Brampton eyeing LRT tunnel along rejected Main St. route

Brampton councillors say a staff report recommending an LRT tunnel under Main St. for between $410M and $570M ignores their direction to remove the Main St. option

Thestar.com
March 6, 2016
By San Grewal

Brampton councillors want to know why a new staff report on alternative routes for light rail transit recommends a tunnel in the same corridor that council rejected last year after months of debate.

“I was surprised that staff didn’t come back with a couple other options,” said Councillor Jeff Bowman, after reading the report that recommends tunnelling under Main St. for between $410 million and $570 million.

Last spring the province committed $1.6 billion to fund a Hurontario-Main LRT from Mississauga’s lakeshore into downtown Brampton. In October, Brampton council voted 7-4 to reject the Main St. option, though Mayor Linda Jeffrey - a former Liberal cabinet minister - had aggressively lobbied for it. The previous council, prior to Jeffrey’s election in 2014, had also voted against the route.

In November, the planning committee approved a motion put forward by Bowman that stated the Main St. route was “not acceptable” and that “up to three preferred alternatives” be presented by staff by the end of March.

Councillors and many residents had for months argued that there is nowhere near the ridership needed for an LRT along Main St. and that there’s little potential for future intensification there. That position was supported by a $16 million consultant’s study (paid for by Brampton and Mississauga) that highlighted the lack of residential and employment growth potential along the Main St. corridor.

“You’ve got the same ridership,” Bowman said of the tunnelling option. (The report) does nothing in terms of ridership or the lack of intensification along this route.”

City staff told the Star on Thursday that “surface” options on Main St. were removed from consideration for the new report, which only recommends the tunnel options. The cost of tunnelling, for between $410 million and $570 million, depends on the number of stops.

Some councillors said they did not think the possibility of tunnelling was still on the table.

“Staff has taken a very narrow approach in interpreting our decision,” said Councillor Doug Whillans.

In an email to the Star, Mayor Jeffrey said she hasn’t been involved in any discussions around LRT routes since the last debate in November but that she believes city staff followed proper directions in their new report.

“I still believe that the previously proposed fully funded (Hurontario-Main) surface route alignment remains the most cost effective and correct solution both regionally and municipally,” Jeffrey stated.

She added that planning chair Councillor Elaine Moore should address the report.

Moore wrote in an email to the Star that she is disappointed with it.

“As chair of planning, it is frustrating that staff didn’t seek my advice prior to taking a very narrow and I would argue an incorrect interpretation of the November 2015 motion directing them to explore up to three alternative routes . . . I am further frustrated that the staff report continues the controversy over an alignment and adds to the delay in Brampton getting its act together on having our central corridor served by LRT.”

Bowman said the report will be addressed at a planning committee meeting Monday evening.

“The presentation gives us the opportunity to ask some tough questions.”

Brampton’s LRT tug of war

November 2013: After a $16 million consultant’s study highlighted the lack of residential and commercial growth potential along the proposed Main St. LRT route, Brampton council directs staff to look at alternatives.

September 2014: With no report from staff on alternative routes, council votes 10-1 to remove the Main St. option from consideration and again directs staff to study alternatives.

June 2015: Shortly after becoming mayor, Linda Jeffrey lobbies aggressively for the Main St. route and staff produce a report supporting the option, which is also backed by the province.

October 2015: Citing low ridership and a lack of growth potential, council rejects the Main St. route in a 7-4 vote.