The LRT system in Ottawa derailed on Sept. 19 and no one seems surprised that this issue-ridden transit system is now out of commission until Nov. 12. What started out as a promising endeavour by the City of Ottawa has now become an unreliable joke.
When the trains started running on Sept. 14, 2019, Ottawa residents were excited to finally have a reliable transit system. Ironically, Ottawa’s Mayor Jim Watson heralded the building process of the Confederation Line, delayed by 456 days, as a necessary process to bring Ottawa “safe, efficient, and world-class” transit.
However, the LRT never lived up to its expectations. While it was praised in the very beginning for eliminating delays faced by those who take the bus, the transit system quickly became a joke as serious issues stopped it from running during peak times. In October of 2019, the train faced nine hours of delays due to computer failures, door jams and the removal of several bus lines. With more people relying on the LRT to get to work and school, the system buckled under pressure.
In addition to the delays, riding the Confederation line was a wholly unsavoury—and occasionally dangerous—experience. The smell in the Parliament station was revolting, despite traffic commissioner Michael Olsen’s attempts to downplay it by claiming women have “more developed senses of smell.” The slippery floors of the trains and platforms caused people to fall during rainy days. The absence of grips on the train and the doors that jammed consistently for the first few months were the cherry on top of this horrific ordeal.
When the train derailed in September, it caused a significant outcry about the safety of the trains thousands of people used everyday. It is extremely lucky that no one was injured during the accident but disappointing to see the city fueled into action only after disaster struck.
While the city has arranged for an in-house audit, some councillors are calling for a judicial inquiry into the LRT system. Watson has also proposed eliminating transit fees for the month of December to renew people’s faith in our system.
Collecting an audit and eliminating a fee cannot restore that much faith.
I don’t have much hope as to whether the system can be improved. For a multi-billion dollar system, Ottawa’s LRT shows that sometimes money doesn’t ensure success.
I just want to get from Point A to Point B without an unnecessary headache. With the current state of the LRT, it seems this goal is nowhere in sight.
Featured image by Louis Yoon.
