“You’re probably looking at 2017 before people are riding that train from Blair station though the tunnel to Tunney’s,” he said. “And that’s optimistic.”

It was déjà vu all over again at city hall, as staff unveiled a $1.7-billion transit blueprint, calling for a light rail route running from Blair station to Tunney’s Pasture, passing through a downtown tunnel during the first decade of the project.

The plan, once again, rejected a north-south route during the first phase.

Light rail won’t come to the suburb communities of Kanata, Barrhaven and Orleans until after 2031, unless the city secures more funding and their population reaches density targets.

During the second phase of the project, the city will construct light rail to South Keys along the existing O-Train route and extend the western route to Baseline station at a cost of $900 million – if the money is available.

The third phase would bring light rail to Riverside South and bus Transitway improvements to the city’s suburbs.

“It’s a plan that takes a look at the needs of the city of Ottawa as a whole,” said Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson. “There is very little in the first stages for Kanata, but in the long run it will be better.”

NOT EVEN A DOGSLED

The city’s south end councillors weren’t impressed with the latest LRT design, saying it leaves the growing community of Riverside South with few roads and poor public transit.

“We don’t have a Transitway,” said Gloucester-South Nepean Coun. Steve Desroches. “We don’t even have a dogsled going into the community for transit. We need to have something, because the growth in that community is going to continue.”

Desroches said staff’s transit plan is a “big flip-flop,” rejecting the “ready-to-go” north-south option.

But staff say the route requires additional environmental assessments and updated planning.

“The notion that north-south could restart without a significant amount of time . . . is inaccurate,” Kirkpatrick said.

In 2006, council rejected a plan that would have brought light rail to the city’s south end, and the company contracted to build the line is now suing the city for $215 million.

“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,” Desroches 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 continued pressure on the roads budget.”

 
ROADS

Staff are suggesting the city delay hundreds of millions of dollars of road projects over the next decade to help pay for light rail.

Included on the list are plans to widen Eagleson Road, Campeau Drive between March Road and Kanata Avenue, Hwy. 417 and the Airport Parkway.

Staff proposes to cut about $55 million from this year’s roads budget.

“You suggest we also not do any north-south roads now?” said Gloucester-Southgate Diane Deans during the transit meeting.

“So is the south just the lost and forgotten of Ottawa now?”

Deputy city manager Nancy Schepers said the first phase of the light rail project includes construction of the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge and other bus improvements.

“The south has not grown at the pace that was anticipated,” she said, adding that council has set a priority for spending on transit over roads.

Wilkinson said light rail will come to Riverside South when its population demands it.

“There’s only 7,000 people there,” she said. “You have to remember hardly anybody is living there.”

 
PARKWAY

The preferred western route travels over part of the Ottawa River Parkway, meaning the city needs NCC approval.

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

Council should start work on an environmental assessment of the western route immediately, recommended Brian Bourns, with KPMG.

The transit consultant prepared a risk-assessment for the light rail project which recommended the city immediately begin talks with the federal and provincial government to secure funding and to start environmental assessments of the routes immediately.

He also warned council they face significant risks, including construction cost overruns of up to 10 per cent, as well as possible roadblocks from senior government regulatory bodies, such as Transport Canada.

Land costs and disruptions of existing bus service haven’t been included in staff’s project estimate, Bourns added.

The city must also include in its estimations the possibility the NCC will deny use of the Parkway, forcing the more expensive option of using Byron Avenue or Carling Avenue, he said.

 
P3 FUNDING

Staff are abandoning their 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 suggested route 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.

“I think we’re on the right track – no pun intended,” he said.

O’Brien suggested the city should explore alternative ways of funding light rail in case money isn’t available from the provincial and federal governments.

He said the city should consider partnering with a private company, who could pay part of the construction costs in return for future revenue.

Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder said the majority of council will probably pass staff’s transit option.

“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.

The city’s transit and transportation committees will debate staff’s plan next week and it will come to council later this month.