Partial LRT service set to resume Friday, 54 days after derailment
The City of Ottawa says that partial service on the Confederation Line LRT will resume Friday, barring any complications during testing on Wednesday.
A city memo says testing has been progressing well and if testing is completed successfully on Wednesday, service will be back up and running Friday with seven trains. Final confirmation of the resumption of service will be delivered Wednesday.
The LRT has been shut down since a derailment on Sept. 19.
In the memo, city manager Steve Kanellakos said the past two days of testing on the line have been positive.
"Testing continues (Wednesday), and if the results remain consistent, the City will resume revenue service on Line 1. Final confirmation of this date is contingent on the successful completion of testing and pending final validation by TRA," Kanellakos said.
TRA (Transportation Resource Associates) was hired to independently oversee the resumption of service plan. The Rideau Transit Group had initially aimed to have partial service restored by Nov. 1, while Kanellakos had said staff were aiming to have partial service restored within the first two weeks of November.
"Once the system resumes revenue service, the City and TRA will continue to monitor RTG’s activities. As with any Light Rail Transit system, we expect that issues will arise. The City and our transit customers expect these issues will be addressed quickly and efficiently by RTG," Kanellakos wrote.
R1 bus service will continue to run when the trains come back online. OC Transpo will monitor ridership to determine whether R1 bus service can be reduced.
Full service is expected to be in place by the end of the month, Kanellakos said, which would be in line with the target of Nov. 29, set by RTG. Kanellakos had previously said it was the city's opinion that full service was not expected to be restored until mid-December.
Transit chair confident 'everything's in the right place'
Transit commission chair Coun. Allan Hubley tells CTV News Ottawa he's very relieved that the trains will soon be running again.
"It's been a long time coming but here we are and we're trending upwards," he said. "I think everything's in the right place right now."
Full-line testing has been ongoing since last week. Hubley admitted that some minor issues have surfaced, but they were quickly resolved.
"I think it's fair to acknowledge that there's still a default message here and there, but they're able to address it really quickly and it's not affecting regular service so we feel very confident that we're going to be able to put riders on and they'll be able to get a good experience on the train again," he said.
"I'm hoping, the rest of this month, we can get all of the trains back in service, as expected, and in better shape than they were before because of the rigorous overhaul that is taking place."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.