Eastern LRT line expected to be City of Ottawa's new priority

A light-rail transit line running from just west of downtown Ottawa to Blair station in the city's east is expected to take priority over a proposed north-south route in a report to be tabled at city hall Monday.

It is anticipated that the report will recommend that the first phase of the city's proposed light-rail network be built from Tunney's Pasture to Blair, which was the first of four scenarios discussed at public consultations in September.

Mayor Larry O'Brien and the chairs of the city's environment, transit and transportation committees had previously expressed a preference for the third scenario, which included a north-south line connecting Riverside South and Bayview station in addition to the east-west line to Blair.

Coun. Eli El-Chantiry said he was impressed with the report and hopes other councillors will feel similarly.

"I believe, and I'm hoping, when they see the full plan, we can all work together collectively on it," added El-Chantiry, whose ward of West Carleton would not be served by the proposed line.

Steve Desroches, the councillor for Gloucester-South Nepean, had a different opinion.

"I think the residents will feel that they're out in the cold," he said.

He added that an earlier light-rail project cancelled by council in December 2006 would have run north-south, and the company contracted to build it is now suing the city. That means residents will have to pay costs related to light rail without getting any transit, he said.

"So I think it's a sad, sad chapter for the city of Ottawa, and I know that my residents will be disappointed that they are at the back of the line."