Ottawa LRT expected to resume partial service Friday
CBC News | Posted: November 9, 2021 9:52 PM | Last Updated: November 10, 2021
R1 buses will continue as long as ridership numbers dictate they're needed
UPDATE | TRA confirmed in a letter Wednesday the LRT is safe to return to partial service on Friday.
Ottawa's light rail system is expected to begin running again on Friday with seven trains and return to full service by the end of November, according to a memo from the city manager.
The line has been shut down since a train derailed on Sept. 19 before entering Tremblay station.
Testing on the Confederation Line began Nov. 4 and the last two days of end-to-end service tests have gone well, according to a memo from Steve Kanellakos.
If those results continue Wednesday and are confirmed by the third-party reviewer, Philadelphia-based Transportation Resource Associates (TRA), Kanellakos says he will officially announce the return.
The plan is for Friday service to begin with seven trains and a spare, with the number of active trains gradually increasing over the rest of the month.
When partial service resumes, the R1 replacement bus service will continue and adjust based on staff assessments of ridership.
OC Transpo will provide further updates on R1 bus service next week, according to the memo.
It said the City of Ottawa and TRA will continue to monitor the work done by the LRT builder, Rideau Transit Group, with the expectation any further issues are resolved quickly.