October 16, 2012

Ottawa projects set to overlap

KORKY KOROLUK

correspondent

OTTAWA

Two big projects will overlap in Ottawa for the next few construction seasons.

The redevelopment of Lansdowne Park got going this summer with some preliminary work. But following a city council decision to proceed with the whole project, work will ramp up next spring and last until sometime in 2015.

The total price tag for Lansdowne is likely to be about $500 million.

The light-rail line will be four times as costly — $2.1 billion for a 12.5-kilometre line under the downtown core, then on the surface extending to Tunney’s Pasture in the west and Blair Station in the east. Extensions west, south and east are to come later, as money is available.

Three groups are vying for the transit job:

— Ottawa Transit Partners: Vinci, Acciona, Bombardier Transportation, Aecon Construction;

— Rideau Transit Group: ACS Infrastructure Canada, SNC-Lavalin, Dragados Canada, EllisDon, Veolia Transportation Services;

— Rideau Transit Partners: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Brookfield Financial, Fiera Axium Infrastructure Canada, Parsons Enterprises, Parsons Canada, Colas rail.

The city received formal proposals from each late last month. Those proposals are being evaluated by the city and by Infrastructure Ontario. An announcement of the winner is expected by the end of the year.

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