LRT closing down early for latter half of June due to maintenance work

OTTAWA -

The City of Ottawa says the Confederation Line LRT will be shutting down early each night starting this week to allow crews to perform maintenance on the rail line that should reduce noise and vibrations from the train.

Starting Thursday, the LRT will cease operations at 7 p.m. each night through June 30. R1 bus service will continue to move riders along the Confederation Line route. LRT service will resume at its usual time at 5 a.m. the following day on weekdays, 6 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. on Sundays.

Regular service is back as of July 1.

The work being done is intended to quiet the noise the train makes as it moves along the rails.

"During this closure, RTG will use specialized equipment to perform rail grinding, install track lubricators and conduct track and rail maintenance that includes guideway material cleaning and inspections," the city said in a PSA.

"During rail grinding, nearby residents and transit customers might observe sparks and noise from the equipment. Once completed, nearby residents might notice a difference in the sound of passing trains for up to three weeks, but it is anticipated that noise and vibrations from train movements will improve as a result of this work, enhancing overall ride quality and customer comfort."

The city also says RTG will install sound dampening blocks in the west end and will replace the propane-powered switch heaters in the east end with natural gas and perform other cleaning and maintenance work.