The study will determine how best to extend the O-Train Confederation Line 10 km south from Baseline Station to Barrhaven Town Centre, with eight additional stations.

The City of Ottawa will study how to convert bus rapid transit to light-rail transit to serve Barrhaven commuters.

The environmental assessment for this project is being combined with another already underway for rail grade-separations in Barrhaven, due to overlapping geographic areas.

The study will determine how best to extend the O-Train Confederation Line 10 km south from Baseline Station to Barrhaven Town Centre, with eight additional stations.

The study will also examine options for implementing light rail in stages and incorporating transit amenities, such as a maintenance and storage facility, park-and-ride lots and cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

Completing the environmental assessment will allow the city to seek funding from other levels of government as soon as the next round of infrastructure funding programs are announced.

The combined study includes developing functional designs for rail overpasses at Woodroffe Avenue, Southwest Transitway and Fallowfield Road to increase safety at these crossings.

The city's transportation committee will receive the statement of work for the joint assessment at its meeting on Wednesday, October 3.

Based on the outcomes of this study, city staff will make recommendations to the committee sometime in the fall 2020.