5 questions for Tuesday's rapid transit announcement

After months of speculation, an announcement on rapid transit funding is finally happening in Hamilton Tuesday morning.

The province is expected to make a light rail transit (LRT) announcement at 8 a.m. onTuesday morning, but sources say it will be for a shorter route than the city initially proposed. The planned route will be about11.3 kilometres, as opposed 13.9kilometres.

Plenty of questions still remain about the announcement, though. Here are five key questions that need to be answered on the future of transit in Hamilton.

1. What will the fundingbe?

The province has set aside $16 billion for transit projects in the GTHA, including Hamilton rapid transit.

The city has requested $811-million for LRT, plus an additional almost $302 million for other transit improvements like a new bus facility. It isn't clear how much Tuesday's announcement will cover in terms of capital costs. And will it even fund the whole project, or will it be some kind of phased announcement?Transit advocates have calculated that Metrolinx has about $950 million left that it hasn't allocated to other projects.

Last month, Eisenberger said he wasn't interested in using city funds for any capital costs of an LRT line. City funds may need to be used, he said, to "enhance" a system once the design process is finished.

Another major question will be on revenues from the finished project would they go to the city, the province or a split between the two?

2. What will the shorter line mean for Hamilton?

Originally, the proposed 13.9-kilometre line was projected to run from Eastgate Square to McMaster University. Tomorrow's announcement will likely reveal the line would stop at the formerCity Motor Hotel property at 55 Queenston Rd, two sources have told CBC Hamilton.That means the planned route will be about11.3 kilometres.

Some people are already questioning if the shorter line would close off parts of the city that need to be served by a new rapid transit system. What will it mean for ridership and the viability of the system?

3. How would it hook up to GO Transit?

The province has insisted on an integrated network for LRT projects that link up with GO Transit's train and bus network.

The city already has a GO station south of King Street, and a new one being constructed right now north of King near Liuna Station.

It's likely the province would want to connect one or both of those to an LRT system requiring a so-called spur line. How will that happen?

4. What will city council do?

City council has officially voted to support light rail in Hamilton, but opinions at city hall have not even been close to harmonious about it.

Some councillors have said they would much rather bolster the city's floundering bus system over a new LRT line.

But if the province is offering millions of dollars in investments, will those same councillors be able to say no?

5. What's the construction timeline?

If LRT was to come to Hamilton, many people would no doubt wonder when shovels would start hitting the ground?

Will the announcement include a timeline and how imminent will that be? Or is it a funding announcement of some money to be available some time in the future?

And seeing as Tuesday's announcement will be for a shorter line, does that open the door for some sort of phased implementation to Eastgate Square at a later date? Or is the former City Motor Hotel site it?

Will we see any shovels in the ground before the next provincial election?