On September 14, Ottawa’s Mayor, Jim Watson, has officially opened the city’s Confederation LRT, providing an east-west transport link between Tunney’s Pasture to Blair stations. The travel time on the 12.5-km line, served by 13 stations, is 24 minutes.
The world-class transit system also features four underground stations, including Lyon, Parliament and Rideau in the downtown core, and St-Laurent in the east.
“Today’s opening marks the transformation of Canada’s capital into a more connected and accessible city. The Confederation Line now connects Ottawa’s residents to the places they live, learn, work, shop and play. This world-class addition to our transportation system further enhances Ottawa’s standing as one of the best places to live in Canada and in the world,” Ottawa’s Mayor said.
The O-Train Confederation Line is a CAD 2.13-billion (USD 1.6 billion) transit project that is jointly funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Ottawa.
The O-Train Line 1 is equipped with Thales’ SelTrac™ Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) technology which is using telecommunications between train and track equipment for effective traffic management. The technology will also provide major energy savings while carrying up to 10,700 passengers per hour in each direction, with the potential to grow up to 24,000 passengers per hour in each direction in the years to come.
In 2013, the Rideau Transit Group, the consortium responsible for the new LRT project, awarded Alstom a contract for the supply of 34 Citadis Spirit LRVs and maintenance services for 30 years. The French company will also deliver 38 Citadis Spirit LRVs for the stage two of the LRT system under a EUR 200 million contract signed in 2017. The expansion will extend the Confederation Line further east by more than 12 km, and further west by another 15 km. The Stage 2 is expected to be completed in 2023, when the total LRT system will have nearly 60 km of rail and 41 stations, with more than 70% of residents in Ottawa living within 5 kilometres of the line.
The Citadis Spirit is a 100% low-floor vehicle that offers easy accessibility, and an interior layout featuring a wide central aisle and interior circulation that provide a safer and more enjoyable passenger experience.
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