The contract is worth almost $223.9 million and part of an effort to extend the Confederation Line further east by 7.5 miles and west by 9.3 miles.
The Citadis Spirit is a 100% low-floor vehicle that offers easy accessibility from the street or the curb, and an interior layout featuring a wide central aisle and interior circulation that provide a safer and more enjoyable experience.
The city is still waiting on a funding announcement from the federal government, but Ottawa’s mayor said he has been assured it will be announced before the end of May.
During this phase of the project, the trains will undergo various tests, including dynamic testing at speeds of approximately 50 mph up to approximately 62 mph.
The contract — which is worth approximately $139 million — follows a contract signed in 2013 to supply 34 Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles to the city of Ottawa.
The STV/AECOM/Morrison Hershfield/McMillen Jacobs Associates joint venture contract isfor the preliminary engineering and program management of the second stage of the O-Train.
The Alstom Coradia Lint for Ottawa has a capacity of 260 passengers and is designed for enhanced passenger comfort and experience. The train also features a low-floor for easy access, spacious seating and aisles, large panoramic windows and on-board bicycle storage.
The “downtown circulator” would mainly serve tourists and federal government workers and would be much more efficient than the current OC Transpo and Société de transport de l'Outaouais bus runs through the shared core of the capital now.
Under the city's current plans, the O-Train line is to be converted from diesel technology to a double-track electric light-rail line and extended about 20 years from now. Transit financial plans do not contemplate funding for construction in the railway corridor until after 2031.