Light Rail Update Ottawa

Once Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) capital of North America, Ottawa has decided to rip out its BRT network in favour of “off-the-shelf” light rail technology. From the Ottawa Citizen:

Light-rail electric trains powered by overhead wires are being recommended as the best technology for Ottawa’s new public transit system.

The technology choice, to be confirmed by councillors Nov. 18, sets the stage for more detailed planning and negotiations for the transit project, which sees: a downtown tunnel; the bus transitway converted to rail from Blair Station to Tunney’s Pasture; rail extended eventually to Baseline Station, as well as to the south; and expansions of the bus system in suburban areas.