Ottawa's LRT plans spark new concerns



CBC.ca -- With Ottawa's $2-billion light rail project approved, engineers now face the task of protecting some of the city's most sensitive sites.

Last week, council approved the construction of the 12.5-kilometre, 13-station rail line slated to run from Tunney's Pasture, just west of downtown, to Blair station in the east. The route also includes a 3.2-kilometre transit tunnel under downtown Ottawa.

Part of the new plan calls for sections of the downtown rail tunnel to be built at a shallower depth than originally proposed making the project more cost-effective and practical, as it would do away with the need for more sophisticated building technology.

The change allows the tunnel to be constructed at a depth of 15 metres to 16 metres instead of 39 metres to 40 metres.

But that is causing some logistical nightmares for planners who must take into consideration functions at key buildings including the National Arts Centre, Arts Court, and some buildings at the University of Ottawa.

Officials at the NAC fear construction and the subsequent rail travel underneath the building could disrupt performances at the world-class centre.

"Anything that relates to noise or vibration would disrupt the performances inside the building," said Carl Martin, spokesman at the National Arts Centre. "In our case the building exists already so you can't go back and isolate the building. There are engineering issues that are very complex."

Officials at Arts Court are also worried that vibrations from the trains could interfere with performances.

"Sometimes there are quieter moments in performances and you don't want them to feel like they are taken out of that environment because their seats are vibrating or there are noises coming from construction," said Linda Balduzzi, executive director at Arts Court.

Five-year construction

Meanwhile, some faculties at the University of Ottawa are worried that motion from the train travel could affect sensitive equipment on the campus.

Claudio Brun del Re, chief architect at University of Ottawa, said some buildings house instruments that could be affected by the t

rains.

"We do have sensitive instruments along the buildings that line the LRT path and other facilities. So we are genuinely concerned with that," said Brun del Re.

And the equipment could be affected in different ways depending on the types of trains selected.

"The train from one company might have different characteristics than the train from another company, and what I'm talking about are the actual frequency emissions that are generated. There could be electromagnetic frequencies that are generated."

The city is expected to put out a request for proposals on construction work by December, with the aim of awarding a contract a year later. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.


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