90-Day Look Ahead from Jan 2022 – Sherbourne to Lincoln Fields

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 throughout 2022, 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 distribution list.
 
During the winter period, key project activities include bridge decking installation across Richmond Road, station structural work, utilities relocation, and Cut and Cover Tunnel operations.

MAJOR WORKS

Byron Avenue and Byron Linear Park

The Cut-and-Cover Tunnel in Byron Linear Park will be excavated to an approximate depth of 10.5 metres, and construction will continue until 2023. Concrete pours for the Cut-and-Cover Tunnel walls and foundation will be ongoing with large cranes and concrete pumps in use on Byron Avenue periodically over the winter.
 
Drilling and excavation will be ongoing near Cleary Avenue and Richmond Road through 2022. Trucks and equipment will access the area from SJAM Parkway via Cleary Avenue. Residents will see heavy machinery, equipment, and construction lighting in the area. Traffic detours, lane reductions and road closures will be required periodically on Richmond Road and Byron Avenue. This spring an eastbound detour of Richmond Road onto Byron Avenue will be implemented, to allow for storm, sanitary and watermain works. Sherbourne Station construction will continue with installation of mechanical and electrical services over the winter. Concrete placement, excavation, anchoring, and wall work are ongoing from Sherbourne to Woodroffe Avenue. Station work at New Orchard will be ongoing with structural steel works, waterproofing, and concrete placement for walls.

McEwen Avenue and Edgeworth Avenue

This winter, Cut-and-Cover Tunnel work will continue across Richmond Road near McEwen Avenue. The roadway has been temporarily realigned to advance excavation, and to maintain traffic flow throughout construction. Drilling operations, excavation, and support of excavation will be ongoing at Richmond Road and McEwen Avenue, and into Lincoln Fields.

Utilities relocation work will also continue at McEwen Avenue over the winter. Final landscaping and reinstatement work along Edgeworth Avenue will take place in the spring.

Ambleside Detour

New sidewalk construction has been completed on Ambleside Drive and the Ambleside Detour is planned to begin spring 2022. The Detour will reroute westbound traffic onto New Orchard Avenue, Ambleside Drive and McEwen Avenue. Mobility and connectivity will be maintained during Tunnel construction in the detoured area of Richmond Road.

Lincoln Fields

Operations continue at Lincoln Fields, on Carling Avenue, and into Connaught Park along the Transitway. Traffic lanes were shifted on Carling Avenue in the fall to enable advancement of Carling Bridge (where the guideway passes beneath Carling Avenue) and guideway construction. Cut-and-Cover Tunnel construction continues at the north end of Lincoln Fields to Richmond Road and into Byron Linear Park. The Lincoln Fields Station construction will continue this winter with structural steel, walls, and escalators being installed.
 
South of Carling Avenue, the new Woodroffe Pedestrian Bridge construction continues through winter with delivery of steel trusses in January. The targeted bridge completion is spring 2022, and the existing bridge will be removed after the new structure is opened to the public.

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 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. Kiewit-Eurovia-Vinci (KEV) will be managing winter maintenance in areas in and around of LRT construction sites.
 
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 these electronic updates 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
www.ottawa.ca/stage2