Key vote ahead for LRT project
Posted Mar 4, 2014 05:06:41 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Region is voting on the future of Light Rail Transit Tuesday afternoon, after a report released Friday named GrandLinq as the group that will oversee the design, construction, finances, operation and maintenance of the system.
The report also stated the project is on time and on budget at this point, coming in with a capital budget of $818-million.
But not everyone is pleased with the project; Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig is echoing disappointment from his constituents.
He tells 570 News, some residents even want to see the city separate from the Region over this decision.
“You just simply can’t withdraw from the Region, that’s a provincial jurisdiction and that is a complicated and long process. I’ve been getting a number of emails from residents in Cambridge. I think what has to be understood – people in Cambridge are angry about this.”
Craig has been very vocal about his desire for a transit system that could service Cambridge as well as Kitchener and Waterloo.
Meanwhile, the Region’s Commissioner of Transportation and Environment Services, Thomas Schmidt, is applauding the project, but says don’t expect a lot of action just yet.
“The first step is to finish the designs. They’ve done enough of a design to give us a solid bid, but they need to complete part of the design – they won’t have it all done at once, there’ll be sections they complete. As those sections are completed, they will get them approved and start construction in those areas.”
Schmidt says the construction will cost $532-million, while the rest of the capital budget will go towards relocations and land purchases.
He says the Region hopes to continue its track record of projects coming in on or under budget, adding its possible an issue could come up – such as an environmental conflict – but he doesn’t expect it.
The LRT construction is supposed to begin either late summer, early fall, or next year depending on the design phase.
Regional Council starts their meeting at 3pm this afternoon, with a vote expected around 5 or 6.
This matter will then return to council on March 19 for final approval.
