Report to/Rapport au:

 Transportation and Transit Committee/

Comité de transport & des services de transport en commun

and Council/et au Conseil

February 20, 2003/le 20 février 2003

Submitted by/Soumis par: R.T. Leclair, General Manager/Directrice générale,

Transportation, Utilities and Public Works/Transport, services et travaux publics

Contact/Personne-ressource: G. Diamond, Director/Directeur,

Transit Services/Service du transport en commun

842-3636 ext. 2271, gordon.diamond@transpo.ottawa.on.ca

SUBJECT:     LIGHT RAIL SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS

OBJET:          TRAIN LÉGER – AMÉLIORATIONS À COURT TERME

REPORT RECOMMENDATION(S)

That in keeping with the direction provided from the Rapid Transit Expansion Study, Transportation and Transit Committee recommend Council approve:

1.      the installation of Continuous Welded Rail on the O-Train line from Bayview to Greenboro;

2.      some minor improvements in accessibility at O-Train stations; and

3.      that $2,220,000 capital authority for recommendations 1 and 2 be funded by an anticipated contribution of $730,000 from the Province of Ontario Transit Renewal Program, and a transfer of $1,490,000 from Transitway Rehabilitation.

RECOMMANDATION(S) DU RAPPORT

Que, conformément à l’orientation découlant de l’Étude sur l’expansion du transport en commun rapide, le Comité des transports et des services de transport en commun recommande au Conseil d’approuver :

1.      l’installation de long rails soudés sur la ligne de l’O-Train, de la station Bayview à la station Greenboro;

2.      certaines améliorations mineures à l’accessibilité des stations de l’O-Train;

3.      le financement des immobilisations de 2 200 000 $ requises pour la mise en œuvre des recommandations 1 et 2 au moyen d’une contribution prévue de 730 000 $ du Programme de renouvellement des véhicules de transport en commun de l’Ontario et d’un transfert de 1 490 000 $ du fonds de réhabilitation du Transitway.

BACKGROUND

At its meeting of December 18, 2002, Council approved the extension of the O-Train pilot project for a maximum of two years from May 1, 2003.  This approval was given in anticipation of the recommendations of the Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES), which was presented to Transportation and Transit Committee on December 4, 2002.  The final recommendations from RTES were considered by Transportation and Transit Committee on February 19, 2003.

The RTES recommendations include, as a top priority item, the expansion of the O-Train system to downtown and also to the South Urban Community.  A change in vehicle technology to low-floor light rail trains powered by electricity is also recommended.

As part of its discussion of the 2003 budget on December 10, 2002, Transportation and Transit Committee approved the following motion, which was approved by Council on January 8, 2003:

Whereas the pilot light rail appears on all of the Rapid Transit Extension Study’s alternatives;

Whereas the pilot light rail is exceeding the original ridership projections and will continue to do so given the double cohort arriving at Carleton University next year;

Whereas the operation of the pilot light rail project has identified a number of shortcomings including the condition of the track, the need for more passing tracks, the need for more than two operating trains to meet the 15-minute headways originally planned, as well as the need for stations at Greenboro, Walkley, and Gladstone which are already environmentally assessed but not built;

Therefore Be It Resolved That capital be identified in the 2003 budget to implement short-term recommendations that may arise from staff’s short-term improvement study.

The short-term improvement plan referred to in this motion is the subject of the present report and was identified in the December 4, 2002 report to Transportation and Transit Committee.  In response to this motion, the 2003 Draft Capital Budget: Summary of Committee Recommendations approved by City Council, noted that “Pending recommendation from staff’s short term improvement study, amounts to be advanced to 2003 are not quantified and will have to be revisited by Council upon completion of the recommendations.”

DISCUSSION

From its introduction, the poor state of the track was identified as a significant problem for the effective operation of the O-Train.  The decision to use the existing Class 3 track has caused problems of noise, vibrations and ride quality, as documented in the December 4, 2002 status report to Transportation and Transit Committee.  It has also resulted in the need for considerable additional track maintenance.

Feedback has been received from residents living close to the line about what they consider to be unacceptable levels of noise and vibration.  These views were represented to Committee in the discussions leading up to approval of the extension of the O-Train pilot project.  In addition, O-Train riders and the Light Rail Operators report that the jointed rails are causing excessive lateral swaying and there is a need to improve the ride quality.

Recently, the track has been shown to have contributed towards mechanical problems with the trains.  Signs of fatigue were noticed in the Talent vehicles’ undercarriages in December, and the Bombardier maintenance team has worked diligently to ensure that repairs have been made in a timely fashion to ensure continued safe operations.  This sort of fatigue has not been observed in any of the 200 Talent trains operating in Europe, where Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) is standard.

Given the operational impact, it is necessary to immediately upgrade the track. Fortunately, it is possible to do this in such a way as is consistent with the longer-term development of Light Rail Transit in Ottawa.  Continuous Welded Rail installed in 2003 for the O-Train would be consistent with the track requirements for the conversion to a lighter, low-floor LRT vehicle.  Staff have examined the rail attributes, including profile and gauge, and confirmed that the Continuous Welded Rail would be suitable for the longer-term.

The rails would be laid where the jointed rails are today, to minimize the costs of undercutting and building up the roadbed.  For the longer-term, where double tracking will be necessary, the rails may need to be shifted.  However, this can be done relatively easily with the machinery that would be required for the other work associated with double tracking.

It is estimated that $2.2 million is required for this purpose.

It is also proposed to make some improvements to the accessibility of the O-Train system now that the future of the system is more assured.  These improvements, which were identified with representatives of the disabled community, include:

·        Additional railings at Bayview station;

·        New treatments at the platform edges to assist visually disabled customers; and,

·        Automatic doors at the entrance to Greenboro O-Train station.

These accessibility improvements are estimated to cost $20,000.

A request was received to make changes to the push button mechanism for the train doors.  However, these would require significant engineering work and retrofit.  No changes are recommended to the trains, since the Rapid Transit Expansion Plan calls for a change in technology and the return of the trains to Bombardier.

These improvements cover only the immediate needs of the O-Train service.  Other improvements will be developed for implementation beyond 2004 as part of the RTES implementation plan to be brought forward to Transportation and Transit Committee in mid 2003.

CONSULTATION

As mentioned above, residents living in close proximity of the O-Train line have contacted staff and made representation to Committee about what they consider to be excessive noise and vibration, particularly in the vicinity of Traverse Drive and Breeze Hill.

Concerns have also been raised by members of the disabled community about accessibility barriers on the O-Train system, as previously discussed.  We will continue the dialogue with this group to identify problems and make improvements.

TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN

The development of a light rail transit system was identified as a priority in the Transportation Master Plan to attract transit riders and reduce road congestion.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Gross authority for Light Rail Capital Improvements, including continuous welded rail, was forecast in project 901166 of the approved 2003 Capital Budget, as $2.7 million in 2004.  City Council approval of recommendations 1 and 2 constitute an advance of the 2004 request to 2003.  

Subject to City Council approval of Recommendation 3, this advancement will be funded as follows:

                     Note 2:   On January 16, the Province of Ontario announced the City’s allocation from the Transit Renewal Program (TRP).  The confirmed 2003 subsidy is $12.9 million, and the allocation formula has been broadened to include fixed transit guide-way and transit infrastructure projects. The 2003 budget anticipated TRP funding of $10.2 million, comprising 33% funding for Bus Replacement and Refurbishing projects only.  Based on discussions directly with the Province, improvements such as continuous welded rail are expected to be eligible for 33% subsidy.  At the time of reporting, Fleet, Transit, and Finance staff are investigating eligible 2003 projects to which the remaining additional $2.0 million subsidy may be applied.

                            Note 3:  The remaining 2003 funding requirement is recommended for transfer from Project 901132 Transitway Rehabilitation, as follows:

DISPOSITION

Following approval of these recommendations, staff will issue a tender for the provision and installation of Continuous Welded Rail with the objective of being ready to have this work done in May 2003.  The accessibility improvements would be undertaken as early as possible in consultation with the disabled community.