It's not quite the last spike — in fact, it's a clip that will hold the rail to the concrete — but the final piece of Ottawa's LRT track will be completed this Friday at the eastern end of the downtown tunnel, six months before the keys to the system are due to be delivered to the city.

There will be a photo op to commemorate this significant milestone in the city's $2.1-billion transit project, although the news was announced at Tuesday's finance and economic development committee meeting, where OC Transpo boss John Manconi delivered his monthly update on the project.

While the westbound track has been completed for some time, there's a small eastbound section near the University of Ottawa that has remained unfinished.

Manconi fielded questions from councillors and media on where this massive infrastructure project stands. Here are some of the other highlights:

Longest transit escalator in Canada: The Rideau station will include the single-longest escalator in a transit station in the country. It has 181 steps, and is 36 metres long. The escalator will get you from the corner of Rideau and Sussex to the station platform underneath the Rideau Centre.

The Rideau station will include the single-longest escalator in a transit station in the country. It has 181 steps, and is 36 metres long. The escalator will get you from the corner of Rideau and Sussex to the station platform underneath the Rideau Centre. Above-ground construction won't be cleared until summer: That super-long escalator is one of the reasons there's still a lot of construction at the corner of Rideau and Sussex. There's also a big hole in front of The Bay in order for workers to install a vent shaft into the tunnel. It looks like Rideau Street won't be cleared until late summer, a long haul for the retail strip which has been closed to public traffic for two years. There's also tunnel vent work being completed at a number of spots along Queen Street. It also won't be finished until late summer.

That super-long escalator is one of the reasons there's still a lot of construction at the corner of Rideau and Sussex. There's also a big hole in front of The Bay in order for workers to install a vent shaft into the tunnel. It looks like Rideau Street won't be cleared until late summer, a long haul for the retail strip which has been closed to public traffic for two years. There's also tunnel vent work being completed at a number of spots along Queen Street. It also won't be finished until late summer. Escalator breakdown: A number of councillors seemed concerned about how well the escalators will work if they get grit, salt and snow in them. Manconi agreed it's a "tricky" issue. But that's supposed to be a problem of Rideau Transit Group, the consortium building the LRT. The group has also signed a $1-billion, 30-year maintenance contract and is responsible for making sure that, among other things, the escalators work. "​If they don't perform, we don't pay them," said Manconi.

A number of councillors seemed concerned about how well the escalators will work if they get grit, salt and snow in them. Manconi agreed it's a "tricky" issue. But that's supposed to be a problem of Rideau Transit Group, the consortium building the LRT. The group has also signed a $1-billion, 30-year maintenance contract and is responsible for making sure that, among other things, the escalators work. "​If they don't perform, we don't pay them," said Manconi. ​Second-last train being assembled: The 33rd of the 34 cars that will make up the Confederation Line's electric trains is being assembled right now.

Although asked several ways, Manconi could not promise RTG will hand the LRT system over to the city on Nov. 2. The original delivery date was in May, but earlier this year RTG was given a six-month extension.

"I know people want me to say, 'Guaranteed we're going to make Nov. 2,'" Manconi said. "I will never say that because I can't give you that guarantee based on where we are right now."

While he's confident the construction portion of the project will be completed on time, he said he needs "to see the evidence" that the systems integration and testing will meet deadline and earn certification.

RTG has brought in Rupert Holloway, a senior vice-president with SNC-Lavalin — a key member of the consortium — as the new director of construction. Manconi said Holloway assured him "that it is their mission to achieve the Nov. 2 date."