A significant overhaul is on the horizon for Ottawa’s public transportation system by the end of August, with new details emerging. OC Transpo, as part of a $29 million initiative to accommodate the return of federal employees to their downtown workplaces, is gearing up for an expected surge of 65,000 weekly trips into and out of Ottawa’s central area. Recognizing transit as pivotal due to limited road capacity for increased private vehicle traffic, the city council approved the comprehensive transit plan last month.
Key features of the plan include enhanced O-Train services with more trains on Line 1 during weekdays and an earlier start on Line 2, upgrades to para transport systems, introduction of new express bus routes, and improved connectivity from park-and-ride sites to major employment centers.
Rick Leary, the general manager of the city’s transit services, outlined some highlights of the upcoming changes. Specific stop locations and schedules can be accessed on the OC Transpo website, with staff available at key sites starting August 31 to assist commuters.
Express 500-series routes, characterized by an orange route icon on maps, will facilitate faster connections between transit stations and key job areas. For instance, Blair station will see Route 526 to Chapel Hill station and Route 538 to Millennium, Trim, and Place d’Orléans stations. Tunney’s Pasture station will have routes 561, 562, and 563 linking it to various destinations.
In addition to the express routes, routes 74 and 75 will be extended to Gatineau, with services connecting Limebank station, Barrhaven’s Minto Recreation Centre, and Terrasses de la Chaudière in Gatineau.
Notable changes for weekday services include increased trips on several routes and more accurate schedules for 22 routes. Specific adjustments vary by route, such as additional runs for Route 5 and enhanced peak period trips for Route 98.
The plan also encompasses routine seasonal modifications, like removing underutilized stops and rerouting certain buses. Despite the planned improvements, the east extension of the O-Train will not be operational by August 30.
Further elements of the Transportation and Mobility Strategy and Action Plan include traffic management measures, construction adjustments, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure enhancements, and proposed parking changes, including adding parking facilities at city sites and places of worship.