OC Transpo boss will not commit to Trillium Line opening date
The head of OC Transpo says construction continues to progress on the new Trillium Line, but she will not commit to an opening date for the new north-south light-rail transit system.
Work continues on the new commuter line between Bayview Station and Riverside South, with a spur to the Ottawa International Airport.
Transit Services general manager Renee Amilcar has previously said the Trillium Line will launch this spring, but she told the Transit Commission that several questions remain before the system launches.
"We are making good progress, but I know that the question remains, 'When will it open?'" Amilcar said Thursday.
"Before we can answer that we need to see train operating hours increase, operator training complete and system training advance. We will be better positioned to predict the pathway to passenger service as we move through these activities."
O-Train Line 2 was originally scheduled to open in August 2022, but has been delayed several times. In February, staff suggested trial running could begin in May, with launch at the end of June or early July.
"We continue to see good progress on the testing and commissioning program, as well as training of operators and system controllers," Amilcar said.
"Monday to Friday, we are regularly running nine trains between Limebank and Bayview stations and to the airport station. It was very important to have nine trains; so check done. We anticipate extending the training and testing to include weekends by the end of this month."
OC Transpo has updated its timeline for the Trillium Line's opening. (OC Transpo)
Amilcar says increasing the trial running to weekends means OC Transpo will be "able to identify more vehicle, signal and infrastructure issues and address them."
"This is a key part of the testing phase. Finding these issues now allows us to fix them and increases our confidence that the system is safe and reliable when it opens."
OC Transpo and its construction partners continue to make progress on testing, completing construction and securing occupancy permits.
"Our next steps, once testing and training is complete, will be to run the entire system to build up reliability and overall proficiency of both the operations and maintenance teams to deliver the service," Amilcar said.
"Trial running will start once performance is stable.
OC Transpo and its partner TransitNext will target 98.5 per cent reliability during the 14-day trial running period.
A joint meeting of the Transit Commission and the light-rail transit subcommittee will be held on May 31, with staff expected to provide an update on Stage 2 construction.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
NEW Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake recorded west of Vancouver Island
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake was reported west of Vancouver Island Thursday evening.
More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians feel their right to freedom of speech is in danger.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Feds giving Toronto more than $104M to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
The federal government will provide Toronto just over $104 million in funding to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Police clear encampments as U.S. campus arrests exceed 2,300 amid pro-Palestinian protests
Police ordered pro-Palestinian protesters to clear out of a tent encampment at New York University early Friday, a move that follows weeks of demonstrations and police confrontations at college campuses nationwide that have resulted in more than 2,300 arrests.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'