April through June 2022
OVERVIEW
The O-Train West Extension is one of the three major extensions to Ottawa’s Light Rail Transit Project. The extension will add over 15 km of new rail and 11 new stations between Tunney’s Pasture to Moodie Drive and to Algonquin station. It also comprises a maintenance and storage facility, 10 new bridges, 14 rehabilitated bridges and 2 Cut-and-Cover Tunnels.
This notice provides an overview of upcoming activities between Sherbourne Station and Lincoln Fields Station as well as the expected community impacts including hours of work, noise from crews and equipment, pedestrian, and vehicle mobility, etc. While solid progress on the project is being made, construction activities are expected to continue to cause disturbances for area residents.
Residents should be aware that 2022 will be a busy and a productive year and there will be an increased requirement for nightwork across the alignment. Additional notifications to affected residents will precede all impactful nightwork activities and a weekly summary of nightwork will also be shared at the outset of each week. If you would like to be included in the weekly updates, please email damon.berlin@ottawa.ca to be added to the Night Work Distribution List.
This spring, road work and Cut and Cover Tunnel operations will be ramping up with overall concrete works being a key activity in the Byron Tunnel throughout spring and summer.
MAJOR WORKS
Byron Avenue and Byron Linear Park
As construction advances, cranes and concrete trucks will be positioned on Byron Avenue to pour the Cut-and-Cover Tunnel walls, and slabs. The concrete pours require the temporary closure of sections of Byron Avenue to accommodate the footprint of the crane. Traffic and pedestrians will be redirected around the zone until completion for each approximately 10-15 hour pour. Please note that to ensure the integrity of concrete, pour operations require a continuous pour prior to completing. Pour operations will occur weekly through the summer for the Byron Tunnel construction.
Ongoing updates will be available as the future Concrete Pour locations and timeline are determined, via a dedicated distribution list. If you would like to receive an email update prior to each concrete pour, please email damon.berlin@ottawa.ca to be added to the “Concrete Distribution List”. Concrete placement, electrical, excavation, anchoring, and formwork are ongoing from Sherbourne to New Orchard Avenue. Station work at New Orchard will be ongoing with structural steel work, waterproofing, and concrete placement for station walls.
This summer an eastbound detour of Richmond Road onto Byron Avenue will be implemented for several months between Woodroffe and Cleary Avenues, to allow for storm, sanitary and watermain works on Richmond. Traffic detours, lane reductions and road closures will be required periodically on Richmond Road and Byron Avenue. The Byron Tunnel will be excavated to an approximate depth of 10.5 metres with construction continuing until 2023.
Residents will see heavy machinery, equipment, and construction lighting in the area. Dewatering operations will be in effect as the snow melts to ensure integrity of open excavations and equipment maintenance will be ongoing within construction zones generally overnight.
McEwen Avenue and Edgeworth Avenue
Drilling operations, excavation, and support of excavation will be ongoing at Richmond Road and McEwen Avenue, and into Lincoln Fields. Gas line installation on the south side of Richmond at Richardson and Hartleigh Avenues will be completed this spring. This will be followed by road widening work on Richmond, including sidewalk construction on the south side, to facilitate a traffic shift during construction. Final landscaping and reinstatement work along Edgeworth Avenue will take place in the spring.
Ambleside Detour
With an anticipated summer/fall start, the Ambleside Detour will detour westbound Richmond Road traffic onto New Orchard Avenue, Ambleside Drive and McEwen Avenue, please note that during the detour Ambleside will continue to operate in both directions. Eastbound traffic will continue to use Richmond Road during the detour, with traffic shifted to the south. This detour will allow for the Byron Tunnel construction to cross under Richmond Road, between McEwen and New Orchard Avenues, while maintaining traffic and mobility through the corridor.
Lincoln Fields
Construction and excavation under Carling Avenue will progress this spring. Cut-and-Cover Tunnel construction continues at the north end of Lincoln Fields to Richmond Road. The Lincoln Fields Station work will be ongoing through spring, focusing on formwork, roof, mechanical systems, and walls. Demolition of the remaining pedestrian walkway at Lincoln Fields will be completed this spring and will facilitate advancement of the Carling bridge structure and the station. Concrete girders will be installed in May for the bridge.
South of Carling Avenue, the new Woodroffe Pedestrian Bridge construction is being completed. The existing concrete bridge will be removed this summer.
COMMUNITY IMPACTS
Most work is scheduled to occur from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. However, throughout the notice period, there will be requirements for work until 10:00 p.m., as well as some overnight and weekend work.
Night work is needed at times to accommodate work that requires traffic closures that cannot be done during the day, thus mitigating impacts on the travelling public. In addition, for works that are schedule critical, night work may be required, following a Public Notice, to meet the schedule on this large and complex project.
For residents whose property borders the affected construction zones, equipment in the area may cause additional noise and occasional vibration as the work progresses. Noise and vibration from trucks and heavy equipment are expected. Trucks will use approved haul routes. Workers and contractors will park in designated parking areas. Street sweeping will be ongoing along truck routes and around construction zones.
The City of Ottawa thanks residents for their patience as KEV works to complete these construction activities. All pedestrian, cycling, bus, and vehicular movements will generally be maintained during construction, with some detours. Pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution when localized detours are in place and adhere to all posted signage, when travelling to ensure safety, as patterns may have changed.
Accessibility is an important consideration for the Stage 2 LRT project. The Stage 2 team makes every effort to provide access through and around construction sites. If you require special accommodation, please contact stage2@ottawa.ca. The safety of the public and the workers is paramount, and we thank you for your patience during construction.
The construction work outlined in this notice is subject to change. Work may be delayed or extended due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
CONTACT US
Work will be ongoing in these areas. Additional construction updates, such as changes to work sequencing and the duration or impact of this work will be communicated via the Stage 2 project e-newsletter. To receive electronic updates, Public Notices, and Lookaheads, please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2connect and select Sherbourne Station, New Orchard Station and/or Lincoln Fields Station.
For other accommodations, or any questions, please contact:
Damon Berlin
Stakeholder Relations, Rail Construction Program, City of Ottawa
damon.berlin@ottawa.ca / ottawa.ca/stage2
Note: To ensure you receive the latest LRT updates, please click this link to sign-up. If you require printed a Notice, please email damon.berlin@ottawa.ca.
