B-Line (Hamilton)

Hamilton B-Line

The intersection of Main Street and James Street in downtown Hamilton, looking east.
Overview
Type Light rail
System Hamilton BLAST network
Status Planned
Locale Hamilton, Ontario
Termini McMaster University
Eastgate Square
Stations 17
Website Hamilton Rapid Transit
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 MacNab Transit Terminal

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

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 LRT 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.

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.[4] An environmental project report was completed in October 2011.[5]

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][6]

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.[7]

On March 28, 2017, Hamilton City Council chose to delay the crucial Environmental Assessment vote to April 19, 2017,[8] 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,[9] 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 $1bn 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.[10] 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]

Operations

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. ↑ "B-Line Facts". City of Hamilton. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Hamilton to get a new LRT and GO Train station
  7. ↑ Ontario Moving Forward with More Transit Options for Hamilton
  8. ↑ "Hamilton’s LRT project stalled for further debate by councillors". The Hamilton Spectator. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  9. ↑ "13 hours and no vote: LRT grinds to a halt". The Hamilton Spectator. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  10. ↑ "Hamilton’s light-rail transit project gets green light to move forward". The Hamilton Spectator. 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  11. ↑ "B-Line bus schedule" (PDF).
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