Improving transit service around the Ottawa International Airport — potentially by extending the O-Train south — is critical for travellers and daily commuters, an Ottawa deputy mayor says.

Coun. Steve Desroches, whose Gloucester-South Nepean ward includes Riverside South, said a feasibility report on bringing the O-Train to the suburb backs his belief that it’s the answer to helping relieve traffic congestion.

“It confirms the O-Train would be successful in meeting the transit needs of the rapidly growing south,” Desroches said Thursday.

As the southern communities grow, traffic is only going to get worse around the airport as motorists cram roads trying to get in and out of the core, Desroches said.

The report, which is on the agenda of next Wednesday’s transit commission meeting, says extending the O-Train 8 km south past the airport would cost about $76 million to build, plus $3 million annually to operate.

The report simply says it’s physically possible to build, not that the city should necessarily do it.

There is no funding right now. In fact, staff say funding for the work isn’t expected to be freed up until after 2031. Desroches doesn’t want to wait that long.

“I’m certainly going to be making that pitch when we get into the transportation master plan,” he said.

The city’s transportation blueprint is due to be updated in 2014.

Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans, the head of the commission who recommended the feasibility study, also wants rail service to come south sooner than later.

The commission must decide if Transpo should unload three Bombardier diesel trains as planned or keep them for an O-Train extension to the south, she said.

“The positive about this notion is we can take the service there far sooner than if we looked at electrified light rail,” Deans said.

The O-Train has been running since 2001 and is nearing capacity.

Last year council approved $59 million for six new train sets and new passing tracks to increase frequency to every eight minutes by 2014.

Staff estimate an extended line to Riverside South could add 725,000 new customer trips on the transit system annually.

Councillors representing the outer communities are eager to get train service.

The current $2.1-billion LRT plan would run trains across the core, between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair station.

“We’re looking forward to getting the equivalent information on bringing the electric train to Orleans,” Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais said, and he hopes for news before the summer.

Twitter: @JonathanWilling