B-Line (Hamilton)

Hamilton B-Line
The intersection of Main Street and James Street in downtown Hamilton, looking east
Overview
Type Light rail
System BLAST network
Status Planned
Locale Hamilton, Ontario
Termini McMaster University
Eastgate Square
Stations 17
Website Official Website
Operation
Planned opening 2024
Owner Metrolinx[1]
Character At-grade
Technical
Line length 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Route map

 McMaster University
Longwood
Lakeshore West line to Toronto
Highway 403
Maintenance facility
Dundurn
 Queen
Hamilton GO Centre
James
MacNab Transit Terminal
 Mary
 Wellington
 Wentworth
 Sherman
 Scott Park
Southern Ontario Railway
 Gage Park
 Ottawa
 Kenilworth
 Queenston Circle
 Parkdale
Red Hill Creek
Red Hill Valley Parkway
 Nash
 Eastgate Square
Eastgate_Square#Eastgate_Transit_Terminal

The B-Line is a planned light rail line in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to operate along Main and King streets in downtown Hamilton. It is one of five planned rapid transit lines which form Hamilton's proposed BLAST network. It is a top 15 priority project in The Big Move, Metrolinx's regional transportation plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The 14 km, 17-stop route is to extend from McMaster University to Eastgate Square.[2] It is fully funded by a $1 billion grant from the Government of Ontario and is expected to be opened in 2024.[3]

Route layout

The western terminus is to be built on Main Street in front of McMaster University. The line will continue east until it crosses a newly constructed bridge over Highway 403 which will connect it to downtown Hamilton via King Street. At the King–Main intersection, the line will continue on Main Street until Queenston Circle and then Queenston Road until Eastgate Square.

Stops

Stop[4] Platform Type Notes
McMaster Island/side[lower-alpha 1] Connection to McMaster University Bus Terminal
Longwood Island
Dundurn Side[lower-alpha 2]
Queen Island
James Split[lower-alpha 3] Connection to MacNab Transit Terminal and Hamilton GO Centre
Mary Side
Wellington Side
Wentworth Island
Sherman Island
Scott Park Island
Gage Park Island
Ottawa Island
Kenilworth Island
Queenston Side
Parkdale Split
Nash Split
Eastgate Island Connection to Eastgate Transit Terminal
Notes
All stops are located along the street's median except where noted below.
  1. ↑ Platforms located north of the road
  2. ↑ Platforms located south of the road
  3. ↑ Westbound platform located north of the road, eastbound platform located south of the road

History

The B-Line LRT is in the planning phase. A benefits case analysis was conducted, showing a net benefit for implementing LRT, and that it would be adequate dealing with long-term travel demand growth.[5] An environmental project report was completed in October 2011.[6]

On May 26, 2015, the Government of Ontario announced a shorter route between McMaster University and Queenston Circle, but also including a segment of the A-Line to provide a direct connection to West Harbour GO Station, as well as a pedestrian corridor to the Hamilton GO Centre. The capital costs for the project will be $1 billion, funded entirely by the province. For the B-Line LRT, procurement was expected to begin in 2017, and line construction is expected to begin in 2019.[3][7]

On February 2, 2017, the province scrapped the A-Line spur altogether, announcing it would opt for bus rapid transit along the entire A-Line corridor from Hamilton's waterfront to the airport.[8]

On March 28, 2017, Hamilton City Council chose to delay the crucial Environmental Assessment vote to April 19, 2017,[9] citing they needed more time to read it for themselves. On April 19, 2017, City Council voted again to delay the Environmental Assessment, this time to April 26, 2017,[10] claiming the plan at that stage (which was to build Phase 1 from McMaster University to Queenston Traffic Circle) was undefendable and unfit as it did not go from a destination location to a destination location.

On April 26, 2017, The Province announced with the money saved from removing the spur line from King and James to the West Harbour GO Station, they would work with the City to get the 3 km Eastgate Square Extension included in the capital funding. Later that evening City Council voted to submit the Original Environmental Assessment from October 2011 which covers the original route from McMaster University to Eastgate Square.[11] The motion to submit the original Environmental Assessment was by Terry Whitehead, who was one of the project's harshest critics. The motion passed 10–5, with Cllr. Robert Pasuta away ill.

On August 4, 2017, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change approved the Environmental Project Report (EPR) Addendum for Hamilton's Light Rail Transit (LRT) plan.[1]

Procurement

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx are planning to deliver the Hurontario LRT project according to IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model which basically is a public–private partnership arrangement.[12] Teams shortlisted by IO and Metrolinx allowed to bid for the design, construction, equipment, financing and operations and maintenance of the project are:[13]

  • CityLine Transit Group including equity providers ACS, Aecon, CRH and TIAA. In the CityLine Transit Group team the constructors are Dragados, Aecon and Dufferin. The designers are Parsons, HDR, Amec and RDHA. Operation and maintenance providers are ACS, Aecon, CRH and Serco.
  • Ei8ht Transit including equity providers EllisDon, Fluor and Bombardier. In the Ei8ht Transit team, the constructors are Fluor, EllisDon and Bombardier. The designers are WSP/MMM, Hatch, Gh3 and Bombardier. Operation and maintenance providers are EllisDon Facilities Services and Bombardier.
  • Mobilinx including equity providers Astaldi, John Laing, Hitachi-Ansaldo STS, Transdev and Amico. In the Mobilinx team, the constructors are Astaldi, Hitachi-Ansaldo, Amico and Bot. The designers are IBI, Hitachi-Ansaldo, Daoust Lestage, Morrison Hershfield, Exp Services and Arcadis. Operation and maintenance providers are Transdev, Hitachi-Ansaldo and Astaldi.

The procurement of a dedicated fleet of light rail vehicles and the construction of a maintenance and storage facility is included in the deal.[13] Metrolinx expects to award a contract in 2019.[13]

Operations

  • The B-Line LRT route is currently served by the 10 B-Line Express HSR bus.[14]
  • The trip is expected to take 32 minutes from end-to-end running at a frequency of every 6 minutes during peak hours.[2]
  • The 14 km route will include 17 stops placed approximately 600–800 metres apart.[2]
  • The B-Line will use a 30-metre light rail vehicle with a capacity of about 130 passengers. Platforms being built are 60-metre to support future trains of 2 light rail vehicles in length.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 McGreal, Ryan. "Ministry Approves Hamilton LRT Environmental Report". Raise The Hammer. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Frequently Asked LRT Questions". 2017-07-04.
  3. 1 2 "Ontario Investing Up to $1 Billion for Light Rail Transit in Hamilton". news.ontario.ca. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  4. ↑ "Hamilton LRT design drawing/map" (PDF). Hamilton.ca. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  5. ↑ "B-Line Facts". City of Hamilton. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  6. ↑ SNC Lavalin, Steer Davies Gleave (October 2011). "Hamilton Rapid Transit Preliminary Design and Feasibility Study: B-Line" (PDF). City of Hamilton. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  7. ↑ Hamilton to get a new LRT and GO Train station
  8. ↑ Ontario Moving Forward with More Transit Options for Hamilton
  9. ↑ "Hamilton's LRT project stalled for further debate by councillors". The Hamilton Spectator. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  10. ↑ "13 hours and no vote: LRT grinds to a halt". The Hamilton Spectator. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  11. ↑ "Hamilton's light-rail transit project gets green light to move forward". The Hamilton Spectator. 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  12. ↑ "Finch West, Hurontario LRTs advance". 29 March 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 "RFP issued for Hamilton light rail project in Ontario". 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  14. ↑ "B-Line bus schedule" (PDF).

Route map:

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