en.Wedoany.com Reported - The first major engineering contract for the Hamilton Light Rail Transit (LRT) project has been officially awarded. The Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and Metrolinx have jointly confirmed that the design team led by Aecon Infrastructure, in partnership with Hatch, Egis, and Systra—known as the "Hamilton Transit Alliance"—has won the competitive procurement process to deliver the first phase of the LRT project. The contract covers preliminary work along the route, including utility relocations, grade separations, road reconstruction, sidewalk upgrades, and traffic control system improvements.
Once operational, this 14-kilometer LRT line will provide high-frequency, high-reliability transit service to Hamilton. The route will pass through key nodes such as McMaster University, Hamilton Stadium, Eastgate Square, Ottawa Street, Gage Park, and downtown Hamilton. According to plans, the LRT system will enhance local and regional transit connections through 17 new stations, generating approximately 16,400 additional daily trips, with an average daily ridership expected to reach 50,000 passengers.
The project has entered the early construction phase, advancing civil works and utility relocations. Upon full completion, the LRT construction will also drive a series of upgrades to Hamilton's civil and public infrastructure, including the replacement and diversion of 14 kilometers of sewer pipes, replacement of 16 kilometers of water mains, reconstruction of 14 kilometers of roads, replacement and upgrade of 28 kilometers of sidewalks, and the modification or replacement of 62 traffic signals.
With the contract signed, the project has entered the alliance development phase. During this phase, all parties will collaboratively advance design refinement, cost estimation, and construction scheduling. This development phase is expected to last 18 to 24 months. The project adopts an alliance model, where the public sector directly forms a cooperative team with private enterprises. Compared to traditional third-party consortium management models, the alliance approach offers participants greater flexibility and collaboration, ensuring all decisions prioritize the overall best interests of the project.
The next round of procurement will cover stations, tracks, and systems equipment. The advancement of the Hamilton LRT is seen as a significant milestone in the current and future expansion of the local transit system. With the gradual rollout of new lines, stations, and additional services, the comprehensive upgrade of the region's public transit network is now fully underway.
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