Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[1overcosc]

It is what it is. Its only 5 months, we'll live. Still think they should be aiming for a multi-stage opening. If the whole line can open late November I see no reason why Blair-oTtawa couldn't open over the summer. Hopefully someone asks that question.

[daud]

Originally Posted by OtrainUser

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-lrt-date-announced-today-1.4520183

Now im furious, looks like what I overheard from the busdriver was correct. Like give me a break a Nov 2 handover virtually gaurantees a December start which gives us no time to adjust while Stage 2 construction is supposed to start in Q1 of 2019.

Is there anyone else just as pissed as I am?

Its disappointing for sure, not totally unexpected, but unfortunate. The sinkhole really threw everything into disarray though I think they would have been late without it too.

I would not be surprised if they miss the November 2 date or they barely make it and actual service is pushed to December. Really would not surprise me one bit.

[McC]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

I see no reason .

really? no reason at all? I can imagine all sorts of potential ownership and liability questions that lawyers would recommend avoiding with extreme prejudice.

[ars]

Does anyone know the justification for giving RTG an extension? Was the extension given due to the sinkholes?

[acottawa]

So there were no penalties for being late?

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by acottawa

So there were no penalties for being late?

They won't have to pay the $1 million penalty for missing the May 24 deadline, but there will be financial consequences. From Twitter:

Joanne Chianello
@jchianello
Manconi says city will not be paying the "milestone" bonuses (obviously) -- which is basically a fine for being late -- and city will not hand over $4 -million monthly payments to RTG until it's handed over. So financial consequences to RTG for being late. #ottnews
10:05 AM - 6 Feb 2018

[Kitchissippi]

The sinkhole does not explain why the non-tunnel stations are also late. It's funny how the Spring 2017 newsletter is still a sticky on the website. Looking at the photos in it, which are almost a year old, progress on the eastern stations seem very slow.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by roger1818

I think you hit the nail on the head. I am curious what other material J.OT13 would rather see used. Powder coated steel (either carbon or stainless)? Painted wood? Anodized aluminum? Carbon fibre? Other? Of those the only other reasonable option would be powder coated steel but it isn't as durable as stainless steel.

Not necessarily pointing to better materials, just an observation; stainless-steel is commonly used for subway entrances while retail and offices use regular steel or painted steel.

[acottawa]

That's pretty small financial consequence for a multi-billion dollar project. It certainly doesn't provide much incentive for the consortium to take steps to finish by the deadline (including working on weekends and holidays).

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Not necessarily pointing to better materials, just an observation; stainless-steel is commonly used for subway entrances while retail and offices use regular steel or painted steel.

I suspect the retail and offices you are referring to use powder coated steel (not painted). Powder coating is much more durable than paint (though not as durable as bare stainless steel). Those that do probably don't mind spending more in the long run to portray a certain image, which would probably change before the powder coating starts looking bad.

[rocketphish]

City to open LRT by the end of November

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: February 6, 2018 | Last Updated: February 6, 2018 10:48 AM EST

The $2.1-billion first phase of the Confederation Line LRT will open to customers by the end of November, Mayor Jim Watson said Tuesday.

Watson provided the date during a finance and economic development committee meeting. City management will provide more details.

The city was scheduled to take possession of its 12.5-kilometre LRT system on May 24, but over the past three months it became increasingly clear to city management that the handoff would be delayed.

Construction started in spring 2013.

The first phase of the electrified rail system will have 13 stations between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations. Trains will travel through the downtown via a 2.5-kilometre tunnel between roughly Bronson Avenue and the University of Ottawa.

The city will get the keys to the LRT system on Nov. 2. It doesn’t have a launch date, only “by the end of November.”

So, by Nov. 30, people will be tapping their Presto cards and hopping on the train, if all the testing and safety compliance is perfect.

If the Rideau Transit Group doesn’t deliver the LRT system by Nov. 2, the city can charge a $1-million penalty.

The penalty, however, doesn’t apply to the May 24 missed hand-over deadline.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/city-to-open-lrt-by-the-end-of-november

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by acottawa

That's pretty small financial consequence for a multi-billion dollar project. It certainly doesn't provide much incentive for the consortium to take steps to finish by the deadline (including working on weekends and holidays).

One reason for the city to not apply the full weight of the penalty now is if they do, there is less incentive for the RTG to finish by the new Nov. 2 date. They city will also need to keep working with them for the next 30 years. Showing some leniency now may help maintain a better relationship in the long run.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by roger1818

One reason for the city to not apply the full weight of the penalty now is if they do, there is less incentive for the RTG to finish by the new Nov. 2 date. They city will also need to keep working with them for the next 30 years. Showing some leniency now may help maintain a better relationship in the long run.

Which is why there should be a daily penalty for such projects.

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by roger1818

One reason for the city to not apply the full weight of the penalty now is if they do, there is less incentive for the RTG to finish by the new Nov. 2 date. They city will also need to keep working with them for the next 30 years. Showing some leniency now may help maintain a better relationship in the long run.

Sure.... now that they've learned that penalties are meaningless threats... they'll have *real* incentive to honour all the rest of their contractual commitments.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Which is why there should be a daily penalty for such projects.

I don't know about daily, but certainly some sort of time based penalty for being late.

[c_speed3108]

The other thing is RTG is getting hit with big costs as the city is not paying for things that are not ready.

For example the maintenance contract start gets pushed back 6 months. I read someplace that is $4m a month (x 6 months).

They also have to pay the cities extra costs to keep the buses running.

...and of course the added construction costs.


Granted Taxpayers don't really directly get anything out of those, but I don't see how they would be motivated to drag this thing out.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Which is why there should be a daily penalty for such projects.

Newer Infrastructure Ontario P3s have daily penalties. I'm surprised ours doesn't.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

Sure.... now that they've learned that penalties are meaningless threats... they'll have *real* incentive to honour all the rest of their contractual commitments.

They don't get paid until its done, and they're carrying a lot of project debt. That's their incentive to get this done.

Apparently RTG wanted a revised handover date earlier than Nov 2 but city staff insisted on Nov 2. I'm curious to know the machinations that led to that one.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

The sinkhole does not explain why the non-tunnel stations are also late. It's funny how the Spring 2017 newsletter is still a sticky on the website. Looking at the photos in it, which are almost a year old, progress on the eastern stations seem very slow.

I think they diverted resources away from the surface segments and into the tunnel after the sinkhole. Pre-sinkhole the surface sections were actually a few months ahead of schedule.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Apparently RTG wanted a revised handover date earlier than Nov 2 but city staff insisted on Nov 2. I'm curious to know the machinations that led to that one.

A few days earlier or a few months earlier?