Designs for the largest infrastructure project in Ottawa’s history have gone on show to the public.
The $2.1 billion Confederation Line light rail system will connect Tunney Pasture in the west of the city to Blair in the east.
Rideau Transit Group was announced yesterday (December 5) as the preferred bidder for the project, which is scheduled to begin full revenue service in 2018.
The company has worked on 80 major transport projects internationally, winning $13 billion worth of business in North America since 2009.
Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, said: “Today is an exciting milestone for this important project. It will create jobs, help the environment by taking cars off the road and contribute to a better quality of life for the people of Ottawa.”
Construction of the Confederation Line will include 13 new stations, a 2.5km downtown tunnel and is expected to create 20,000 jobs.
Alstom’s Citadis tram has been included in the designs as the project’s preferred vehicle.
The city’s population is estimated to grow by 30 per cent by 2031. The construction of a light rail system was proposed to ease pressure on the already congested bus network.
