Yesterday, I had the privilege to join my colleague, Councillor Jeff Leiper, for a Stage 2 LRT tunnel tour from Rochester Heights worksite to Sherbourne. It was impressive to see how much work has been accomplished in the past couple of years. Both Jeff and I acknowledge that the construction work, with its noise, dust, and detours, has been hard on residents.

Our tunnel tour, hosted by KEV (Kiewit Europa Vinci), the corporation in charge of the construction and city liaison staff for this project, included an overview of how much work has been completed to date on this massive project. The next steps will primarily be within the tunnels and will inlcude putting down tracks and finishing off the building of the west extension transit stations. The construction of two transit stations, Sherbourne and New Orchard are yet to be started but will be in progress soon. I have included pictures of our tour because it is hard for the public to see the extent of work that has been accomplished.
We saw some visible signs of progress. I was happy to see the beginning of construction of the new Cleary pedestrian underpass to the Ottawa River. This underpass is poised to become a frequently used entry point to the Kichi Sibi pathway system. Another notable indicator of progress was the active filling of dump trucks at the “Mount Cleary” dirt pile adjacent to the Unitarian Church campus, which, until recently, had been steadily expanding. It is great to see the progress that is being made in this project.
There is still much work that remains to be accomplished, and it is imperative for the public to stay informed about what lies ahead. In the upcoming spring, Councillor Leiper and I will coordinate an online public meeting to provide the community with an update on the progress of the Stage 2 LRT West section. While the specific date has not yet been finalized, it is likely to take place in mid to late May. As of now, the project timelines remain unchanged since the last update, with the anticipated completion of the west section by the end of 2026.
We understand the community’s eagerness to learn more about the upcoming steps, including the completion of the Richmond Road Complete Street project within the scope of this construction endeavor. We will continue to keep residents informed as this work advances.
There is light at the end of the tunnel!