City Considering Multiple Proposals for Brampton’s LRT Extension on Main Street

Brampton | Ontario | Latest News |

Published April 5, 2019 at 12:57 am

Talks are ongoing regarding how to proceed with the city’s light rail transit (LRT) extension on Main Street.

Talks are ongoing regarding how to proceed with the city’s light rail transit (LRT) extension on Main Street.

The extension, which was previously shut down by council in October 2015, was reapproved through a motion on December 12, 2018.

“Based on Council’s direction and previous work undertaken, staff propose the following options be considered as part of an update to LRT on Main Street between Brampton Gateway Terminal and Brampton GO station,” says a city council report from Wednesday, April 3.

The five options being considered by the city are:

1. Original Hurontario-Main approved surface route on Main St from Steeles to Brampton GO (length of 3.5 km)

2. Downtown Main-George one-way loop route connecting Main St-Brampton GO-George St-Wellington St (length of 3.9 km)

3a. Surface route to south of Nanwood Dr, and tunnel from south of Nanwood Dr to Brampton GO under Main St (length of 1.2 km at-grade and 2.1 km underground — 3.3 km total)

3b. Surface route to south of Nanwood Dr, and tunnel from south of Nanwood Dr to Brampton GO under Main St (length of 1.2 km at-grade and 2.1 km underground — 3.3 km total)

3c. Surface route to south of Nanwood Dr, and tunnel from south of Nanwood Dr to Brampton GO under Main St with diversion under George St in Downtown Brampton (length of 1.2 km at-grade and 2.2 km underground — 3.4 km total)

The first and second options would be the least expensive, costing $400 million and $450 million respectively.

However, the possibility of a tunnel raises costs considerably, with the latter three options ranging between $1 and $1.7 billion.

“These cost estimates should be considered as high level order of magnitude costs as there are several unknowns that may affect these options,” the report says.

“For instance, further investigation is required for the buried drainage channel in downtown, and the method of construction for the tunnel portion is assumed to be sequential excavation method (mining), which will need to be confirmed through the geotechnical and hydrogeology investigations for soil and water table conditions.”

The environmental assessment for the extension is expected to be completed by March 2021 and will cost $4 million.

Up to three public open houses are planned be held later during this process, the report says.

To view the full report, click here.

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