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O-Train)
In Ottawa, Canada, the public transit sevices operated by OC Transpo have two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail line.
Transitway
The Transitway is one of the most extensive and successful implementations of Bus Rapid Transit; many of the Transitway roads are above or below the grade of normal streets in Ottawa, by the use of overpasses, bridges, and trench highways. Thus, they rarely intersect directly with the regular traffic and make it possible for the buses (and emergency vehicles) to continue at full speed even during rush hour.
OC Transpo articulated bus
It is traveled by three bus routes, all primarily east-west:
- 95 - Fallowfield to Trim
- 96 - Stittsville to Hurdman
- 97 - Bayshore to Airport
One trouble spot is in the downtown section of the central Transitway, where the busway consists of a single bus-only lane on each of Albert and Slater Streets (one-way public streets in opposite east and west directions). Traffic congestion here, where the buses mingle with private vehicles, sometimes causes service delays and is seen by some as the main weakness in the Transitway system.
The Transitway routes generally use low-floor "accessible" buses, with an aim to improve access to the service by the elderly and handicapped, and to speed up boarding by other passengers; many of these are high-capacity articulated buses.
Route legs
South-West (95)
- Fallowfield - Located at Woodroffe Avenue and Fallowfield Road in Barrhaven. Western terminus of Route 95.
- Fallowfield to Baseline is along Woodroffe Avenue in a dedicated lane.
- Beyond Baseline, the Transitway is fully isolated to Lincoln Fields.
- Iris - Located on Iris Street in Kenson Park.
- Queensway - Located at the Queensway and Woodroffe in the Whitehaven neighbourhood. Also serves easbound Route 96.
West (96, 97)
- Stittsville - Western terminus of Route 96. Park and Ride facility located in Stittsville.
- Terry Fox - Located adjacent the Kanata Centrum shopping centre at Kanata Avenue and Early Grey Drive. Entered service in September 2004, with construction not yet complete.
- To this point the route is on non-dedicated street lanes, much like a standard express bus route.
- Eagleson - Park and Ride located at Eagleson Rd. and Highway 417.
- The Transitway proper starts past Eagleson, with a dedicated lane on the 417.
- The Transitway leaves the 417 at Bayshore and takes Richmond and Carling streets to Lincoln Fields. Eastbound 96 returns to the 417 (now the Queensway) to go via Queensway station.
Central (All routes)
- At Lincoln Fields, the West and South-West branches merge.
- From Lincoln Fields to Dominion, the Transitway travels the Ottawa River Parkway in a dedicated lane.
- Dominion - Located off of Dominion Avenue on the Ottawa River Parkway.
- From Dominion to Lebreton, the Transitway runs in an isolated, below-grade road.
- Just past Lebreton, the isolated transitway ends and eastbound buses take Slater Street, while westbound buses are on Albert Street; there are dedicated lanes on both streets, but traffic is generally slow in the dense downtown core. This arragement continues to just past Metcalfe.
- Bay - Located on Albert and Slater Streets at Bay Street.
- Kent - Located on Albert and Slater Streets at Kent Street.
- Bank - Located on Albert and Slater Streets at Bank Street.
- Metcalfe - Located on Albert and Slater Streets at Metcalfe Street.
- The isolated Transitway resumes at Elgin Street.
- Just past Hurdman, two isolated routes branch off: the East Transitway and South-East Transitway.
East (95)
- Past Train, the dedicated Transitway parallels the Queensway to beyond Blair.
- The Transitway joins the Queensway a short stretch past Blair, running in a dedicated lane.
- The Queensway shifts from expressway to arterial road past Champlain; from Place d'Orleans to Trim, there is no dedicated lane.
- Trim - Located at Trim Road. This park-and-ride station is used by Route 95 in peak periods.
South-East (97)
- The isolated Transitway ends at Hunt Club road; 97 buses continuing to the Airport take the Airport Parkway.
O-Train
The O-Train was introduced in 2001 as a pilot diesel powered light rail service project. The initial line runs north-south on a purchased rail line, Bayview to Greenboro. It is entirely isolated from outside traffic. The local government has announced expansion plans for the light rail to other parts of Ottawa, including a possible link to the Ottawa International Airport. Service to Gatineau would also be possible (and desirable, considering the potential base of commuters), as a nearby rail bridge exists over the Ottawa River; however much of the track north of the Bayview station has been taken out, and reconstruction would be required to O-Train standards.
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