Ottawa – OC Transpo is implementing Stage 2 construction detours, school service improvements and service adjustments, starting Sunday, December 19. A special holiday service will be in place from Monday, December 20 to Saturday, January 1. New winter schedules and holiday schedules are available at octranspo.com or by calling 613-560-5000.
Detours – Highway 417 westbound off-ramp at Pinecrest Road
To accommodate construction of the Stage 2 O-Train west extension, and closure of the Highway 417 westbound off-ramp at Pinecrest Road, customers should note changes to the following routes:
- Routes 61, 62, 282, 283, 301, 303 and 404 will travel to Pinecrest Station via Carling, Richmond and Pinecrest, and then will return to their regular routing.
- Routes 63, 64, 66, 258, 406 and 454 will remain on their regular routes but will bypass Pinecrest Station, travelling directly to Bayshore Station, serving the local bus loop at Bayshore Station.
- Customers at Pinecrest Station destined to Kanata North can take Routes 61 or 62 and connect to Routes 63 or 64 at Moodie Station.
Customers travelling westbound on all affected routes should plan for increased travel times. Some boarding locations at Lincoln Fields and Bayshore Stations will be changed and station signage will help direct customers to their new bus stops.
There will be no changes to eastbound service.
Montréal Road Revitalization project
Montréal Road will temporarily reopen in both directions for the winter, affecting the detours that have been in place since the spring.
- Routes 15 and 20 will return to their regular routing on Montréal Road between Vanier Parkway and St-Laurent Boulevard.
- Route 12 will continue to operate between Blair and St-Laurent Stations.
Service frequencies will remain unchanged.
School service improvements
Improvements to school service are being made to provide more direct service and reduce walking distances for students.
- Earl of March Secondary School: New school Route 664 will provide direct service to and from Kanata Lakes, replacing trips on Route 168.
- John McCrae Secondary School: New school Routes 671 and 672 will provide direct service to and from South Barrhaven, replacing trips on Routes 75, 171 and 173.
- Merivale High School: New school Route 680 will provide direct service to and from Riverside South, replacing trips on Routes 80 and 99. Route 80 school trips to and from Tunney’s Pasture Station will be shortened to start and end at Merivale and Burris.
- St. Mother Teresa High School: New school Route 676 will provide direct service to Riverside South, replacing trips on Route 278. School trips on Route 171 will be shortened to end and start at the school, and the morning pattern will be adjusted to operate via Earl Mulligan and Mount Shannon.
Service adjustments
- Route 55: An early morning eastbound trip that currently starts at The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, at 6:09 a.m. and travels to Elmvale will be withdrawn due to very low ridership. No other trips on the route will be affected.
- Routes 99 and 110: Trip times will be adjusted to better accommodate the shift times at the new Amazon facility in Barrhaven, expected to open early in 2022.
Special holiday service
OC Transpo holiday service will run from December 20 to January 1. Shopper routes will operate on a normal schedule throughout the holiday period.
Visit octranspo.com for information on hours of operation, frequency adjustments and schedules for bus routes and O-Train Line 1 during the holidays. Customers can get real-time schedule information, 24 hours a day, by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus their four-digit bus stop number or first three letters of the station name.
Para Transpo holiday bookings
Para Transpo will operate a holiday service on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. Regular scheduled trips are automatically cancelled, but customers may book trips for these days by calling 613-560-5000, or by using the online web form, up to seven days prior to the holiday. Customers are reminded to suspend their regular booking if they will be on vacation during the holiday season. Para Transpo services will be extended until 3 am on New Year’s Eve (with the last trips booked for 2:30 am).
Reminder: Unlimited no-charge transit in December
Throughout December, you can ride OC Transpo all day, without having to pay. No-charge transit is available on all buses, the O-Train and Para Transpo. Plan your trip at octranspo.com or by calling 613-560-5000.
