Bringing Stage 2 light rail transit to Kanata still has a long way to go but the City has released a blue print of the preferred route.
The 11-kilometer route would go from Moodie station and run parallel Highway 417. It would continue to the Canadian Tire Centre and end at Hazeldean Road.
The report says it would bring most residents with five-kilometers from a LRT stop and would also help serve a growing Stittsville population.
However, the estimated cost of the project is $1.85 billion. Councillor Allan Hubley says this is well below the original estimate given years ago.
“The high level estimate that was given to us then was 3-billion to get to Kanata,” he says.
Hubley says, “You never want to reject good news, but I certainly would like to know what are the factors that went in to get those costs down, and how solid are those numbers.”
Since LRT is still years away for the west end, he says the City needs to consider the future of technology, most notable driverless busses.
“By that point they could be common point on the roads. So should we be looking at that technology? Should we be using that technology? Will it be cheaper to use it? Or a mix of it? Should we use these busses to get more people to the trains?”
The report still needs to go to council for approval in two weeks.
