Ottawa’s rapid transit plan has once again shifted rails.

City staff is expected to recommend making east-west light rail a priority in a report to be tabled at city hall on Monday, Nov. 7.

The report calls for construction of a line running from Blair station to Tunney’s Pasture, passing through a downtown tunnel, during the first decade of Ottawa’s light rail project.

“Staff have said they’re confident they can get a route west within a couple of years,” said Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson.

But the preferred western route travels over part of the Ottawa River Parkway, meaning the city will need NCC approval.

“We’re going to sit down with them – we have a three-to-five year window,” said Stittsville-Kanata West Coun. Shad Qadri.

He said the city can start construction of the eastern leg of the project and the tunnel while it prepares an environmental assessment for the western route and negotiates with the NCC.

The $3 billion project reportedly calls for:

• Light rail from Blair to Tunney’s Pasture and transitway improvements between Bayshore and Moodie Drive during the first decade of the project.
• Extending the line to College station at Baseline Road once a route is selected and money is available and extending the southern route from Bayview to South Keys, replacing the O-Train route.
• Transitway improvements west to Scotiabank Place and east to Innes Road in the latter stages of the project.
• Bus rapid transit to Barrhaven.

Staff’s decision is good news for Kanata, said Wilkinson.

“It starts the process of getting a better transit system here,” she said. “It will also bring rail to Kanata earlier.”

Staff is abandoning its preference of an east-south route, which included an extension of the north-south line to Riverside South, one of four options presented to council in September.

The plan was at first endorsed by Mayor Larry O’Brien and the heads of the transit, transportation and planning committee.

But the mayor is now throwing his support behind east-west light rail, said Wilkinson, adding that he is bowing to public opinion and transit pressures in the downtown core.

“The community has spoken loud and clear,” said West-Carleton-March Coun. Eli El-Chantiry.

He said the staff report will recommend eventually extending the north-south line to South Keys in the city’s south end.

“We don’t need to go further,” he said, adding that the population density of Riverside South doesn’t demand light rail transit.

Kanata South Coun. Peggy Feltmate agrees.

“There’s probably not density for that kind of transit,” she said, adding that council should revisit its design parameters for the project and place more emphasis on population density.

Gloucester-South Nepean Councillor said he’s disappointed with the report.

“I think this is a big flip-flop,” he said. “I think the criteria should be which projects are in the ready-to-go position and that would include the north-south line.”

Council rejected a plan that would have brought light rail to the city’s south end in 2006 and the company contracted to build the line is now suing the city.

“This is very difficult for the residents of south Ottawa, who I think are left with a very bitter distaste that they would be asked to pay for a lawsuit related to the cancelation of the LRT and get very little or nothing in return to support their transit needs,” he said.

Desroches said the city will face pressure to invest in roads to deal with the explosive growth in the south end.

He said the city must offer short-term relief for his community either by extending the O-Train to Riverside South or by investing in bus rapid transit.

“Our first choice would have been to have light rail, but council squashed the project,” he said. “We really lost that opportunity to create a transit-friendly community from the start and I think the result will be continue pressure on the roads budget.”

Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder said the majority of council will probably support an east-west light rail first.

“I think it’s going to be about 14 or 15 for it,” she said.

Bay Coun. Alex Cullen said council needs to choose an “affordable” transit option to make it more attractive to win federal and provincial funding.

“I’ll support any proposal that moves ahead this plan in a responsible manner,” he said.