The moment that some Bramptonians have cheered (and some have dreaded) has come. The first open house for the Hurontario LRT (light rail transit) alternative extension to Downtown Brampton, via a route that isn’t on or under Main Street, lands on April 25.

Brampton city council, in a 6-5 vote, notably cut the Hurontario LRT to only run as far north as Steeles Avenue at a widely watched and heavily attended public meeting at the Rose Theatre on October 28, 2015.

Instead, council has directed city staff to look at two alternative alignments on either Kennedy Road or McLaughlin Road to connect the line to Downtown Brampton.

The city has made it clear, as seen in the above image, that it is exploring all possible options, including underground or elevated sections, one-way loops, two-way loops, etc. One alignment, along the 407 and up Kennedy to link to the Powerade Centre lands supports the city’s Amazon bid as well as conceptual plans shown at the Brampton 2040 Future Ready event.

Currently, the city is in the pre-TPAP (Transit Project Assessment Process) and technical studies phase. They have contracted HDR Corporation to do these studies. This phase will allow the city to determine the alignment, which will then go to the TPAP in 2020, which is an accelerated, one-year environmental assessment process. The preliminary design will be presented in 2019.

Assuming that higher levels of government assist in funding the project, and the TPAP is complete, and that the current Hurontario LRT project won’t start until later this year, construction on any extension would likely start in 2023 — or later.

The city’s first open house for this project is on April 25 at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the atrium of City Hall.

The official contacts for this project are:

Compton Bobb, City of Brampton — 905-874-2581 — compton.bobb@brampton.ca

Tyrone Gan, HDR Corporation — tyrone.gan@hdrinc.com

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