Airport CEO asks city for more seamless LRT ride to downtown

The future light rail ride between theOttawa International Airport and downtown should be more seamless, especially during off-peak times and on weekends, the airport's CEO toldcity councillorsand the mayor as they debated plans for more than$3 billionworth of light rail construction.

On Friday, the finance and economic development committee unanimously approved the wide-ranging procurement and design plans for Stage 2 of light rail, with its long and complicated list of recommendations.

• Stage 2 of Ottawa's LRT to extend farther, cost more than originally planned

Details emerged whenthe massive staff report was made public Feb. 17: the trip from the Ottawa International Airport to downtown would take about 40 minutes.

That would involve a transfer at the future South Keys station and again atBayview, where riders would switch from the diesel-powered Trillium line to electric cars on the east-west Confederation Line into downtown.

Airport CEO asks for better transitride

Vehicle congestion at the airport is getting worse, CEO Mark Laroche told the finance committee.

"Business and leisure travellers to and from the airport need predictability, reliability and frequency if they're going to use mass transit to and from the downtown core," said Laroche, who has advocated for the airport link.

Laroche told the committee he's reassured because the station at South Keys will be built in a way that still allows the possibility for airport trains to travel straight to Bayview.

We are a G7 capital city that needs to utilize our critical infrastructure, such as our internationalairport, to remain competitive in a national and international context.- Ian Faris, Ottawa Chamber of Commerce

He asked that when the contract goes out to tender this spring, the city ask bidders to proposeways to allowtrains to travel without transfers at South Keys, at least onweekends and off-peak times.

The city is open to ideas for faster service, said Mayor Jim Watson.

"But we don't want to mislead people. We think what we've put forward is realistic and affordable and within budget," he told reporters.

Rail link not in original plans

That said, the airport'sCEO said he'spleased the terminal will get light rail at all, because it wasn't part of the original plans.

In June 2016, the city announced it would take light railto the Ottawa International Airport and EY Centre after all, so long as the $155 million four-kilometre line a branch of the main Trillium O-Train line tothe Riverside South area ispaid for by the federal and provincial governmentswith no city money.

City staff said on Fridaythat even though the LRT system will be built toallow for future changes,they expect far fewer riders using the airport link and far more commuting to the Riverside South area on the main Trillium Line.

They said any decision to create a more direct trip between Bayview and the airport should be made years from now.

"I think there's a misguided notion that all the big cities in the world have some fast train from the airport into downtown,"saidCoun. David Chernushenko.

In histravels, he said he'sfound the opposite:most airports involve transit transfers.

"I don't think it's a flaw in the plan to be offering the fastest and most frequent service to the daily ridership of the peoplewho live here and are paying taxes here," he said.

Coun. Diane Deans also asked about about the possibility of electrifying the Trillium Line so it doesn't run diesel trains, but staff noted that would add at least $300 million to the current $535million budget for expanding the Trillium LRT line south, and up to $1 billion extra if it meantcreatingdual rather than single tracks.

The west is next

Even as the city is discussing Stage 2, before Stage 1even opens in 2018, representatives from Kanata's business community asked for the city to think ahead to Stage 3 of light rail and set its sights on Kanata.

Jenna Suddsof the Kanata North business improvement area said she's pleased light rail will likely reach Moodie Drive by 2023, which is earlier than expected.

But employers in the Kanata North business park want to hire young talent, she said, andthose employees tend to like downtown living and want better transit access.

• Kanata light rail study to happen as early as January 2017

That's why the city has sped up Kanata'senvironmental assessment, said the mayor.

"Going to Moodie is the down payment on Kanata," said Watson, who considers Kanata to be the next transit priorityeven if the city doesn't yet have themoney for it.

Watson also supports a motion that Barrhaven councillor Jan Harder will discuss on March 8, which proposes the city find a way to hook Barrhaven residents into the light rail line sooner rather than later, perhaps by converting the southwestern bus Transitway for rail.

The dozens of staff recommendationsthat setout the tenders, design and management oversight for the Stage 2 of Ottawa's light rail project, plus its related road and water projects,comesto full council at that same meeting onMarch 8.

Before that, staff will hold a citywide information session on March 1, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at city hall. It will also be webcast on the city's site and on social media.