Next big test for the LRT south extension taking place Saturday

Five hundred people will be riding on Lines 2 and 4 Saturday, to simulate passenger service in a 'dress rehearsal' that marks the next major step before the delayed south extension can open to the public.

The next big test for the O-Train Trillium Line extension is taking place Saturday.

The southern extension of the LRT, which includes Line 2 from Bayview to Limebank stations and Line 4 from South Keys to Airport station, is more than two years behind schedule, but is expected to open for passengers soon. Earlier this week, the consortium building the line, TransitNext, received official notice of substantial completion, one of the major milestones required to open the line.

At the LRT subcommittee meeting Friday, Transit Services general manager Renée Amilcar said the next step is to hold a "dress rehearsal" on Saturday. Five hundred people, mostly OC Transpo staff members and their families, will be riding on Lines 2 and 4 to simulate passenger service.

"This will allow us to monitor the system while it’s being used by a large group of people who have not been on Lines 2 and 4 before," she said. "Our team will carefully review the results and lessons learned and enhance our operations where possible."

Amilcar did not say when the public will be riding the train, but repeated that OC Transpo will provide a technical briefing on Dec. 6 for members of Council and media to provide additional details on the progress towards the opening of Lines 2 and 4, including an opening date. 

There have been several targets for opening, most recently mid-November. Amilcar would not say definitively whether Ottawa residents would be riding Lines 2 and 4 before Christmas, saying only to wait for the technical briefing next week.

"You will have the answer next Friday," she said.