The province’s team tasked with the construction of the forthcoming light-rail transit (LRT) system in Hamilton, Ont., is making a significant change to the 17-stop route in the west end.
A spokesperson for Metrolinx says use of the Longwood Road Bridge and what would have been a new LRT flyover bridge between Main and King streets will no longer be a part of the project.
Danielle Bury, director for the Hamilton LRT, says the changes mean a stretch of tracks running along Main Street West will now be extended over the 403 to Dundurn Street, with a run along Dundurn to King.
“We’re looking at operating on Main Street to Dundurn, which will include the full reconstruction of the Main Street bridges over the 403 as well as over the CP rail corridor,” Bury explained.
“It will also include the full reconstruction of the 403 ramps and the full reconstruction of Frid Street between Main Street and Chatham.”
Tracks connecting to an operations, maintenance and storage facility will now run along Frid Street as opposed to Longwood Road, with the benefit of avoiding a busy section of the city and reduce potential environmental impacts near Cathedral Park.
The 14-kilometre distance of the line and forecasted run times are not expected to be affected by the changes, according to Bury, who characterizes the diversions as “a pretty fair trade” that will see the Dundurn station stop moved from King at Dundurn.
“We’re looking at shifting that stop onto Dundurn Street itself, closer to the Innovation District and all of the exciting things that are happening in that area,” said Bury.
Metrolinx is expecting the alterations to have some positive effect on the $3.4-billion price tag with “some cost and schedule savings” as a result of the new plan.
The director of Hamilton’s LRT Project Office Abdul Shaikh says moving trains onto another stretch of Main and along Dundurn fits into the city’s Complete Streets guidelines providing more pedestrian and cycling opportunities along the route.
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Additionally, it solves some “complex intersections” he says are continuous safety issues like King and Dundurn and Main and Dundurn.
“Now through this project we can look at how to permanently fix those intersections that would be more safer for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders,” Shaikh said.
“And in addition when the LRT is going along the roadway system, there will be infrastructure that will be required. So with this project … we will be able to renew some of the old infrastructure located on Main and Dundurn streets.”
Metrolinx says the timeline for completing the entire project is still not in their scope, since only advanced utility and civil work has begun, like adjustments to water mains on Sherman.
“So we have to go through the procurement process to select our partners for both of the packages of work that we’re doing,” Bury said.
“As we refine our design, we will also refine our schedule so we’ll be able to share more information once we have our delivery partners on board.”
Also yet to be determined is the operating model for the system, which is expected to come sometime after the City of Hamilton’s LRT project office presents a recommendation to the province at the end of 2023 or early 2024.
The Hamilton LRT will run between McMaster University and Eastgate Square when completed.
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