to begin in Spring 2022.

Pinecrest Creek was re-routed to make room for Iris Station, and 80% of the bulk excavation was completed for the Pinecrest Stormwater Management Pond.

The construction of Algonquin and Lincoln Fields Stations are underway as well as the Light Maintenance and Storage Facility. The excavation for two other stations has started and the five remaining sites will be handed over to the station construction subcontractors in 2022.

Cut and Cover Segment

2021 was a very active year of heavy construction in the cut and cover segment of the West extension. This included major utility relocations and installation of supports for existing utilities crossing the future guideway’s footprint. Support of Excavation (SOE) is ongoing throughout the segment including slurry walls, secant pile walls, soldier pile lagging, and rock bolting.

Rock breaking and tunnel excavation is well underway in both the Parkway and Connaught tunnels. Crews and equipment are hauling out a large amount of material daily as they work towards milestones to complete civil works and handover zones to the structures team.

In 2021, the structures team poured the first section of the concrete structure to facilitate a traffic flip, and now work on the slab and wall construction is in progress at New Orchard Station. Work is also underway at Pinecrest Station and the guideway.

One of the most impressive accomplishments of this year was the erection of the Woodroffe/Richmond Temporary Bridge during a 12-day intersection closure. 2500 m3 of material was excavated around utilities and then reinforced concrete abutments were poured. Once the concrete cured, 600,000 lbs of structural steel was erected beneath high voltage powerlines. This bridge was implemented to allow for the continued construction of the guideway below the intersection.

West Extension by the Numbers

• 18,485 square metres of slurry wall
• 145,049 cubic metres soil excavated
• 644 girders installed
• 446 caissons
• 6,226 cubic metres of concrete poured

O-Train South Extension

With 29 active construction sites across the alignment, the south crews have been actively progressing work in several key areas: structures, stations and guideway. The O-Train South extension will add 16 km of rail and six new and five renovated stations to the City’s LRT network.

One of the key features of the South Extension is the series of rail-over-road bridges that will allow the future train to cross above road traffic below, which both eliminates motorist delays incurred with at-grade crossings and greatly enhances safety.

A total of seven rail bridges were completed in 2021, with another two ready for track installation. With the completion of the new Hunt Club rail bridge and MUP and the rehabilitation of the Rideau River rail bridge in 2022, all rail structures will be complete. One of the most impressive accomplishments was the girder installation at the Ellwood Diamond grade separation over the VIA rail tracks, a major enhancement of the South Line extension. The grade separation will allow for greater safety, schedule enhancements, and maintainability of the new Stadler FLIRT trains.

2021 saw the arrival of the first Stadler FLIRT vehicle in late October from Bussnang, Switzerland, a major Stage 2 milestone. Stadler FLIRT trains are 80 metres long, and at full capacity, will have the ability to carry up to 420 passengers. The trains will travel along the main O-Train South line, from Bayview Station to Limebank Station and will run every 12 minutes. The rest of the diesel fleet is expected to arrive in 2022.

The closure of the existing South Line facilitated access to the stations in the north end of the alignment. Rehabilitation and enhancement to the five existing stations is well underway with platform lengthening, utility work, and installation of conduits, watermains, sanitary lines and/or hydro service taking place across all existing stations. Along the extension, all eight new stations are also underway, with stations in the southern-most section and along the Airport Link the most progressed.

One of the most significant milestones of 2021 has been the completion of a 5 km segment of the new permanent track infrastructure, which will also act as the test track, running from the new Walkley MSF to Leitrim Station in the south. The purpose for the test track is to allow the final dynamic testing and commissioning of the new Stadler FLIRT trains, while construction proceeds on other areas of the project. With the final completion of the test track expected in early 2022, the first train will be utilizing part of this test track and will then run on the remaining sections soon.

South Extension by the Numbers

• 72 caissons drilled
• 144 girders installed
• 5.8 km of rail laid
• 7 of 9 bridges complete
• 1.5 million working hours

2021 saw a lot of advancement across all extensions on the Stage 2 project! Many thanks to the crews for their hard work and to neighbouring residents for their ongoing patience during construction. Our team looks forward to continued progress in 2022!

Stay Connected

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The Stage 2 LRT project will add approximately 42 kilometres and 24 stations to the existing O-Train network. Paramount to this important light rail transit project is construction of the track system.

Built in layers using both human and machine power, the track system is a synergy between state-of-the-art communications and safety systems, as well as concrete, steel, and rock.

Together they create a durable and precise backbone of the LRT line providing safety and for future riders.

There are numerous steps involved in building the track system. The following is a look at how Stage 2 crews will construct the track system.

Work Starts Underground

Under the tracks are extensive drainage channels and duct banks that run the entire length of the corridor. The drainage ensures that rainwater is removed from the track area and the duct system carries hundreds of miles of conduit, communications, train control and traction electrification systems.

In addition, there are hundreds of underground foundations needed to support the overhead catenary system poles which are part of the electric power system for the light rail line.

Creating a Level Surface

Once the underground work is complete work above-ground starts with filling in the uneven valleys, cuts, and high points of the earth with small, crushed rock called sub-ballast. This is done to create an impermeable surface that directs water to the drainage channels. A 12-inch layer of ballast, or larger crushed rock, is then placed and roller-compacted above the sub-ballast. Together these layers provide a uniform foundation for the track.

Installing Concrete Ties and Steel Rail

The track is made up of evenly spaced concrete rail ties and continuously welded steel rails. The concrete ties are placed on top of the ballast by a machine which can easily and efficiently space the ties six at a time approximately a metre apart. Then a pair of steel rails is brought in. They arrive in 24 metre segments that get welded together on-site to make one continuous smooth riding surface. They are placed on top of the concrete ties and then permanently connected using metal pieces called E-Clips. Four E-Clips are used to hold the two rails onto each concrete tie.

More Ballast and Regulating the Rails

Once the rails and ties are in-place, the guideways is flooded with more ballast. Covering the tracks with ballast helps to restrain the track system so that there is no movement under the train or in changes of temperature. Afterwards a special machine is brought in to adjust the horizontal alignment and elevation of the track to its final position. It does this by picking up each tie and compacting the ballast beneath it until it is at the right height. Everything is adjusted according to very strict and tight tolerances to meet safety for future riders.

The Power System

Finally, the electric power system is installed made up of the poles, the overhead catenary system (OCS) conductors, cabling, and traction power substations. This is a critical last step that will provide the power to the light-rail trains.

Concrete foundations were built underground during the first phase of work, each about 60 metres apart. Now steel poles are installed onto each of these foundations. Each pole weighs about 550 kilograms and is installed using cranes. Next a team of electrical experts installs the power distribution wiring onto the poles.

First the messenger wire is installed at the top and then the contact wire below. The contact wire is the wire that the light-rail train’s pantograph system meets to transfer power to each vehicle as it travels along the track.

Although many more elements are involved in completing the entire Stage 2 system, these are the major steps that prepare the track itself. This is a specialized process done by a team of workers devoted to this element of the project.

Stay connected to keep track of the progress by signing up for Stage 2 LRT newsletters.

Stage 2 of Ottawa’s light rail transit (LRT) system will further connect the city, bridging the gap between east, west, and south. This involves a lot of construction, more than laying new tracks along a new alignment. There are 16 new LRT stations popping up in neighbourhoods across the city as part of the O-Train East-West extension, and 13 new or renovated stations along the O-Train South extension.

The location of the stations is determined by planners, after extensive community engagement. Other important considerations including station spacing, the mix of land uses served and pedestrian access.

The following is a brief overview of what goes into constructing an LRT station, after the site has been excavated and handed over to the station constructor:

The first step in constructing new stations is the longest and most labour intensive; the concrete stage. This involves pouring concrete to create the foundation and walls. This work is an intense collaboration between designers, engineers, and skilled craft workers to make sure these walls, sometimes up to 9 metres in height, are installed correctly.

At the same time the concrete walls are erected, so are the concrete slabs that will serve as the station’s main concourse. This is where the next stage in the process the structural phase, begins. Every piece of steel used in construction for the LRT stations is 3D modelled, so that when it gets on site, it is perfectly fitted for where it needs to go.

After the steel structure is erected, the roofing, exterior walls and the mechanical and electrical rough-in for the station begins. LRT stations have four main rooms: mechanical, electrical, communication, and signal control. This stage involves outfitting these rooms with the necessary equipment so they can safely operate the train system at peak performance.

Once the electrical and mechanical foundation is set, the finishing work can begin which involves closing up interior walls, fixtures being put into place and exterior finishes on anything that isn’t architectural concrete. Some of the last few things completed are communication features, like public address systems and television screens, and the outside landscaping work to make the station accessible and appealing for transit users.

On any given day during station construction, there are up to 50 skilled craft workers on site, including electricians, plumbers, and ironworkers amongst others. The process of building a new LRT station is extremely collaborative, involving extensive coordination and safety procedures, including the added precautionary measures the city and its contractors have in place to keep workers safe during COVID-19. When construction completes, the LRT stations will serve as main transportation hubs, bringing light rail transit to new regions and the City of Ottawa together.

The Stage 2 South Extension guideway is progressing as crews continue to build over and under roads, paths, and other transportation routes. An important part of the guideway is the work to upgrade the Rideau River rail bridge. Originally built 150 years ago for CN freight trains, the bridge was refurbished for the use of the existing South Line and is once again undergoing extensive rehabilitation to ensure the bridge is in working condition, while also making necessary retrofits for the new trains that will travel the mainline.

What happened under the tarp?

Once the existing South Line was decommissioned, crews installed a suspended scaffolding system and covered the bridge in a protective shrink wrap to stop construction debris from falling into the river. Under the white wrap, work began to sandblast the structural steel to remove old coatings and rust from the bridge, a procedure that was conducted in stages from the south end to north. After sandblasting was completed, crews inspected the bridge for corrosion and damage to the structural steel as well as the concrete and masonry structures, all of which informed the design engineering team on the scope of repair and upgrade needed.

To date, the necessary steel repairs to the bridge have been completed and crews continue to complete concrete and masonry repair. Most recently, the cofferdams, watertight enclosures, were installed to allow workers to complete repairs on the bridge piers below the water line.

The next phase of work is a significant element of the bridge’s rehabilitation, as it involves repair to the bearings, which are responsible for distributing the load from the bridge truss to the piers. To facilitate bearing repairs the bridge will need to be jacked-up 50mm from the piers. The bridge jacking system is currently being installed and once new bearings are in place, the bridge will be safely lowered down to its original position.

With the bearing work complete, the crew will focus on finishing works on the bridge, including timber tie repairs/replacement and guard rail installation before track work can begin.

A new pedestrian bridge

The South Extension scope of work also includes construction of a new pedestrian bridge that will cross the river, allowing for enhanced access from Carleton University to Vincent Massey Park and the Eastern Pathway. In preparation for this work crews have prepared laydown areas on the north and south shores of the river and have installed cofferdams to facilitate the construction of abutments, which will support the ends of the bridge and transfer the loads from the superstructure into the ground.

Excavation for the north abutment is currently underway, which involves digging down to bedrock to install abutment footings before proceeding to abutment walls and the installation of bearings, all of which must take place on both sides of the river before the pre-assembled bridge truss can be installed.

The construction schedule for the pedestrian bridge is dependent on restricted activity timing windows, which are governed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to protect fish from impacts of works in and around water.

Brewer Park

Construction of the abutments for the pedestrian bridge encroach within the river, requiring cut/fill balance to ensure that the flood storage capacity of the river floodplain is not reduced, while also providing additional benefit through the creation of an aquatic habitat feature within Brewer Park. As such, crews will carve out a horseshoe-shaped section of land at Brewer Park to create an inlet and a small island, or embayment. This inlet will help offset the addition of shoreline at the site of the pedestrian bridge, while helping manage river flow and flood mitigation.

Perhaps one of the most interesting environmental elements of the work that will take place at Brewer Park is the re-use of the stumps and roots of trees that had to be removed to facilitate construction of the pedestrian bridge. These ‘root wads’ will be transplanted upside down, with the stump in the riverbed, where the roots will collect sediment that enhances and stabilizes the riverbank. Further, this technique supports bank revegetation which provides excellent fish habitat, especially for juveniles.

The work taking place over and along the banks of the Rideau River is multi-faceted and complex. The Stage 2 South Extension will breathe new life into the historical Rideau River rail bridge, while improving pedestrian access between Carleton University and Vincent Massey Park and making changes at Brewer Park that are both functional and environmentally conscious.

The Stage 2 South Extension is well-known for the improved transit access it will provide to southern communities and the way in which it will promote multi-modal commuting through the addition of 224 bike parking spaces, a 13.6-kilometre MUP extension and seven new rail-over-road bridges, which will allow the LRT to move seamlessly over vehicular traffic on several arterial roads. But nestled in what is a somewhat hidden area of the alignment is a scope of work that will have an equally significant impact on rail travel: the Ellwood Diamond grade separation.

Located south of the existing Mooney’s Bay station and visible primarily from the OC Transitway sits a rail intersection where the existing O-Train South Line crosses the VIA Rail commuter line. Because the rail lines cross, the scheduling and operation of the two systems has long been somewhat interdependent. As part of the Stage 2 South Extension, work is well underway to forever enhance this intersection through the construction of a bridge that will allow the O-Train South Line to rise up and travel over the VIA Rail line. This grade separation is one part of the project that will have a big impact, both on area residents who will no longer hear the intersecting rail lines rattle as a train passes, and for commuter travel itself, as the elimination of this crossing unlocks the opportunity for greater train frequency.

Yet, providing this simple solution involves a significant amount of work. While the O-Train South Line has been temporarily stopped, operation of the VIA trains and OC Transpo buses on the adjacent Transitway has continued. Constructing the elevated guideway and bridge at Ellwood Diamond safely and with as little impact to commuters as possible has required a high degree of coordination and elements of the work to be conducted at night. To date, crews have drilled all of the caissons, or deep foundations, that will support the future bridge, and they have poured all of the columns that rise up from the caissons. The installation of the pier caps that sit on top of the columns and the placement of concrete and steel girders that will form the bridge deck remains ongoing. Rounding out the activities at this site are the demolition of the existing rail bridge over Sawmill Creek and the larger rail bridge over the Transitway.

Ellwood Diamond by the numbers:

• Elevated guideway with 8 spans, 6 piers and 2 abutments
• 7 spans are supported with concrete girders, 1 span (over the VIA Rail) is supported with steel girders
• 2 pier caps have been installed, 6 pier caps still to go
• 3 out of 15 concrete girders have been installed

Protecting the environment plays a key part in transit development with a need to not only respect and adhere to strict environmental laws but to also compensate for habitat affected by construction activities. With a goal of replacing or improving upon the existing wildlife habitat, the O-Train South Extension project has a unique opportunity to partner with local conservation authorities to create new habitat for two at-risk birds native to the Ottawa area.

Extending the O-Train South

In the south, the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) and the Stage 2 team are working together to develop two plots of land for songbirds, the Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink, that the RVCF will maintain long-term.

The habitat development will include the enhancement of more than 19 hectares of land between two sites with preparations and enhancement occurring outside the breeding window to eliminate impact on other breeding populations of migratory birds who nest in this area. A major part of this enhancement work includes improving the vegetation through ploughing and re-seeding with a mixture of warm and cool season native grasses.

With site enhancement and preparation complete, the most critical element of habitat compensation rests in the long-term monitoring, maintenance and reporting that will take place. An ornithologist or biologist will conduct a survey of the birds three times a year for five years in order to assess bird call monitoring, nesting locations, the number of eggs, and fledgling success rates. Vegetation surveys will be conducted yearly for five years. These surveys will document the species and coverage of grasses, legumes, and woody vegetation as well as the location of bare patches. The goal in these first five years is to assess the effectiveness of the mitigation measures and collect data that will be used to guide management strategies and maintenance requirements in the future.

To date, crews have completed the enhancement stage and are currently in the monitoring stage, which will continue for the next four years. The maintenance stage will follow and continue for 20 years.

In years 10, 15, and 20 of the maintenance periods, the two sites will be visited and assessed to confirm that grass species, forbs, and legumes are being maintained in the proportions required for a healthy ecosystem. The team will make sure invasive species are spotted and actively removed along with trees and shrubs.

Interested in learning more about Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark birds? Find Ontario’s Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark Recovery Strategy here.

The building of all three Stage 2 O-Train extensions is well underway and construction season is full steam ahead. This summer, you will see construction activity transforming our transit system further east, west, and south. By adding 44 km of rail and 24 new O-Train stations, Stage 2 will bring 77% of Ottawa residents within 5 kilometres of rail.

As construction on each of the O-Train line extensions progresses, the constructors work diligently to minimize the direct impacts on stakeholders where possible. This is achieved through active planning, managing, and overseeing of design and construction activities, and mitigating for impacts, such as noise and vibration, dust and dirt, and site lighting required for overnight work.

Most work is typically scheduled during daytime hours however, there are regular and ongoing requirements for night work. When planning a typical project, night work is used to accommodate activities that cannot be done during the day, like road or ramp closures, thus reducing impacts on the travelling public. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, effort has been made to rebalance the work to the extent possible, by allowing work to have greater traffic impacts during the day in an effort to reduce noise impacts at night. In addition, some of the more intensive construction activity has significant resource requirements, that requires work to happen day and night in order to meet the schedule. In the south, crews are working extended shifts to take advantage of the summer construction season. This includes the introduction of longer shifts and, at select sites, working 6 to 7 days a week.

Operations such as road realignment, rock excavation, utility relocations and station construction often lead to noise, vibration and other impacts being experienced and felt by communities living close to construction sites. While each alignment is different in nature, the construction activities and impacts experienced by various communities are largely the same. For residents whose property borders the affected construction zone, equipment in the area may cause noise and vibration as the work progresses.

Noise Monitoring and Mitigation

Noise and vibration monitors have been installed in various locations to ensure that disruption does not exceed allowable limits mandated by the City. Limits are set to ensure there is no damage to nearby properties. However, while vibrations and noise may be within those limits, residents may still feel or hear construction activities while underway.

The monitors are continuously observed to track noise and vibration created by construction. If an exceedance occurs, an alert is automatically sent to the site and work is stopped to investigate the source of the exceedance and implement corrective measures, if necessary.

When data is received, the constructor’s Environmental and Operations teams work together to ensure that contract requirements are met, but more importantly that any complaints from the public are acknowledged and addressed.

The following are some of the mitigation measures the constructor has adopted to reduce noise:

• The constructor’s equipment fleet is well-maintained, in order to limit noise levels.
• The majority of equipment in the field, including pick-up trucks, dump trucks and other construction vehicles are required to be equipped with broadband back-up white noise alarms.
• Workers and sub-contractors are trained and consistently reminded to be good neighbours when working on-site by not slamming tailgates, not idling vehicles and to avoid shouting or yelling when working.
• All trucking companies are mindful of the door slamming and tailgate-banging concerns that can be created and are conducting awareness training with their drivers working at construction sites.
• Use of equipment like vac trucks, required to locate utilities and excavators, and activities like hoe-ramming, roller compacting, and guardrail installation are primarily completed during daytime hours, when possible.
• Light plants, generators and compressors are placed onsite and as far away from neighbouring homes to the extent possible. Acoustic noise barriers are affixed to fencing used to enclose equipment operating overnight (i.e. pumps and generators) located near residential homes.
• Temporary noise or visual barriers are constructed along construction zones to protect adjacent land users from noise pollution.
• City communications staff provide regular project information through newsletters, online articles, video, social media updates and public notices. Where overnight work is required, advance notice is provided via public notices distributed by-hand and to email subscribers.
• Together, the City and the constructor respond quickly to public inquires or complaints. Each complaint is investigated, tracked, reported on, and responded to.

Dust and Dirt

Dry, loose dirt can be picked up in the wind and gets tossed around by heavy equipment. As such, the constructor uses water and other dust suppressants, where practical, to keep dust down and help the dirt stay put.

At sites where the constructor is working for longer periods of time and where fencing is required, mesh screens or noise barriers are affixed to it. While the fencing does not prevent dust, it helps contain it onsite. The constructor also ensures that street sweepers clean adjacent roadways and ramps regularly from trucks leaving sites.

Mobility

All pedestrian, cycling, bus, and vehicular movements will generally be maintained during construction, though sometimes highway ramps, lanes, roads, transitway and sidewalk closures are necessary. While closures are in place, safe routes are maintained for all commuters and communicated through signage, notices via newsletter and website, and social media. Pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution when localized detours are in place and follow signage or directions from flag persons when present. Motorists should adhere to detours, traffic control signage and allow for added travel time when moving through active construction corridors. When multi-use pathway (MUP) detours have been implemented to allow for safe passage around construction activity, they have been designed to meet the City’s standards for safety, security and accessibility.

Questions or comments

Residents concerned about vibrations, noise, dust, and/or mobility issues are encouraged to contact the Stage 2 team by emailing Stage2@ottawa.ca or by calling Service Ottawa at 3-1-1, emailing 311@ottawa.ca.

Was this information helpful? Let us know by emailing Stage2@ottawa.ca.

Stay up to date with Stage 2 LRT progress by signing up for the Stage 2 LRT newsletter.

If you have been commuting down Highway 417 in the west end of the city, you have probably noticed the major construction activity on the north side of the 417 between Woodroffe Avenue and Moodie Drive.

Stage 2 crews have been working hard to make space for the LRT to run on the north side of the highway along the existing bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor. To facilitate future tracks and stations, select ramps at Pinecrest and Moodie interchanges must be re-built and/or shifted in order to accommodate construction activities for the guideway.

One of this year’s exciting milestones will take place at the Highway 417 Pinecrest Road interchange when crews demolish a piece of Pinecrest Road and slide in a new bridge to make way for future LRT tracks.

So far, the westbound on-ramp from southbound Pinecrest Road has been shifted making space for the new precast bridge that has been constructed next to Pinecrest Road. The pre-cast bridge will slide into place over a five-day road closure. Signed detours will be in place and a free shuttle service for pedestrians and cyclists will run between bus stop Highway 417 / Greenbank (4081) and the Pinecrest Bus Station (3019).

How will the new pre-cast bridge slide into place?

Before sliding can begin, lots of preparatory work must be complete. To start, the westbound on-ramp from southbound Pinecrest Road was shifted to make space for the new bridge. Crews began to construct the new pre-cast bridge next to the on-ramp, last year and continue to work on it. Excavation activity continues as crews prepare for the big event.

Once the road closes, crews will waste no time to begin excavating 7,950 m3 of dirt and demolishing a section of the existing Pinecrest Road bridge. The team will then slide the 3,800 tonne pre-cast bridge into its new home and secure it to the existing Pinecrest Road. This complicated work requires special equipment, coordination, and expertise to ensure the bridge installation is successful. An air pad sliding machine is used to jack the pre-cast bridge up and push it into place. When the bridge is in line with Pinecrest Road, crews will begin backfilling and paving before the road is re-instated and re-opened.

This major project will allow Stage 2 crews to continue to build the trench the future LRT will run in.

Learn more about the future Pinecrest Station here.

Questions or comments

Was this information helpful? Let us know by emailing Stage2@ottawa.ca.

Stay up to date with Stage 2 LRT progress by signing up for the Stage 2 LRT newsletter.

With the arrival of warmer weather, a crew of railroaders dedicated to the art and science of constructing rail lines, will continue to lay down the tracks for the O-Train South Extension. Each rail is laid, welded, measured, and tested as part of the Stage 2 project.

Crews have removed approximately 7 km of existing rail on the O-Train South Line and started laying new rail in the Fall of 2020. The trackworks schedule is ramping up with plans to lay rail this spring and summer along the south extension to connect downtown Ottawa with the Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and the communities along the Stage 2 South Extension.

The new LRT line will expand Ottawa’s integrated transit network with the installation of:

• A four-kilometre Airport Link with two elevated guideways to two new stations at Uplands and the Airport
• Platform and tracks lengthened to accommodate longer trains along the existing portion of the OTrain South Line
• Replacement sections of track, tie, ballast, structures and drainage infrastructure along the existing portion of the OTrain South Line
• New tracks over 8 new rail over-road bridges
• Double tracks south of Leitrim Road to the end of the main Line at Limebank Road
• 1800 metres of ballasted track, and 500 metres of interior track within the new Walkley Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) which will house the future trains that will run along the Stage 2 OTrain South Extension

When in service, seven Stadler FLIRT trains along with the existing refurbished six Alstom Coradia Lint trains (running in coupled pairs) will operate along the tracks of the main O-Train South Line. The Alstom Cordia Lint trains, running as single units, will provide service along the Airport Link. The FLIRTs are double the length and passenger capacity of the existing Alstom trains that formerly operated on the line.

What’s happening now: Working on the rail

• Approximately 7 km of rail track have been removed including in the Dow’s Lake Tunnel.
• From Greenboro to Bowesville, guideway and trackwork started last Fall and track installation will be approaching Leitrim throughout the spring and progressing from Leitrim to Bowesville in the Fall.
• Trackwork will be starting this spring along the existing portion of the OTrain South Line from Walkley Station to Greenboro, Dow’s Lake Tunnel, and Corso Italia to Bayview.
• Along the Airport Link extending to Greenboro, additional trackworks will be starting this Spring through until Fall 2021.
• At the new Walkley MSF, trackworks will continue until Fall 2021.
• Along the new south extension from Bowesville to Limebank, trackworks are expected to start in Fall 2021 and continue through until Summer 2022.

At a Glance- the sequence of major activities involved in constructing typical at-grade ballasted tracks

Step 1: Creating the foundation

Once deep utility work has been completed beneath the future rail line, workers look to create a level surface by creating a layer of sub-ballast, or small crushed rock. This layer creates an impermeable surface that directs water to drainage channels. This subgrade is compacted to create a stable base in preparation for the placement of ballast, a layer of larger crushed rock, which is roller compacted above the sub-ballast to create the foundation for the track.

Step 2: Installing Rails and Ties – “Pulling the strings and threading the ties into place”

The track is made up of evenly-spaced concrete rail ties and steel rails. The ties are placed on top of the ballast at equal intervals, typically 600 mm apart. Steel rails are then placed on top of the ties and welded together to make a continuous smooth surface. They are permanently held together using clips to hold the rails to the ties.

Rail are distributed to the tracks one track at a time. As one track has been constructed, rails from the adjacent stockpile are threaded over the newly laid out ties. Rails are pulled into position with a large tool called ‘rail tongs’. The rails strings are threaded onto rollers for movement and placed on ballast adjacent to the tracks when the final position is established.

Step 3: Final ballast and regulating the rails

Once the rails and ties are in place, they are flooded with more ballast to hold the track system in place and ensure there is no movement from the train traffic or change in temperature. A tamping machine travels along the rail line to adjust the final alignment. Crews perform final analysis to ensure the rails meet very strict criteria for safety and ride comfort for when commuters travel down the lines.

Trackworks for infrastructure construction are an essential building block of the O-Train South Extension.

A Track worker’s Quick Guide to Rail Terminology

Ballast: Crushed stone acts as a support base for the railroad ties and rails as well as allowing for proper drainage of water away from the rails. It also transmits the stresses generated by the passage of the trains, to the ground, without becoming packed down.

Ties: A railroad or railway tie is generally laid perpendicular to the rails to transfer loads to the ballast and subgrade. On the O-Train South Extension, concrete ties are used.

Rail: Steel rails (also called “strings” or “sticks”) are welded together to form a smooth surface on which the trains wheels can travel. The term “rail” is interchangeable with the term “tracks”.

Spike, Fastener or Clip: Are used to permanently fasten the rails to the ties

Work is well underway to extend the O-Train West extension from Westboro Station to Moodie and Algonquin Stations.

The O-Train West Extension is one of the three major extensions to Ottawa’s Light Rail Transit Project. The extension will add over 15 km of new rail and 11 new stations between Tunney’s Pasture to Moodie Drive and to Algonquin station. It also includes a light maintenance and storage facility, 10 new bridges, 14 rehabilitated bridges and 2 cut and cover tunnels.

Looking back at 2020 progress

Throughout 2020, residents and commuters witnessed a great deal of construction activity in the west end of Ottawa, transforming the future of our transit system.

Last year, the goal on the West extension was to prepare for excavation on the two cut and cover tunnels underneath the Sir John A. Macdonald (SJAM) Parkway and Byron Linear Park. Before cut and cover tunnel construction could begin traffic needed to be shifted, and underground utilities relocated. An important milestone was reached in 2020 which saw the shift of the SJAM north side between Dominion Avenue and Cleary Avenue to allow for construction to safely occur on the south side.

Other significant work completed in the West included opening the road detour at Iris Station that permits multiple phasing of activities including the realignment of a culvert under Iris Street to accommodate future construction of the station and the LRT guideway; opening of a new bus loop at Algonquin Station; and building a temporary bus station at Lincoln Fields Station.

Upcoming Construction Activities in 2021

In 2021, heavy construction will take place throughout the West extension as crews dig and continue tunnel construction, relocate utilities, begin station construction, and install rail, guideway, and pedestrian and road bridges. While the progress being made is exciting, some of the activities may cause disruptions for area residents, including noise, dust, night work, traffic detours, site lighting or additional construction vehicles in the area.

The City of Ottawa’s Rail Construction Program continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and is in contact with the constructors about adhering to guidance provided by Ottawa Public Health and the Province of Ontario. Construction schedules and sequencing are subject to change as work progresses, at the discretion of the project contractor.

Should there be any significant changes to this information, and as additional construction activities are scheduled through 2021, the public will be updated via electronic updates. Please sign-up for Stage 2 e-newsletter updates, specifying the extensions and stations of interest, to receive updates targeted for those areas.

Here is a look at the upcoming major construction activities:

Goldenrod Bridge

Construction work continues on the deck of the Goldenrod Bridge at Tunney’s Pasture, followed by the installation of parapets and railings. The bridge is expected to be completed in July 2021. Once completed, the bridge will be open during construction for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus-only traffic. This bridge will facilitate bus movement during the bus detour, which will move busses off the Transitway in 2022. Following revenue service, the bridge will extend Goldenrod Avenue to Scott Street for mixed-use by pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles and buses.

Westboro Station

Westboro Station is an existing Transitway station on the north of Scott Street between Tweedsmuir Avenue and Athlone Avenue. New light rail is being constructed where the existing bus rapid transit is located. The new main entrance will be located on Scott Street. Pedestrian connections linking the north and south side of the existing trench will be provided on both the east and west side of the station. Construction on Westboro Station will start in June 2022.

Kìchì Sìbì Station

Kìchì Sìbì Station is an existing Transitway station, between Dominion Avenue and Berkley Avenue. The new station will have access across the LRT guideway linking pedestrians and cyclists from Dominion Avenue to Workman Avenue with a direct connection to the National Capital Commission (NCC) multi-use pathway on the SJAM. Construction on the future Kìchì Sìbì Station will start in July 2022.

The Roosevelt Pedestrian Bridge located east of Kìchì Sìbì Station and connecting Workman and Roosevelt Avenues will be demolished in June 2021 in order to construct a transit only bridge in the summer, as part of the future Transitway detour. Pedestrian detours, east to Churchill Avenue and west to the SJAM, will be maintained once the bridge is removed. Work to install these detours as well as utilities relocation began in the spring and will continue until November 2021. Motorists can expect traffic detours to facilitate this work on Scott Street starting in late-fall 2021.

At Churchill Avenue north at SJAM, road and pedestrian detours will be maintained for the continued construction of the Churchill pedestrian underpass which is expected to be completed in the Spring 2022.

At Kitchissippi Lookout, work on utilities relocation at Atlantis Avenue, drainage work, widening of the SJAM westbound lane, and intersection roadwork at the median turning lanes will take place until end of Summer 2021.

Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway (SJAM)

Installation of support of excavation will continue throughout 2021 for the Parkway Tunnel between Rochester Field and Cleary Avenue. The tunnel will run between Kìchì Sìbì and Lincoln Fields stations travelling underneath the SJAM and Byron Linear Park.

A temporary plant is producing slurry required for the future tunnel, which will support tunnel excavation. The plan is now operational and will continue to run into 2022. Several trucks per day bring materials to service the plant, accessing the site from the SJAM Parkway.

Sherbourne Station

Sherbourne Station will be a new, single entrance station located within Byron Linear Park between Cleary Avenue and Sherbourne Road. A multi-use pathway will be accessible from the station via the new Cleary Avenue Pedestrian Bridge. Station construction will start June 2022.

Tunnel construction across Byron Linear Park will continue throughout 2021 and neighbouring residents can expect noise, vibrations, and detours at Cleary Avenue and Richmond Road to facilitate the construction. A new watermain installation at Cleary Avenue is expected to be complete by August 2021.

Byron Avenue

Utilities work along Byron Avenue between Woodroffe Avenue to Redwood Avenue is ongoing and is expected to be complete by June 2021. Following completion of the utilities, road paving will begin, and the barriers and fencing will be realigned. Crews began paving on Byron Avenue in April.

Byron Linear Park

The cut and cover tunnel in Byron Linear Park is being excavated to an approximate depth of 10.5 metres. Cut and cover construction operations are now underway and will continue until 2023. Rock breaking will be required on the future Byron Tunnel between Hartleigh Avenue and Sherbourne Road as this area has underground rock that must be excavated for the tunnel construction. Once excavation is complete, tunnel construction will begin.

New Orchard Station

New Orchard Station will be a new station located within Byron Linear Park, east of New Orchard Avenue. All station facilities and system support spaces will be completely below grade except for the fare gate entrance and emergency exits. In addition, New Orchard will be constructed as an open station with the platforms located below the level of the existing grade. Station construction is expected to start in early 2022.

Woodroffe Avenue at Richmond Road

Since March, crews and equipment have been relocating a watermain under Woodroffe Avenue and will continue until late-May 2021. Relocation involves breaking rock for the utility trenches which is performed at night to minimize disruptions to traffic during the day. Once finished, construction of the temporary decking across Woodroffe will start, allowing for construction of the LRT tunnel below. A full closure, for approximately two weeks, at the end of May of Woodroffe Avenue is required to complete this work.

McEwen Avenue and Edgeworth Avenue

Excavation and relocation of a sanitary line is required along McEwen Avenue, resulting in the temporary closure and realigned sidewalk. This began in Spring 2021 and will continue until end of May. Following the Lawn Avenue Parkette utilities relocation work, crews and equipment will be working on Edgeworth Avenue for the relocation of underground watermain, storm water and sanitary line utilities which involves a road closure (local traffic will be permitted), rock breaking, removals, and operation of heavy machinery.

Lincoln Fields Station Area

Lincoln Fields Station is an existing Transitway station that will be reoriented and completely rebuilt to function as a new LRT station. The train platform will be located under Carling Avenue. There will be three entrances: a station entrance from Carling Avenue; an entrance with access from the west side of the guideway at-grade; and an entrance that will be provided at the bus loop. A signalized pedestrian crossing will also be provided to facilitate improved station access across Carling Avenue.

The existing bus terminal will be reconfigured to accommodate bus platforms and other bus facilities. Passenger pick-up and drop-off spaces currently located within the operating area of the bus terminal will be relocated with access from Carling Avenue and shared with buses.

As the watermain relocation along Carling Avenue nears completion, crews began storm sewer relocation in mid-April 2021. Support of excavation for the road-over-rail bridge structure along Carling Avenue is ongoing. In April, Lincoln Fields station construction began, making this the first station on the east-west extension to start station construction, a major milestone in the Stage 2 LRT Project. Cut and cover operations north of the Lincoln Fields station, have begun which involves pile drilling and excavation over the Spring 2021.

Connaught Park

The utilities relocation work on Connaught Avenue is ongoing, with the watermain work near Hanlon Avenue nearing completion. Construction of the new Woodroffe Pedestrian Bridge will has begun, and the current bridge structure will be removed after completion in 2022, ensuring continued connectivity across the park. Construction has resumed on the Lincoln Fields flyover with installation of supporting structures.

The access for the OC Transpo depot was relocated to Connaught Avenue, which has allowed work to advance along the south side of Queensview Drive adjacent to Highway 417 up to the Pinecrest Road interchange, with utilities work and tunnel construction. Tunnel work has started on Connaught Avenue and into Connaught Park. Tunnel construction will consist of pile drilling, excavation, and support walls. As the tunnel work progresses, supporting structures are put in place with installation of formwork, followed by excavation. When the tunnel progress is sufficiently advanced, expected mid-May 2021, road work will occur at Connaught and Hanlon Avenues. This work will be to realign a portion of the road for traffic during construction through 2022 and will have ongoing lane reductions with a flagger to maintain connectivity in the area.

Iris Station Area

The Iris Station area will see ongoing activities related to drainage, grading, road work, support of excavation, retaining wall construction, traffic signals and streetlights throughout Spring 2021.

Crews are currently working on culvert construction, as part of the realignment of Pinecrest Creek, and drainage management, prior to the start of station construction in Spring 2022. Culvert work continues, including upcoming excavation for Pinecrest Creek, required to facilitate station and guideway construction. Following completion of the Pinecrest Creek realignment, construction of the new Iris Street bridge will begin in Fall 2021.

Iris Station is currently a bus stop located at the intersection of Iris Street and the existing Transitway. When completed, the LRT station platform will be located below the level of Iris Street. The station will include stairs and elevators for passengers to access the station from the sidewalk and bus stops located on Iris Street. Station entrance plazas on the east and west side of the guideway will be provided to safely accommodate both pedestrian and cycling traffic. Station construction will start in Winter 2022.

Pinecrest Creek Stormwater Management Pond

Construction of the Stormwater Management Pond (SWMP), near Woodroffe Avenue and Baseline Road started in December 2020 and is progressing well. Crews have successfully excavated over 150,000 cubic metres of material, representing over half of the required excavation. This activity is expected to be complete in July 2021. Excavation will be followed by culvert construction, and inlet and outlet structures. The Pinecrest Creek SWMP construction is expected to complete by end of 2021, with final landscaping works continuing in 2022.

Algonquin Station

Algonquin Station is an existing Transitway station that was designed for light rail with an existing tunnel. This new station will serve as the last stop as part of the south-western link of the west extension, located between College Avenue and Navaho Drive, west of Algonquin College’s ACCE building and beneath the landscaped plaza within the previously constructed transit tunnel. The existing station will be replaced with improved pedestrian and cycling connections.

The station will have three entrances: south side of College Avenue; the north end of platform, within the existing plaza; and from the pedestrian bridge connecting to the Algonquin ACCE building.

The new pedestrian bridge will allow passengers safe and direct access to the ACCE building and to the existing pedestrian bridge crossing Woodroffe Avenue.

Excavation work continues at the future site of the Algonquin Station, and bus operator building adjacent to the Transitway. This work requires deep excavation and involves a reduction to the size of the current Park and Ride lot across from Algonquin College. Utilities work is required in the area, which coincided with the start of station construction at the end of April 2021.

Queensview Station

Queensview Station is a new station located to the north of Highway 417. The station will have one entrance and will be integrated with a new pedestrian bridge over the 417, providing a significant new connection for communities north and south of the 417. There will be a plaza entry with access from the enhanced multi-use pathway and sidewalk system to allow access from the Queensview Drive and Queensway Terrace North communities. Station construction will start in Winter 2022.

Connaught cut and cover tunnel work has begun at Queensview Station moving into Connaught Park. Several drilling machines will be used for tunneling to an average depth of 10 metres and will operate concurrently in several locations. Utilities work is underway between the Pinecrest Road interchange and Leon’s. Preliminary utility relocation work has started for the Queensview pedestrian bridge over Highway 417.

LRT Guideway Pinecrest to Moodie Stations

The LRT guideway will run along the existing Transitway, at-grade, parallel to the westbound lanes of the Highway 417. The LRT will run in a trench underneath Pinecrest Road and Moodie Drive and on a bridge over Holly Acres Road. As a result, some existing ramps have to be adjusted, or re-built to accommodate the construction of the new rail line.

Construction activities are scheduled so that the duration and extent of the impacts on all modes of transportation and the local community is minimized. Traffic will be shifted during construction to make space for the new structures (i.e., stations, bridges, roads, etc.) and the LRT guideway. This will be done in stages using temporary ramps, temporary closures, and traffic pattern shifts. Detours will be routed through approved arterial or major collector roads with posted signage and video message boards. Cycling and pedestrian routes will remain open during construction.

Pinecrest Station

At Pinecrest Station, a precast bridge is being built to allow for the LRT to travel underneath Pinecrest Road. The bridge will be moved into place during a rapid bridge replacement over a weekend, another major milestone for the O-Train West Extension. This will require a short duration closure of Pinecrest Road, likely to occur in late June 2021. The bridge wing walls are completed, deck shoring is ongoing, with deck pouring complete May 1, 2021. The south-west ramp closed on March 1, 2021 and will remain closed until approximately November 2021. In the Fall, the westbound off-ramp to Pinecrest Road will close for approximately 18 months to support the construction of the new trench. Signed detours and notices will be communicated prior to the closure.

Bayshore Station

Bayshore Station is an existing Transitway station that is currently located adjacent to Bayshore Shopping Centre and Highway 417.

The station will have a direct connection to Bayshore Shopping Centre by way of the existing overhead pedestrian bridge and improved pedestrian connections east and west via new and improved multi-use pathways and to the north with an improved sidewalk to Woodridge Crescent. Bicycle parking will be provided where the new sidewalk and multi-use pathway will intersect at the new station plaza adjacent to the existing BRT station entrance. Work around the Bayshore Station area for utility work and future station begun is underway with construction of a temporary bus loop starting in April 2021.

Holly Acres Road

At Holly Acres Road, a realignment of the road began in November 2020 and was completed in March 2021. This was required to create the necessary space for the LRT which will be carried over the road on a new bridge. Retaining walls, abutments, and pier caps were recently completed including the installation of girders. Upcoming work includes construction of the bridge deck, railings and concrete slabs, and installation of utilities.

Moodie Station

Moodie Station is an existing Transitway station that is currently located south-east of the intersection of Moodie Drive and Corkstown Road. The existing station will serve as the final stop on the Stage 2 O-Train West extension.

The station platform will be located between Corkstown Road and the eastbound off-ramp of Highway 417, east of Moodie Drive. The station will facilitate the direct and rapid movement of passengers between local buses, trains, and adjacent development.

Passenger pick-up and drop-off space will be located on the realigned and reconfigured Corkstown Road. Multi-use pathways and a sidewalk will direct customers to the plaza for entrance to the station and where bicycle parking will be provided.

The track for the LRT will be constructed across Moodie Drive on the north side of Highway 417. Three new structures are in the process of being built for the road bridges.

A realignment of Moodie Drive began in November 2020 and this work will continue in phases through December 2021. Construction of the Moodie Drive structure will begin in Summer 2021 through Winter 2021. Ramp closures and adjustments are in place to make room for the future LRT trench.

Light Maintenance and Storage Facility (LMSF)

The LMSF will provide additional vehicle storage and perform light maintenance activities.

Construction of the LMSF began recently while utilities work, culvert and concrete pad construction, and building excavation are ongoing. Support structures and installation of retaining walls began in April 2021.

Community Impacts

Residents can expect the following planned mobility impacts during construction. All mobility impacts will be communicated to residents prior to construction starting.

Most work is scheduled to occur from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. There will be requirements for overnight work and some weekend work.

Noise and vibration from trucks and heavy equipment is expected. Regular street sweeping and cleaning will be scheduled to mitigate the dust and dirt coming from construction work.

Site lighting for overnight work is required. Please note that all night work will have supplementary notices delivered to affected residents.

All pedestrian, cycling, bus, and vehicular movements will generally be maintained during construction apart from highway ramp closures. Pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution when localized detours are in place.

Motorists should adhere to detours, traffic control signage, posted speed limits, and use extra caution as traffic patterns change. Motorists should use caution and allow for added travel time when moving through active construction corridors.

Stay Informed!

To receive electronic newsletter updates, please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2Connect.

For any other questions, please contact Stage2@ottawa.ca.

Spring is in the air which means construction activities are full steam ahead.

In the past year, east end residents have witnessed Stage 2 crews transforming Highway 174 from Blair Road to Trim Road. In particular, the road is being relocated, traffic lanes are shifted, and new bridges are being built to create enough space in the centre median for the future light rail transit (LRT) guideway and stations.

In some areas, such as through the greenbelt, realigning the highway is straightforward and can be accomplished with lane closures. In other locations such as future station locations and road interchanges, highway realigning is more complex as it requires relocation of utilities, widening of support structures for the bridges, and shifting of highway ramps. These locations require intensive construction and dedicated weekend traffic closures in order to complete the work safely.

After the lanes are shifted, crews and hoe ramming equipment start to remove the concrete and asphalt remaining from the old OR174 lanes. Hoe ramming is a technique used to break concrete and rock with excavation equipment. Crews use the hoe-ram for work that is too large or complex for simple jackhammering or areas where blasting is not possible due to noise, safety or environmental issues.

So far, 5 km of road shifting has taken place on eastbound lanes of the OR174 and 2 km on the westbound lanes. This work will continue throughout the year up to Trim Road and will represent approximately 8 km eastbound and 11 km westbound of shifted traffic lanes. By the end of the year, crews will have laid 75,000 metric tonnes of asphalt along the O-Train East Extension.

All of this will help create the necessary space for the guideway, where the rail tracks will be installed.

There is a lot of work necessary before guideway work can start. Gas lines, water pipes and electrical cables need to be relocated. Once this is completed, crews and equipment must dig into the ground to install pipes and boxes, called catch basins, to drain rainwater and melting snow from the tracks and the roads. This year, a total of 25 kms of drainage pipe will be installed along the east extension. Across the entire East-West extension project, 35% of the utility installation or relocation for the guideway is now completed. Once the underground work is complete, focus goes into preparing the area before securing the first rail into the ground.

Track ballast forms the track bed upon which railroad ties are laid. Ballasted track has proven to be effective and efficient to provide riding quality, rail stability, surface and line holding, reduced noise and vibration, improved drainage, and service life. It is packed all around the ties and is used to bear the load from the railroad ties, to facilitate water drainage and keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track structure. Ballast also holds the track in place as the vehicles roll over it. A variety of materials such a crushed stone, gravel, sand, etc. can be used as track ballast. Following the ballast work, crews place and weld together long sections of steel rails to create a continuous line of rail.

Afterwards, crews will build the catenary which is a system of overhead wires used to supply electricity to light rail vehicles equipped with a pantograph, an apparatus mounted on the roof of a train to collect power through contact with an overhead line. Crews will use cranes to install heavy steel poles that will carry electric power for the LRT line. Electrical crews will then install wires to the poles to power the train. Later, metal structures are installed along the line that will convert the electricity used to power the trains.

Once the guideway construction is complete and the stations are constructed, it will be time to test the rail system. This takes months and months to ensure that all the connecting pieces work smoothly to ensure riders’ safety.

The rail tracks are currently being held at the Port of Johnstown in Ontario and should make their way to Ottawa in July. The first tracks will be laid in the East this fall just east of the future Montréal LRT Station.

LRT History and Introduction to Canada

Light rail is a commonly used mode of public transit in North America. The term light rail was coined in 1972 by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA), which is known today as the U.S. Federal Transit Administration. The term was used at the time to describe the type of new streetcars which were becoming popular in Europe and the United States.

The introduction of light rail in North American began in 1978 when Edmonton, Alberta adopted the system followed three years later by Calgary, Alberta. The concept proved popular as there are now over 40 light rail transit systems in North America.

Crews have been hard at work preparing for the peak 2021 construction season, expected to start late-spring. This year’s focus is on the continuation and completion of structures, guideway and elevated guideway work in the south, and the continuation and further ramp-up of stations and trackwork across the alignment.

The O-train South Extension will run from Bayview to Limebank, with 12 kms of rail and 11 stations (6 new with renovation to 5 existing). The Airport Link will run from South Keys to a new station at the Airport, with 4 kms of rail and 2 stations. The extension will also see construction of key local pedestrian and cyclist network connections to encourage active transportation through the creation of multi-use pathways (MUPs), cycle-tracks and pedestrian bridges.

At the peak of the project, which is expected in early to mid-2021, there will be approximately 800 workers on-site each day dedicated to the Stage 2 O-Train South Extension Project.

Use the Stage 2 LRT Interactive Map to explore the O-Train South Extension further.

O-Train South Extension

Upgrades to Bayview Station

Upgrades to Bayview station started in 2020 with the demolition of the existing platform in preparation for construction of a new platform to accommodate longer trains with greater capacity. Construction is underway on the Trinity pedestrian bridge and this work is scheduled for completion this year. Upcoming work at Bayview station will include construction of a new MUP, foundations work for the east side platform and civil works.

New Corso Italia Station

In the early spring of 2020 crews began rock excavation on the north side of Gladstone Avenue where the future Corso Italia station will be constructed. This rock excavation was required to widen the guideway to allow for the addition of a second track. Rock excavation activities have now moved further north of Highway 417 and will be completed later this spring. With the guideway widening complete, construction will soon begin on the new Corso Italia station. Activities over the coming months will include utility relocation and platform foundation construction.

This past fall, rock excavation started in the trench between Highway 417 and Beech Street. This work, which combines line drilling to weaken the rock followed by hoe ramming to break it apart, is required to widen the trench to allow for the addition of a second track. Work has been taking place during daytime hours and is scheduled to be complete this spring. Once this work has concluded utility relocations and other civil works will start.

Upgrades to Dow’s Lake Station

Last summer, crews began working at Dow’s Lake station. To date, the existing station platform has been demolished and rock excavation is complete to create the necessary space for construction of a new station platform, which will be approximately double its current length. Over the coming months, work at Dow’s Lake station will be focused on the shaft for the elevators and platform work.

Upgrades to Carleton Station

Work is underway on the MUP underpass, which has required the closure of the north MUP and all pathways to the underpass. The south MUP extension work is complete and has opened. MUP detours are in place, maintaining pedestrian and cyclist routes through the area. Crews will focus on the platform work, utility work and station work.

As part of the Stage 2 project, a new Rideau River Pedestrian Bridge is being constructed to connect Carleton University to the Rideau River Eastern Pathway in Vincent Massey Park, parallel to the existing rail bridge. Site preparations including vegetation removal began in 2020. The Rideau River Eastern Pathway remains open, however a section through the work site is being controlled by flaggers to complete site preparations. Before the prefabricated bridge can be installed, columns will be constructed. Once complete, crews will use a special technique to connect the prefabricated bridge to the columns in summer 2021.

Upgrades to Mooney’s Bay Station

Civil and utility work for electrical services are currently planned. The old station platform has been demolished and work to construct a new platform is in progress. Platform foundation backfilling is ongoing for the new extended Mooney’s platform.

Ellwood Diamond Bridge

Construction has begun on the rail structure that will allow the O-Train Line to pass over the VIA rail tracks at the Ellwood Diamond. Crews are drilling caissons that form the sub-structure of the rail bridge and will move on to pouring columns and pier caps in preparation for the installation of precast girders, or deck panels. Sawmill creek bridge and rail bridge demolition is scheduled for the summer.

Dow’s Lake Tunnel

The 578-metre tunnel travels under Dow’s Lake and is a critical piece of infrastructure. Crews are working to rehabilitate the tunnel and address several historical challenges. To date, crews have completed the removal of existing rail to make way for the construction of the new LRT tracks. Joint repairs have also begun as part of improvement to the water infiltration management system. Over the remainder of the year, workers will continue with tunnel rehabilitation activities and the installation of new tracks.

New Walkley Station

Crews have begun preparation for construction at the new Walkley Station and are currently excavating in the station area and working on footing walls. Over the coming months, work will conclude on the construction of shoring and platform walls and crews will begin on the relocation of the watermain and the installation of duct banks in the platform area. Excavation for the station building and the plaza starts in spring.

New Walkley Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF)

Construction of the new Walkley MSF is well underway with the building foundation work and exterior envelope complete. Slab-on-grade concrete pours are ongoing inside the building along with mechanical rough-in. Interior masonry wall rough-in is also underway. In the coming months, crews will start work on underground utilities in the MSF yard and work will commence on the train inspection building and train-wash building foundation.

Upgrades to Greenboro Station

Greenboro Station is an existing transfer station on the O-Train South Line. Crews have completed demolition and platform construction is underway at Greenboro Station before proceeding with excavation to create a footprint for a new, longer station platform. This year, crews will also continue prepping and laying track in this area. Across the South Line, track work between Walkley and Greenboro Stations is expected to be the first segment complete in Summer 2021.

New South Keys Station

Concrete foundation work is now complete at the new South Keys Station. Forming and reinforcement for the walls that will support the platform continue and installation of engineered, lightweight fill is underway north of the station. In the coming months, crews will proceed with installing light weight fill and utilities south of the station.

Hunt Club Rail Bridge and MUP

With area utilities relocated into underground duct banks, work has commenced on the Hunt Club rail bridge and MUP. The Hunt Club MUP will run along the rail bridge to connect South Keys Station via Sawmill Creek Pathway to pathways south of Hunt Club Road. Pedestrians and cyclists using this new link will be safely separated from rail lines by a 2.4 metre high cement barrier. Crews are completing caissons, the deep foundation that will support the bridge structure above. In the coming months crews will continue with construction of the structure, including columns, pier caps and installation of pre-cast girders to help form the bridge deck.

Lester Rail Bridge

Work has progressed well on the rail bridge over Lester Road. Over the coming months crews will be focused on waterproofing the bridge in preparation of track installation.

Leitrim Rail Bridge

The rail bridge over Leitrim Road is well underway with the construction of columns and pier caps and the installation of pre-cast bridge girders finished. Crews will spend the coming months completing bridge deck works.

New Leitrim Station

Construction of the new Leitrim station is underway with excavation, formwork, rebar and concrete placement. Over the remainder of 2021 crews will focus on the construction of the structure, platforms, parking area and bus loop.

Leitrim Station will be a bus transfer station with a Park and Ride facility. The station will be constructed on raised platforms with weather-protected ramps and connectivity to other transportation modes. The Park and Ride facility will initially offer 330 spaces but has been designed for future growth to no less than 925 spaces.

Earl Armstrong Rail Bridge

The rail bridge over Earl Armstrong Road is well underway with the construction of columns and pier caps and the installation of pre-cast bridge girders finished. Crews will spend the coming months completing bridge deck work and embankments.

Bowesville Rail Bridge

The rail bridge over Bowesville Road is nearing completion with the construction of columns and pier caps and the installation of pre-cast bridge girders finished. Crews will focus the coming months on waterproofing, track installation and constructing embankments.

New Bowesville Station

Crews have mobilized on site and construction is underway. The focus will be placed on the completion of the foundation and retaining walls and the start of the station structure, concrete train approach slab and under-platform pedestrian tunnel in the coming months.

Bowesville Station will be a bus transfer station with an 800-space Park and Ride facility. Bowesville has been designed with grade separation between the plaza and platform, allowing for the circulation of passengers up to the platform via elevators. During the train’s non-operating hours, this station will continue to serve as a bus platform.

Limebank Elevated Guideway

The rail bridge over Limebank Road is underway with the construction of columns and pier caps and the installation of pre-cast bridge girders is ongoing. Over the coming months crews will focus on completing bridge deck work.

New Limebank Station

Underground electrical work is proceeding. In the coming months, crews will be focused on installation of stairs of the platform and structural steel installation.

As a new terminal station, Limebank will offer direct access to the on-street bus facility to the north of the alignment.

Airport Link

Uplands Station

Excavation at the future station is complete and underground electrical work is ongoing. Formwork, rebar and concrete works are underway. In the coming months, crews will begin to backfill around the station foundations and continue concrete works.

The new Uplands Station will be located adjacent to the EY Centre and designed for simultaneous entry and exit of passengers on both tracks to manage the anticipated capacity of EY Centre event patrons and future development north of the alignment.

Airport Parkway Rail Bridge

The rail bridge over Airport Parkway is nearing completion with the bridge deck poured and abutment construction ongoing. Crews are getting ready for backfill and approach slab construction.

Airport Elevated Guideway

Girder installation on the new Airport Elevated Guideway was completed in early 2021. Crews are now focused on deck preparation and pouring the concrete deck, which is expected to be complete by late summer.

Airport Station

Construction of the stair shaft and stairs that will lead up to the future Airport station are complete and structural steel erection is also nearing completion. Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall construction and electrical conduit work will commence in the coming weeks. Looking ahead, crews will continue to work on the MSE wall and electrical conduit work.

Located at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, this new, elevated Terminal Station will be connected to the airport departure roadway structure and the Airport Passenger Terminal Building.

Community Impacts

Residents can expect the following planned mobility impacts during construction. All mobility impacts will be communicated to residents prior to construction starting.

Steps of construction

Here’s what is planned for 2021, please note that some works will continue into 2022:

Stay Informed!

Stage 2 is committed to providing rapid responses to public inquires and proactive communications through newsletters, online articles, videos, social media updates, and public notices.

To receive electronic newsletter updates, please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2Connect.

For any other questions or information regarding upcoming community meetings, please contact Stage2@ottawa.ca.

Today, we celebrate Earth Day. Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the environmental movement commenced in 1970.

Many cities like Ottawa and its residents continue to play a critical and daily role in environmental leadership and stewardship.

As gridlock and traffic congestion continue to be a major issue in other cities around the world, the City is staying ahead of the problem. With Ottawa projected to grow to 1.14 million people by 2031, the Stage 2 O-Train LRT project will help ensure that Canada’s capital city continues to be one of the best places in the world to live, work and play.

The Stage 2 Project will add 44 kilometres of rail and 24 new stations, bringing 77% of residents within 5 km of rail transit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 155,000 tonnes over a 25-year period. With a further reach, the LRT is expected to reduce more than 900,000 annual rush-hour bus trips and remove approximately 14,000 cars from the road, which is expected to relieve traffic congestion during peak hours.

The City is also investing in new infrastructure to encourage active transportation through the creation of approximately 25 kilometres of multi-use pathways (MUPs), cycle-tracks and pedestrian bridges. Pedestrian and cyclist connectivity will be improved following Stage 2 construction, including links to the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway. A new pedestrian underpass at Churchill Avenue North is currently under construction while another underpass at Cleary Avenue and the rehabilitation of existing ones at Lanark Avenue and Carleton Avenue will start after the tunnel construction. These underpass provide connections to the Ottawa River.

The City in partnership with both contractors, Kiewit-Eurovia-VINCI (KEV) and TransitNEXT (TNext), continue to be committed to environmental stewardship around the LRT project.

Building the Stage 2 O-Train extensions requires large quantities of construction-related materials, such as gravel, soil, concrete, asphalt, etc. The movement, storage and use of these materials are carefully coordinated by both KEV and TNext, the project contractors, to maximize efficiency and reduce environmental impacts. The strategic delivery and placement of materials near construction sites often reduce the amount of heavy truck traffic, alleviating congestion and reducing gas emissions.

For example, in the first three months of 2021, KEV, the East-West project builder, estimates greenhouse gas (GHG) savings on the East extension were 499 metric ton (MT) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Stage 2 is committed to reducing the amount of truck hauling trips and distances to transfer excavated material off-site. Paired with repurposing and reusing materials to landscape near construction zones by decreasing the amount of soil going to landfills, are two key initiatives crews undertake to work sustainably.

Often when thinking of the environment, we think of trees as they play a principle role to clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat to over 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity.

While area clearing like vegetation, trees and invasive species has been required to facilitate some construction work, new plantings will follow. Area restoration, tree replacement and greenspace re-seeding will be completed as part of the final local area finishing works. An overall average tree replacement ratio of 2:1 (two trees for every one removed) will be replanted along the Stage 2 LRT alignment and will start this year.

Decreasing area flood risks is also a key environmental concern when building substantial infrastructure. Stormwater Management Ponds (SWMP), used extensively in North America, to manage the overflow of rain and snow in urban areas. The future Pinecrest Creek SWMP will help prevent water coming into contact with materials like rails that could affect the operations of the LRT downstream. Stormwater ponds, like natural ponds or wetlands, help control flooding by slowing down surges and absorbing rainwater before reaching waterways or in this case, the railways. More importantly, the Pinecrest SWMP will reduce the risk of flooding in nearby communities and help to restore the creek to a natural setting.

When it comes to all operations, the Stage 2 contractors must abide and respect many federal, provincial, and local environmental laws and regulations as well as implement reasonable measures to minimize the environmental impact from its operations. Several plans such as an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan, a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan, an Air Quality Control Plan and more guide daily operations.

That’s not all, the Stage 2 Rail Construction team is sustainable in many ways, including:

• Three bat houses along the O-Train South Extension
• Development of wildlife crossing along the South alignment
• Reducing vehicle idling across all construction sites
• Improving connectivity to future stations to encourage active transportation

On this Earth Day, and every day, the environment does matter to all those working directly and indirectly on the Stage 2 O-Train extension project. That is a legacy these workers will leave for Ottawa residents and to many generations to come. Happy Earth Day!

O-Train East Extension Overview 

Work is well underway to extend the O-Train East-West Line from Blair Station to Trim Road. The O-Train East extension will see the Light-Rail Transit (LRT) continue from Blair Station to Trim Road, adding 12 kilometres of rail; 5 new stations to the O-Train network at Montreal Road, Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Convent Glen, Place d’Orléans, and Trim Road; 4 new bridges; 6 bridges rehabilitated; 1 pedestrian bridge; and 3 major culverts.

The O-Train East Line will travel predominantly within the median of Highway 174 between Blair Road and Trim Road, providing stations that are equal distance from communities on either side.

Here is the plan for the East extension schedule:

Looking back at 2020

In 2020, the main objective on the East extension was the relocation of infrastructure, including various utilities such as sewers, hydro lines, watermains, natural gas and telecommunications infrastructure in the OR174 corridor at Green’s Creek, Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Orléans Boulevard and Champlain Street to set the stage for the future track and station construction in the median. In November, crews worked over five weeks and weekends to make room for the future Montréal Station and tracks. This work was critical to enable the demolition of the existing bridges over the course of the first weekend in December 2020 and the start of the deep foundation for the station.

Fast-forward to 2021

In 2021, heavy construction will take place throughout the East alignment as crews build rail, pedestrian and road bridges, new highway lanes, the rail guideway and begin station construction. While it is exciting to see progress on the LRT project, some of these activities may cause disruptions for area residents, including intermittent night work, traffic detours, site lighting or additional construction vehicles in the area.

The City of Ottawa’s Rail Construction Program continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and is in contact with the constructors about adhering to guidance provided by Ottawa Public Health and the Province of Ontario. Construction schedules and sequencing are subject to change as work progresses, at the discretion of the project contractor.

Should there be any significant changes to this information, and as additional construction activities are scheduled through 2021, the public will be updated via electronic updates. Please sign-up for Stage 2 e-newsletter updates, specifying the extensions and stations of interest, to receive updates targeted for those areas.

Here is what you can expect to occur in 2021 in terms of major activities:

Blair Station to 174 Median Rail Bridge

Work continues to progress on the Blair Station to 174 Median Rail Bridge. The new rail bridge will bring the O-Train East from the north side of the highway into the OR174 median, where the guideway will remain until reaching the terminus station at Trim Road.

In April 2021, girders (horizontal supports for the bridge) will be laid on top of the columns, followed by the installation of decking. The Blair Station to 174 Median Rail Bridge structure will be completed in the Summer 2021, with track work to follow in the Fall 2021.

Roadwork continues on the westbound OR 174 lanes. Anticipated completion of the lanes is September 2021.

174 Median Rail Bridge to Montreal Road Interchange

Roadwork continues between Blair Road and Montreal Road. Crews and equipment are removing asphalt and concrete as seen in the picture below from the old highway in the median.

Once the rail bridge construction is completed, all traffic on the OR174 will be shifted to its new alignment allowing for guideway construction to begin in the median. This work will take place from April-December 2021.

Currently, eastbound and westbound traffic are directed to the south side of the existing median allowing for the continued construction of the 174 Median Rail bridge. The construction of new westbound lanes on the north side will be completed September 2021.

Montréal Station

Montréal Station will be located above Montreal Road within the median of OR174. Construction on the Montréal Station will start in September 2021 with a completion target date of March 2023.

Crews and equipment continue to work hard to transform the future Montréal Station area. New station decking is being built within the median of the OR174 Interchange, across Montreal Road for the LRT guideway and tracks. The first rail spike is expected to go into the ground in in the Fall east of Montreal Road, a major milestone for the entire Stage 2 project.

Bridge construction and station excavation will continue until September 2021. Construction activities will include the completion of bridge columns, abutments, and pier caps.

Beginning on April 8, commuters will experience traffic impacts on Montreal Road for approximately three months to create a safe work zone. North side vehicular lanes under the OR174 overpass will be closed and south side lanes will be repurposed to accommodate bi-directional traffic. As a result, vehicular lanes will be reduced to one lane in each direction.

All pedestrians and cycling movements will be maintained via the newly improved multi-use pathway on the south side of Montreal Road.

The Montreal Road northwest ramp realignment will take place from June to July 2021 while the guideway (median) work will start in October 2021.

Montreal Road Interchange to Jeanne d’Arc

Westbound OR174 widening between Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway and Green’s Creek will start in July 2021 while guideway (median) work will be completed September 2021.

Work on a pedestrian bridge at Green’s Creek recently started and is targeted to be completed in Summer 2021.

Jeanne d’Arc Station

Construction on the future Jeanne d’Arc Station will start in May 2021 with a completion target date of January 2023. The station will be built at-grade with access to elevated boulevard and a multi-use pathway from Fortune Drive will also be accessible from the station.

Improvements to the intersection north of the future station are being made as part of the Stage 2 project. All traffic movement entering or existing the OR 174 will be controlled with a signalized intersection that will provide dedicated pedestrian crossing.

Crews continue work on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard on-ramps at OR174 to shift lanes in order to make space for future tracks in the median. Work is to be completed May 2021.

While this work continues, there will also be on-going electrical and utility work required prior to the construction of the new Jeanne d’Arc station. Guideway (median) work continues until September 2021.

Convent Glen Station

Station excavation starts September 2021 while construction on the future Convent Glen Station will start in October 2021 with a completion anticipated in spring 2023. The station will be built at-grade with access to Orléans Boulevard.

The Orléans Boulevard bridge is being reconfigured to allow bi-directional cycle tracks, a MUP, and dedicated bus lanes. Vehicular lanes over the bridge will be reduced to one lane each direction.

Work continues at Orléans Boulevard, north and south of the 174, to relocate utilities. On the west side of Orléans Boulevard, a culvert to improve drainage will be installed. This work will continue through June 2021.

Roadwork to facilitate the widening of the OR174 eastbound and westbound will take place from June-August 2021 while guideway (median) work starts September 2021.

Place d’Orléans Station

Station excavation will begin in May 2021 while construction on the future Place d’Orléans Station will start July 2021 with a completion target date of January 2023.

The station will be built at-grade with access to elevated boulevard and will be connected to Place d’Orléans Bus Rapid Transitway.

Significant construction activities will take place near Place d’Orléans during 2021. Excavation will be required to realign the OR174 north and south of the existing highway to move traffic to make room for the work to build the guideway, which will take place from May-August 2021. The widening of OR174 will take place until May 2021.

Utilities work at Place d’Orléans, such as drainage installation, will continue through the Spring 2021.

Tenth Line and Taylor’s Creek areas

Eastbound and westbound OR174 widening will take place from June to September 2021 to make space for the guideway. Once space is created, guideway work will begin in September 2021.

Trim Station

Station excavation starts September 2021 for the future Trim Station. The start of station construction is anticipated in November 2021 with a completion expected in Fall 2023.

The station will be built at-grade with access to an elevated boulevard and will have a 60m pedestrian overpass connecting to the Trim and Park and Ride.

In order to make space for the future station, Trim Road needs to be realigned. The OR174 and Trim Road intersection will be shifted to the east and wrap around the east side of the park and ride to join the traffic circle and follow the existing alignment. Pedestrian and cycling connectivity is in the process of being finalized.

A new drainage system is being currently installed to service the future Trim LRT Station and bus facility. Work will continue until October 2021.

At the same time, construction of a new eastbound off-ramp, and a future realignment of Trim Road will begin with topsoil removal, embankment, and granular placement with a completion expected in August 2021.

Community Impacts

Residents can expect the following planned mobility impacts during construction. All mobility impacts will be communicated to residents prior to construction starting.

Most work is scheduled to occur from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday. There will be requirements for overnight work and some intermittent weekend work.

Noise and vibration from trucks and heavy equipment is expected. Noise and vibration levels are continuously monitored and reported to the City to ensure they are within the limits established for the Project.

Site lighting for overnight work will be required.

During roadworks, such as the widening of the OR174 to make space for the guideway (median), commuters can expect lane reductions and lane closures. Any impacts of the like will be communicated through public notifications via electronic newsletter.

All pedestrian, cycling, bus, and vehicular movements will generally be maintained during construction apart from highway ramp closures. Pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution when localized detours are in place.

Motorists should adhere to detours, traffic control signage, posted speed limits, and use extra caution as traffic patterns change. Motorists should use caution and allow for added travel time when moving through active construction corridors.

Stay Informed!

Stage 2 is committed to providing rapid responses to public inquires and proactive communications through newsletters, online articles, videos, social media updates, and public notices.

To receive electronic newsletter updates, please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2Connect.

For any other questions or information regarding upcoming community meetings, please contact Stage2@ottawa.ca.

Over the last few months, many Ottawa residents driving along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway (SJAM) may have seen what looks like an indoor golf driving range by the sight of a large white tent and two white silos (6m high) in the Kitchissippi Ward, near Cleary Avenue. The structure has nothing to do with sports. In fact, the site is called a slurry plant.

This plant is crucial to building two tunnels, key features of the O-Train’s west extension.

The three-kilometre Parkway tunnel will travel between Kichi Sibi and Lincoln Fields stations travelling underneath the SJAM and Byron Linear Park.

Construction of the tunnels has started, using a cut and cover technique, which in non-construction terms, is a top-down technique rather than a drilling method. Cut and cover construction involves using excavation equipment to dig a large trench or rectangular hole in the ground which is then covered by a concrete deck. Once the deck is in place, surface activity can largely resume as construction crews continue to work below.

What makes the tunnels unique is the use of slurry walls to support the excavation while digging proceeds. If crews just started digging, water and sand in the area would cause the new excavation to cave-in. These special walls made of mixture of bentonite (a type of clay), water, and cement with steel beams placed inside for strength are waterproof and strong enough to keep the hole from caving in when the crews dig the remaining area of the tunnel between the slurry walls.

As the dirt is dug out, it is replaced by slurry which is pumped from the slurry plant to where the digging is occurring through a series of pipes. The weight of the slurry keeps the hole from caving in. The wall is built with a series of panels, hop-scotched, at about one to two panels per day. When a panel is excavated and filled with slurry, steel beams are installed in the wet slurry. In a couple of days, the slurry dries and hardens (just like concrete) and then a portion of the slurry wall is complete. The process then repeats itself to continue to construct more walls.

When the crane continues to dig through the hole, it puts the excavated material (which contains a mixture of soil, bentonite, cement, dirt, water) into a dump truck which then hauls it to a storage and drying area called slurry pits at Rochester Field near the plant location. The slurry waste is left to dry before being trucked to the Trail Road landfill site.

The slurry wall technique was first introduced during the excavation of the underground rapid transit system in Milan, Italy just after the end of World War II. This new technology became an important component of the top-down tunneling method also known as Metodo Milano ("Milan method"). It made its first rail construction appearance in North America in the 1980s when the Boston subway’s Red Line Northwest Extension project used the modern form of the technology.

Slurry will be mixed in this dedicated plant onsite and the slurry plant will be operational until approximately Spring 2022 when it’s anticipated slurry walls for the tunnels will be fully built.

Stage 2 LRT will forever change commuting in Ottawa by extending the benefits of O-Train network farther south, east and west.

By adding 44 km of rail and 24 new O-Train stations, Stage 2 will bring 77% of Ottawa residents within 5 kilometres of rail. Generally, that is a 10-minute bus ride, a 20-minute bike ride, or a shorter trip if dropped off by car.

If walking, approximately one in five Ottawa residents will live within 800 metres or a 10-minute walk of a Stage 2 O-Train station. With Ottawa’s population surpassing 1 million people, Stage 2 will help ensure the nation’s capital continues to be one of the best places to live, work and play.

Ensuring that key local pedestrian and cyclist networks are integrated into the Stage 2 LRT alignment, including stations, is a critical element of the project. Stage 2 will encourage active transportation through the creation of multi-use pathways (MUPs), cycle-tracks and pedestrian bridges. This will add roughly $20 million of infrastructure to advance the City of Ottawa’s pedestrian and cyclist network by providing critical connections, as well as fully accessible pathways to each Stage 2 LRT station.

For the O-Train South Extension Project specifically, the project will add new cycling and pedestrian facilities to the network, as well as:

• A new 13.6-kilometre multi-use pathway will be constructed along the length of the new extension between South Keys Station and Bowesville Station;
• A 60-metre pedestrian/cycling bridge crossing the Rideau River;
• A raised 80-metre pedestrian/cycling bridge over Hunt Club Road connecting to the existing MUP system (north-south);
• A 60-metre connection to Bayview Station at the Trinity development (Albert Street); and,
• A crossing at the closed High Road and railway intersection, to connect the natural areas that would be otherwise divided by the alignment.

The O-Train East-West Extension Project will add new cycling and pedestrian facilities to the network, including:

• Highway 417 overpass – connecting pedestrians and cyclists to the new Queensview Station to Baxter Road; 
• New pedestrian bridge over Greens Creek on eastern alignment that will create new links to the Greenbelt pathways along the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway;
• Two additional pedestrian underpasses under the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway;
• Pedestrian and Cycling enhancements to the Moodie/417 Overpass;
• New pedestrian connections from Richmond Road to Bayshore Mall; and,
• Enhanced active mobility features through the Byron-Richmond Corridor.

These active mobility enhancements align with the policies of the Official Plan to provide multi-use pathways in, or adjacent to, rapid-transit corridors, where feasible. For more information on Stage 2 LRT connectivity improvements, contact stage2@ottawa.ca.

Date published: January 27, 2021

As part of the O-Train South Extension Project, Siemens Mobility is preparing to install new signaling technology on Lines 2 and 4. The updated train control equipment will ensure that trains are moving to meet any changes in situation, demand, and at speeds that provide the most efficiency throughout the system. This will be increasingly important given higher ridership levels expected with the new extension and its connection to Ottawa’s Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.

This technology will be installed on all existing and new trains, tracks and stations servicing the existing O-Train South Line, as well as the 16 km of additional track and 8 stations to be built for the new extension. While the technology is proven through decades of safe use around the world, this newest version will be further supported with a complete upgrade to the existing signaling and communications system, including new signals, train detection system and switch machines, ensuring optimal performance throughout the entire system.

One important feature will be the Automated Train Protection (ATP) system. This technology will help the driver of the trains manage safe operational levels, protecting passengers against human error, such as over-speeding. In such situations, the system can automatically take over control of the train’s operation and return it back to a safe level.

Work is also now starting with the vehicle providers, including Stadler, who will provide 7 new vehicles. The technology provider is working with the vehicle manufacturers to install important onboard equipment, which will allow the vehicle operator to receive information and communicate effectively and clearly within this new system.

In the spring, work will begin to install the trackside equipment that will send appropriate signals to the driver, letting them know about any action needed on their part: to wait, to slow down, or to speed up; all contributing to the safe operation of the O-Train South Line.

By the Numbers:

New Signaling & Train Control system technology will be installed in:

• 13 Diesel Multiple Uit (DMU) trains will be outfitted with the new onboard equipment.
• 24 km of existing and new track will have new trackside (or “wayside”) equipment.

The Stage 2 LRT team has made progress in 2020 building the O-Train East, West and South extensions that will add 44 km of new rail and 24 new stations to the Ottawa’s light-rail network.

O-Train South Extension

Significant progress was made in 2020 for the O-Train South Extension, one of three major extensions to Ottawa’s Stage 2 LRT system. Since the provincial government mandated the continuation of essential transit infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, crews have continued to forge ahead with the construction of this complex project, maintaining its priority on safety, collaboration and innovation.

The O-Train South Extension will add 16 kms of new track to the current portion of the O-Train Line 2, which runs from Bayview Station to Greenboro Station. Work includes adding passing tracks at South Keys and double tracks south of Leitrim to Limebank Road. Four kilometres of new track with two elevated guideways will provide a new link to the Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. The project is scheduled for completion in 2022.

Construction progress in 2020 by the numbers

• Approximately 23 active construction work zones are in effect.
• 6.3 km of original track has been removed and 1.5 km of new track has been laid.
• 54 caissons have been drilled; only 9 caissons are remaining for completion.
• 12 new rail bridges are under construction including 2 that have been completed.
• 5 rail bridge decks have been poured.
• 81 utilities have been relocated.
• The first new Stadler FLIRT train carshells have been manufactured.
• Construction on 4 new stations has commenced.
• Upgrades on 3 existing stations is ongoing.

Key Milestones: Construction of new & upgraded stations

The existing portion of Line 2 will see two new stations added: Corso Italia and Walkley. The platforms of the current five stations at Bayview, Carling, Mooney’s Bay, Dows Lake and Greenboro will be extended to accommodate longer, larger capacity trains. The new South extension of Line 2 will add four new stations at Leitrim, Bowesville and Limebank as well as at South Keys which will serve as the transfer station to the Airport. The four-kilometre link to the airport will add two new stations at the Airport Terminal and at Uplands, adjacent to the EY Centre. Three new pedestrian bridges will also be built to improve connectivity at Bayview Station, over the Rideau River at Carleton University and at Hunt Club Road.

Construction of the Walkley Yard MSF – the new home for the trains

The new Walkley Yard Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) is a key feature in the Stage 2 South Extension. Trains will be cleaned, inspected, maintained, stored and operated from the yard. This includes the existing six Alstom Coradia Lint Trains that will be fully refurbished, along with seven new Stadler FLIRT trains.

Construction of the new Walkley Yard is well underway. After only breaking ground last year, the 200-tonne exterior shell is nearly complete and track installation has begun. The new Walkley Yard will be a 4,700 m2 LEED certified facility that will consist of two train maintenance bays, a two track train inspection facility, a train wash facility, 1800m of ballasted track, and 500 metres of interior track within the facility.

Contributing to our community

The construction of the O-Train South Extension is a critical part of the post-COVID economic recovery for the National Capital Region. Here’s how the construction of the O-Train South Extension is making a difference this year:

• The creation of 562 project jobs as of October 2020 with approximately 80% of these workers based in Ottawa, and it is expected to peak at 800 project jobs in 2021
• TransitNEXT awarded over 342 orders to 152 local suppliers, representing a local spend of over $82 million
• Building the LRT link to the Airport will help rebuild the tourism industry in the National Capital Region as a gateway to Ontario and Canada

O-Train East Extension

The O-Train East extension will see LRT continue from Blair Road to Trim Road, adding 12.5 kilometres of rail and 5 new stations to the O-Train network at Montreal Road, Jeanne d’Arc, Orleans Boulevard, Place d’Orleans, and Trim Road. The east extension will travel predominantly within the median of OR 174.

One of the critical objectives in 2020 was the relocation of infrastructure, including various utilities such as sewers, hydro lines, watermains, natural gas and telecommunications infrastructure in the Highway 174 corridor at Green’s Creek, Jeanne d-Arc, Orleans and Champlain Street to set the stage for the future track and station construction in the median.

Significant ramp modifications occurred at the Jeanne d’Arc Interchange where vehicle access to Highway 174 has been changed. The existing westbound on-ramps were removed and the southbound and northbound lanes of Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard now have signalized right turns. This will help reduce speeds and increase safety for all road users and create greater connectivity for all modes of transportation.

Further to the critical utility relocation work and road preparation work between Trim Road and Jeanne D’Arc, travellers along the 174 will have witnessed significant and intensive construction activity between Blair Station and Montreal Road. In order to connect trains from the existing transit alignment on the north side of the highway into the median itself, a new dedicated rail bridge is being constructed 800m east of the Highway 174 and Blair Road interchange and the existing bus transit bridge, south of Trillium Park. Crews have been hard at work constructing the pier caps that will hold the future Blair Station to 174 median rail bridge. From there, trains will travel east to the final stop at Trim Road where the Stage 2 team has been renovating the existing OC Transpo Park and Ride facility and building a future Highway 174 eastbound, north and south ramp required to make space for the realignment of Trim Road and the construction of the future Trim Station.

Over the course of the year, eastbound 174 lanes had to be shifted south and two new bridges had to be built at the Highway 174 Montreal Road interchange to create enough space to allow work on the guideway and station construction to begin. In November, crews worked over five weeks and weekends to detour traffic from the existing highway bridges to the two new bridges with minimum closure time and impact to the travelling public. This work was critical to enable the demolition of the existing bridges over the course of the first weekend in December and the start of the deep foundation for Montreal Station in 2021.

Highway 174 Montreal Road Bridges Demolition

A tremendous amount of meticulous planning ensured that the demolition of the Montreal Road Bridges was a success. This was a significant project milestone for the Stage 2 team.

For 57 hours, beginning Friday night at 8 p.m., Montreal Road was completely closed beneath Highway 174 to vehicles, including OC Transpo buses, pedestrians, and cyclists. Crews, operating various pieces of large construction equipment fitted with hydraulic hammers, buckets, forks and shears worked around the clock to demolish 1,456 cubic metres of concrete and 160 metric tonnes of steel.

Every detail was considered including the provision of a shuttle service to ensure that pedestrians and cyclists could get to the other side of the bridges along Montreal Road, safely. As planned, Montreal Road was re-opened for traffic and pedestrians by 5 a.m. Monday morning. And, for some time after, concrete and steel debris resulting from the demolition was safely hauled away.

O-Train West Extension

Throughout 2020 nearby residents, pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transit users have witnessed a great deal of construction activity in Ottawa’s west-end. Much of this work is related to the O-Train West extension project from Tunney’s Pasture Station to Baseline Road and Moodie Drive. The west extension will add 15 km of rail and 11 new or converted rapid transit stations to the City’s LRT network.

Tunnel Construction

The west extension includes two cut and cover tunnels that will be constructed from the top down: the 3-kilometre Parkway tunnel will travel between Dominion Station and Lincoln Fields Station travelling underneath the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Byron Linear Park, and the 270-metre Connaught tunnel that will link Lincoln Fields Station with Queensview Station by travelling underneath Connaught Avenue.

Before cut and cover tunnel construction can begin traffic needs to be shifted, and underground utilities must be relocated. Of critical importance in 2020, work was completed to shift the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway north between Dominion Avenue and Cleary Avenue to allow for construction to safely occur on the south side.

At Rochester Field, work is underway to install temporary equipment that will produce concrete used to stabilize the excavation and form the tunnel walls. In the fall, an onsite facility was built that will process and dry the excavated material from the tunnel in slurry pits. This dry material can then be hauled away.

Excavation of the Parkway tunnel is well underway: approximately 30,000 cubic metres or 10% of the total quantity has been excavated, 60% of the pile drilling has been completed and 15,000 metres of piles have been drilled along Byron Avenue.

At Connaught, Queensview and Pinecrest important utility work has been ongoing and nearing completion in preparation of Support of Excavation work, which will begin this winter.

Lincoln Fields Flyover Bridge

One of the most interesting and unique structures in Connaught Park, and indeed across the entire west extension, is the Lincoln Fields Flyover Bridge. This bridge carries the eastbound and westbound track alignment from Lincoln Fields Station to the Connaught Tunnel. It crosses over the southbound alignment to Baseline Station, the existing transitway, Pinecrest Creek, and a multi use pathway (MUP).

The Lincoln Fields Flyover Bridge is a raised structure, at an approximate height of 8 metres, and a clearance underneath of 5 metres. It is comprised of spans carrying two directions of track with a width of approximately 8.2 metres. This year a total of 5 spans were installed, including 13 girders, 50 tons in total, each 38 metres long.

Other notable works completed in the west include: a critical road detour opened to the public at Iris Station that permits multiple phasing of additional activities including the realignment of a culvert under Iris Street to accommodate future construction of the station and LRT guideway; opening of a new bus loop at Baseline Station; and, building a temporary bus station at Lincoln Fields Station.

As part of the Trillium Line South Extension Project, one of many benefits will be the addition of longer Stadler FLIRT trains, with greater passenger capacity. In order to accommodate the long-term care and maintenance of this expanded fleet, a new Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) must be constructed. While construction of the new facility is underway, the current Trillium Line MSF is being used to complete an overhaul of the existing Alstom fleet of vehicles, so they can continue to be used on the completed South Extension.

Status of Construction

Construction of the new Walkley MSF (along the Walkley Rail Corridor) is well underway. Piling work has finished, concrete foundation pits are completed and underground mechanical infrastructure is in place. Following the erection of structural steel, concrete floor slabs are poured, and mechanical and electrical lines are installed as the walls are built. This exciting phase of the construction process permits a sense of the size and scope of the building.

Some interesting features have been designed into the facility include ways to make maintenance workers’ jobs a little easier. For example, the train tracks in one of the maintenance pits are on pedestals, or stilts, so that workers can access under the trains. There will also be a catwalk, with a lifeline above, that will protect maintenance workers when they access the tops of the trains.

The New Walkley MSF in numbers

• A 200-tonne structural steel building
• 4700 m2 of space including office space, train storage and shop areas
• 3 train maintenance bays including an inspection pit and a train wash facility
• A track yard with 1800m of ballasted track, 8 rail switches and 500m of interior track inside the maintenance shop

Good Neighbour

As part of the Trillium Line South Extension contract, TransitNEXT will be responsible for the maintenance of the entire Trillium Line for 27 years, once construction is complete. With this long-term presence in the community, TransitNEXT has taken many steps to ensure the new MSF is designed well for workers, the community and the environment:

• The creation of distinct functional areas creating clear division between revenue vehicles, personnel vehicles and specialty equipment to promote the safety and security of drivers, staff, visitors, neighbours and the general public.
• The site design takes full advantage of a compact configuration and topography, which results in an efficient campus and a minimized footprint.
• A sustainable design and use of responsible and durable construction materials achieves LEED certification.
• The design acknowledges the importance of being a good neighbour by minimizing light pollution.

When in service, the Walkley MSF will form the nucleus of the Trillium Line. As a 24/7 operation, it is here that vehicles will be washed, cleaned and maintained so they can continue to serve the transit needs of the City for years to come.

Bridging Stage 1 with Stage 2: Everything you need to know about the Stage 2 O-Train East Extension Rail Flyover Bridge

Along the O-Train East Extension, light rail trains will operate in the centre median of Highway 174, from Blair Road to Trim Road.

Making space for the tracks within the median has required a relocation of both eastbound and westbound highway lanes as well as access ramps in certain areas. But have you wondered how the trains will actually get from the existing transit alignment on the north side of the highway into the median itself?

A new dedicated rail bridge will be constructed 800m east of the Highway 174 and Blair Road interchange and the existing bus transit bridge, south of Trillium Park. The trains will then travel 12 km east from Blair Station in the median until the end of the transit line at Trim Station.

How do you construct a Rail Flyover Bridge?

Building an elevated rail structure is a complex undertaking requiring significant design, engineering and construction expertise. It is made even more challenging when it has to be constructed over several lanes of live traffic on a major highway, transporting thousands of vehicles every day.

Over the past few decades construction methods have evolved to reduce traffic impact, facilitate building in congested areas, reduce overall construction schedules, and improve the long-term service life of structures.

Construction begins with drilled shafts, which are deep foundation supports for a bridge. At the flyover they are anywhere from 15 to 28 meters deep into the ground. First, drilling of the ground begins with a casing that holds back the soil from caving into the hole. Once completed, a steel cage fabricated to fit the hole is placed inside. To complete the work, concrete is poured inside to secure the cage. The casing is then removed, creating the supportive drilled shaft.

Then, bridge columns and column caps or “hammer heads” will be constructed, upon which precast concrete girders will sit. Precast concrete girders are horizontal supports for the bridge, that rest on top of the column caps.

One of these caps (also known as a “straddle bent”), will span westbound lanes of the highway to carry the tracks over the vehicular lanes without any columns within the road footprint. Once installed, a concrete deck will be built using precast panels lifted into place. Finally, the track and barriers will be installed to carry LRT trains.

Heavy equipment will be used extensively during the flyover bridge construction including bulldozers, excavators, asphalt mixers, formworks, and fabrication equipment. Every effort is made to minimize the impact on the local community during construction.

Relocation of Highway 174 lanes

In order to create enough space for the bridge work zone, crews need to establish a construction zone in the median of the highway, east of the transitway. Relocation of Highway 174 lanes began in Fall 2019, with the eastbound lanes. Since then, traffic past the Blair Road interchange has been pushed south to a new alignment. Westbound traffic will temporarily be moved into the eastbound lanes, to create a larger work zone on the north side of Highway 174.

Fun Facts

• The O-Train East Extension Flyover Rail Bridge is approximately 240m long.
• On average the bridge is 5m in height
• In order to support the rail bridge, there are six columns, two abutments, and 21 girders.
• In total there will be 1275m³ of concrete poured to create the bridge.

What’s up down under Dows Lake?

While Ottawa’s residents were out safely enjoying scenic summer views and socially-distanced water sports on Dows Lake, the TransitNEXT crew continue to make headway on construction upgrade works in the tunnel under Dows Lake as part of the Trillium Line South Extension Project stretching between Carling Station and Carleton Station. This work will help ensure a safe, efficient, environmentally-friendly LRT connection under Dows Lake and will continue through the Winterlude and Tulip Festival seasons in 2021.

TransitNEXT crews have been removing older, existing rail from the Dows Lake Tunnel to make way for the construction of the new LRT tracks. The rail removal is being undertaken along the entire length of the 578-metre tunnel. Once all removed, the hardwood track ties will also be removed and assessed by a certified track inspector for re-use suitability. Ties found to be suitable will be re-used in other areas of the project and ties not suitable for use will be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Prior to construction getting underway, TransitNEXT conducted detailed inspections of the Dows Lake Tunnel. The complexity of the construction work under a body of water, and amidst the COVID-19 situation, requires significant coordination to ensure quality control and the safety of both crews and surrounding communities.

TransitNEXT’s Design Team has also been producing a virtual 3D Building Information Model (BIM) of the entire tunnel including the pump house, to ensure a well-coordinated design and avoid issues during construction. The Design and Construction Teams are also collaborating on an on-going basis with the Maintenance Team to assess and formulate preferred solutions in the virtual space, before construction.

Safety First

In early June 2020, the TransitNEXT Safety Team, Ottawa Fire Services, and the Special Operations Division of Ottawa Paramedic Service conducted a “collaborative walk-through” of the Dows Lake Tunnel, to proactively protect the TransitNEXT crew as well as the public during tunnel construction activities. The temporary shut-down of the train and walk through of the tunnel provided an important opportunity for Ottawa’s Emergency Service providers to get a first-hand look at the areas they would need to access in the event of an emergency incident in or near the tunnel.

Some of the topics of discussion included:

• Accessibility on how Emergency First Responders get in an out of the tunnel
• Conditions rescue teams face on the rail tracks and in the tunnel
• Confirmation that Emergency Response Plan is in place for construction.

Late in June, in a team exercise with the Ottawa Fire Department, TransitNEXT ran a functionality test on the Fire standpipe in the tunnel. This allowed the team to ensure that all services are familiar with the use of the systems, components and processes that are in place. The health and safety of front-line workers is always the highest priority and this preparedness exercise was a key undertaking before construction began.

Dows Lake Tunnel by the numbers:

• Length of tunnel: 578 metres in length with 23 reinforced concrete box segments separated by expansion joints
• Height of tunnel: approximately 6.7 metres high from the top of the rail
• Width of tunnel: approximately 5.1 metres wide

About the Dows Lake Tunnel and its upgrades:

The Dows Lake Tunnel is a critical piece of infrastructure providing a north-south connection along the Trillium Line. Originally built and owned by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), it opened for operation in 1964 as a rail tunnel to accommodate freight trains. The tunnel was easily converted for use by OC-Transpo in 2001 for the O-Train (today’s Trillium Line).

The TransitNEXT Team is working with the City of Ottawa and its partners to address several historical challenges through design and construction of the tunnel’s upgrades:

• Improving the water infiltration management system at expansion joints by performing joint repairs.
• Upgrading and providing maintenance of the drainage system including the installation of a new pump system and ensuring the adequacy of the existing drainage system capacity.
• Upgrades to the tunnel’s track ties, standpipe system, ventilation system, and emergency walkway to align with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) -130 standards.

This notice is to advise that, as part of the Stage 2 O-Train Light Rail Transit project, crews and equipment will be working at multiple locations in the east, south, and west areas of Ottawa, supporting design and construction of extensions to the O-Train transit network.

This overview highlights the key activities in the East Extension area scheduled to occur throughout the remainder of 2019. To learn more about what’s being planned, please visit the project website at ottawa.ca/stage2.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ALONG THE EAST EXTENSION CORRIDOR

From Blair Station to Trim Station

Borehole Investigations and Survey Activity (Underway)

Geotechnical investigations are taking place along the east extension corridor to collect soil, water and bedrock data. In some areas, temporary and intermittent night work will be required to ensure public safety and to minimize the impacts to motorists in high-traffic areas. For information on temporary night work approved in your area, please visit the project website at ottawa.ca/stage2.

Intermittent lane closures may also be required in immediate work areas as crews move between borehole locations. Noise from drilling and related activities could reach moderate levels at times. Depending on the data from borehole investigations, new borehole locations and repeat investigations may be required during daytime and nighttime hours.

Crews are also conducting survey work along the east corridor, scheduled during daytime hours. This includes survey equipment set-up and collecting elevation data both on and off-street. Minimal disruption is expected to traffic and local areas.

Highway 174 and Perimeter Area Work (Begins in Summer)

On-street roadwork is required to widen traffic lanes on the south side of Highway 174 (eastbound lanes). This includes area clearing and tree/vegetation removal, grading and excavation, utility relocation, backfill and asphalt work in preparation to shift vehicular traffic to the south side. This will allow future guideway work to begin in the centre median area, away from active traffic lanes. Intermittent eastbound lane closures on Highway 174 may be required during off-peak or overnight hours as crews and equipment construct the new traffic lanes. All traffic will be maintained in both directions along Highway 174 although minor off-peak delays to eastbound traffic may occur at times.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY NEAR STATION AREAS

Borehole and survey activities are also occurring locally around station areas during daytime construction hours, and during nighttime hours only if required. Additional activity in preparation for station work is also scheduled to begin in 2019 and is highlighted below.

Montreal Station Area Preparation Work (Begins in Summer)

To the west of Montreal Station (between the existing Blair Station and the future Montreal Station), utility relocation and foundation work is scheduled to begin in preparation to build the new elevated LRT guideway that will connect to Blair Station. This includes area clearing and tree/vegetation removal, grading and excavation, utility relocation and foundation work. These activities will not affect Blair Station and is currently scheduled for daytime hours. To the east of Montreal Station, utility relocation and foundation is scheduled in preparation for future work in the Montreal interchange.

In the Montreal Station area, local utility relocation work includes fence installation, clearing and tree/vegetation removal, excavation, utility relocation and/or tie-ins to existing underground utilities. If required, brief service disruption may occur as the new utility service is connected. In addition to utility relocation adjacent to the north and south of Highway 174, Shefford Road near the Montreal Station area is also scheduled for utility relocation work. This is currently scheduled during daytime hours and access to all residences will be maintained.

To the south of Highway 174, east of Montreal Station, crews will also be building a temporary project office, which is not anticipated to result in traffic pattern changes or nighttime activity. This includes area clearing and tree/vegetation removal, utility and groundwork, followed by constructing a temporary site office to be operational during the construction period.

Jeanne D’Arc Station Area Preparation Work (Begins in Fall)

Utility relocation around the Jeanne D’Arc Station area includes fence installation, excavation, utility relocation and/or tie-ins in conflict with the station area. Work in this area is not anticipated to affect local roads in the station vicinity, but brief service disruption may occur as the new utility services are connected. This work is also scheduled to occur primarily during daytime hours.

Trim Station Area Preparation Work (Begins in Fall)

Area clearing and site preparation at Trim Station may also begin before the end of 2019. This activity includes grading and excavating the existing overflow area parking lot, tree/vegetation removal and local utility relocation. This work is not anticipated to affect motorists in the immediate area and is scheduled during daytime hours.

DATES AND HOURS OF WORK

Confirmed timeframes and implementation details for key activities will be posted to the project website at ottawa.ca/Stage2. Please note the timeframes in this summary are estimated and subject to change.

Construction activity is primarily scheduled to occur during typical daytime construction hours between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday, and between 9am to 10pm on Sunday’s and holidays. Nightwork will be required at times to minimize the impact to motorists or for public safety. Appropriate notice will be provided for any adjacent nightwork.

ANTICIPATED IMPACTS

Pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle access will be maintained during construction although minor delays to traffic may occur at times. Temporary crossings may be implemented in designated areas and pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution as traffic patterns change. Motorists should be aware of and adhere to traffic control signage, posted speed limits and traffic control personnel. Changes to OC Transpo services are not anticipated and transit stops will remain accessible. Noise and temporary disruptions are not anticipated to be significant during these activities. Please note that all tree replacement as part of final restoration will be in accordance with the tree compensation plan for the project, and area restoration (such as re-seeding greenspaces) will be completed as part of local area finishing works.

The safety of workers and the public is paramount, and we thank you for your patience during construction.

WHAT’S NEXT

In early 2020, crews will continue with site mobilization in additional areas, continued roadwork and preparation for construction of stations, structures, and the guideway. Please stay connected with our team as we report on our progress and provide our 2020 construction look-ahead at the end of this year.

For further information about this project, please contact our project team:

Rail Construction Program

City of Ottawa

Email: stage2@ottawa.caPhone: 3-1-1