Rapibus
Encyclopedia
The Rapibus is a planned and approved bus-only roadway
for the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais
(STO
) in the city of Gatineau
, Quebec
. The project aims to speed up the service for commuters in growing sub-divisions in the northern and eastern areas of the city by alleviating the congestion on key arteries currently served by bus-designated lanes
. Planned for several years by the STO , the project was given the officially green light when provincial
funding were officially secured in October 2007. The project was expected to start in late 2008 or early 2009, and would have been slated for completion in the fall of 2010, however this has been delayed by a year and the start of Rapibus construction has started late 2009, with completion for Fall 2011. A direct link to Ottawa is not included in the current Rapibus plan due to the uncertainty of the future of Ottawa
's rapid transit network following the cancellation of a planned light rail line.
corridor as well as other bridges spanning the Gatineau
and Ottawa River
s. At that time, the CUO privileged existent railway corridors including the Canadian Pacific line in Hull and Gatineau for a future rapid transit corridor which would by-pass some the most congested areas of the city.
Plans were also made for improved inter-provincial crossing to Ottawa. Before newer studies were made, several new bus lanes were added on Boulevards Gréber, Fournier, Maisonneuve and Alexandre-Taché as well as the Portage Bridge
in order to speed up the service in the late 1990s and 2000s. Environmental assessments began in the 2000s but government funding was not immediately available by both the federal and provincial levels.
It was in 2005 that the project started to evolve faster as Marc Bureau, defeated Yves Ducharme
for mayor of Gatineau in the municipal elections. During his campaign, Bureau listed the Rapibus system as one of his top priorities. A few months after his election win, talks between the City of Gatineau and the Quebec
government in order to strike a deal for the amount of funding for the project. Some members of the Gatineau City Council
, Mayor Bureau, STO administration staff and Cabinet Ministers of the Quebec provincial government including formers Finance Minister Michel Audet
and Transport Minister Michel Després
along with Treasury Board
President Monique Jérôme-Forget
met in Quebec City
on December 6, 2006, to discuss about the deal and how much each level will spend. Following the meeting, Bureau indicated some optimism about a future deal that would guarantee a $150 million funding by the government. However, the Minister
responsible for the Outaouais region Benoît Pelletier
told reporters in February 2007 that it would be difficult to realized the project in a short period and no funding was announced in the 2007 Quebec budget on February 20, 2007, prior to the provincial elections
. Quebec Premier Jean Charest
later promised during the electoral campaign that the project will be completed for 2010 while pledging $75 million for the project.
While awaiting government funding, the STO led by president and Gatineau councillor
Louise Poirier
launched in late-February 2007 a radio and television campaign promotion about the project to help attract more support from the local residents.
After the provincial elections, the Charest government tabled a second budget which included significant funding for the project which passed the National Assembly
on June 1, 2007. An official announcement was made on October 26, 2007 during a press conference with Poirier, Pelletier, new Quebec Transport Minister Julie Boulet
and federal Transport minister and former STO president Lawrence Cannon
. The Quebec government would invest $146 million while the city of Gatineau will fund the remainder of the costs ($49 million), while there are no direct federal government funding for the project.
The initial proposed date for the inauguration of the Rapibus system was slated for 2007, however it was later pushed back for 2010 because of various issues that slowed down the process. Multiple environmental assessments were made, as portions of the route will pass through greenspace areas such as Lake Leamy park near the Casino and also near Lake Beauchamp Park in the east end of the city. Construction was set to start in late 2008 or early 2009 with the completion expected by the fall of 2010, however this has been delayed by a year and the start of Rapibus construction is now scheduled for 2009, with completion for 2011. Groundbreaking on the project occurred on November 30, 2009 at the site of the future Montcalm Station.
's version of the Ottawa transitway
. As with the Transitway, it will be reserved for buses and other STO vehicles including Para-Transit service, inspectors and likely emergency vehicles. The initial project expects that the busway will start in the east-end of the city in the vicinity of Lorrain and Saint-René Boulevards and will follow the Quebec Gatineau Railway
track (alongside boulevards Maloney
and de la Carrière) towards downtown Hull
. A bridge over the Gatineau River will be expanded to accommodate the rapid transit lane as well as bike trails alongside near Lake Leamy.
As the project was announced, the City mentioned that the Rapibus will transformed significantly the City while Bureau added that it was the government's biggest contribution for a project in the region. Bureau and Poirier added that it will encourage several projects along the busway including new work locations as well as housing while reducing significantly greenhouse emissions and increase by 15 to 25% the ridership. Several projects are already located, are under construction or planned. The main features that will be served by the system will include, the largest shopping centre in Gatineau, Les Promenades de l'Outaouais
, the Cégep de l'Outaouais
(Gatineau campus), Les Galeries de Hull shopping centre, the Casino du Lac-Leamy, the Maison de la Culture, A new power centre which will include a new Wal-Mart
mega-store (the largest in Quebec) as well several big-box stores is currently under construction near the De la Gappe station location while near De la Cité Station, a large sports complex has been approved and slated for completion by 2009.
Meanwhile in the Hull sector, the Université du Québec en Outaouais
is planning to merge both of its Hull campuses and will be expanded further east to near the Rapibus terminus on Saint-Joseph Boulevard with the addition of several buildings for the faculties located outside the Alexandre-Taché campus (mainly the faculties at the Lucien-Brault campus located just a few blocks to the north).
The main segment of the line will run from the Lorrain Boulevard area in the Gatineau sector and will run along the CFQG
line to near the intersection of Alexandre-Taché and Saint-Joseph Boulevards behind the Salaberry Armoury
and just east the Université du Québec en Outaouais. Initial plans have the line terminated near Montcalm Street and Quebec Autoroute 50. A second segment will run along portions the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway
from La Carrière Boulevard to Freeman Road. The total length of the busway will be approximately 17 kilometers and the current price tag of the project is estimated at around $195 million dollars.
facilities.
sector and eastward towards the Buckingham
and Masson-Angers
sectors nearby Quebec Autoroute 50
as well as a link to Ottawa near Tunney's Pasture
.
On December 9, 2007, Gatineau Councillor Alain Riel
told Le Droit that the Rapibus should be extended westward towards Aylmer along the Boulevard des Allumettières corridor until Boulevard Saint-Raymond
citing concerns that residents living in nearby Le Plateau and newer communities in Aylmer near the new road will abandon public transit for car usage. He also did not rule out the introduction of a former proposed transit corridor called Via-Bus that was intended to run along a former defunct railway corridor south of Chemin d'Aylmer
to downtown Hull but was abandoned due to fierce opposition by residents of Val-Tétrault in the Hull sector. The former railway corridor has since been replaced by an NCC
bikeway
connecting the Aylmer Marina to the Lady Aberdeen Bridge at the Gatineau River
.
light rail network towards Gatineau from Bayview Station
where it would connected to the existing segment. The train would have used the Prince of Wales Bridge
and end at the Casino du-Lac Leamy while providing service to the Université du Québec en Outaouais which also has expansion plans in the upcoming years. In 2007, following the cancellation of the north-south light rail expansion to downtown and Barrhaven Centre
, a Transportation Task Force Committee led by former Liberal minister David Collenette
examined the future of public transit in the region and had proposed a rail line from Bayview to Wakefield
via the Casino (where a second line would end) with another line going from downtown Gatineau to Masson-Angers
that will follow both existing railways in the Gatineau and Hull sectors as well as all the Rapibus. The City of Gatineau, including mayor Bureau had stated that it would concentrate first on developing the bus network before considering adding rail service in the long range.
The Rapibus project went ahead without a direct bridge link towards Ottawa although environmental assessments for the Prince of Wales Bridge were made possible as part of plans related to interprovincial bridge crossings which will examine possible futures links between Gatineau and Ottawa. A study for an interprovincial transit bridge crossing was canceled in February 2007 in the fallout of the cancellation of the light-rail expansion project. However, later in the year the city of Ottawa resurfaced the possibility of a new Environmental study resurface in the summer of 2007, for inter-provincial links and connections with the Rapibus as part of several recommendations made and funding requests towards higher levels of government for future transportation infrastructures. These projects were the top priorities by Ottawa City Council
and mayor Larry O'Brien
. That possibility was again mentioned when new corridors for potential bridges were added.
According to the city of Ottawa, there was an increase of 25% of people heading from Gatineau to Ottawa over the past 10 years.
In a previous transit expansion plan, which was slated to be fully implemented by the completion of the original north-south light rail expansion in 2009, OC Transpo had planned to add a 90-series route that would link the Montcalm Station to Orléans
thus adding a connection between OC Transpo and Gatineau's rapid transit system.
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
for the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais
Société de transport de l'Outaouais
Société de transport de l'Outaouais is the transit service of the Outaouais region of Quebec. It operates public transit routes in Gatineau, Quebec, including the Hull, Aylmer, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers sectors, plus limited service to suburban communities such as Chelsea and...
(STO
Société de transport de l'Outaouais
Société de transport de l'Outaouais is the transit service of the Outaouais region of Quebec. It operates public transit routes in Gatineau, Quebec, including the Hull, Aylmer, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers sectors, plus limited service to suburban communities such as Chelsea and...
) in the city of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The project aims to speed up the service for commuters in growing sub-divisions in the northern and eastern areas of the city by alleviating the congestion on key arteries currently served by bus-designated lanes
Bus lane
A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane restricted to buses, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion...
. Planned for several years by the STO , the project was given the officially green light when provincial
Government of Quebec
The Government of Quebec refers to the provincial government of the province of Quebec. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
funding were officially secured in October 2007. The project was expected to start in late 2008 or early 2009, and would have been slated for completion in the fall of 2010, however this has been delayed by a year and the start of Rapibus construction has started late 2009, with completion for Fall 2011. A direct link to Ottawa is not included in the current Rapibus plan due to the uncertainty of the future of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
's rapid transit network following the cancellation of a planned light rail line.
Development process
In the 1990s, the STO and the Communauté Urbaine de l'Outaouais had initiated plans to improve public transit in the Outaouais urban community as traffic problems were growing in several areas particularly in the eastern end of the city in the Quebec Autoroute 50Quebec Autoroute 50
Autoroute 50 is an Autoroute in western Quebec. Once completed, it will link the Outaouais region to the Greater Montreal area....
corridor as well as other bridges spanning the Gatineau
Gatineau River
The Gatineau River is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec...
and Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
s. At that time, the CUO privileged existent railway corridors including the Canadian Pacific line in Hull and Gatineau for a future rapid transit corridor which would by-pass some the most congested areas of the city.
Plans were also made for improved inter-provincial crossing to Ottawa. Before newer studies were made, several new bus lanes were added on Boulevards Gréber, Fournier, Maisonneuve and Alexandre-Taché as well as the Portage Bridge
Portage Bridge
The Portage Bridge crosses the Ottawa River just down-river from the Chaudière Bridge, joining the communities of Gatineau, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario, linking Laurier Street and Alexandre-Taché Boulevard in the Hull sector of Gatineau and Wellington Street at the Garden of the Provinces and...
in order to speed up the service in the late 1990s and 2000s. Environmental assessments began in the 2000s but government funding was not immediately available by both the federal and provincial levels.
It was in 2005 that the project started to evolve faster as Marc Bureau, defeated Yves Ducharme
Yves Ducharme
Yves Ducharme was the mayor of Hull, Québec, in the Outaouais region, from 1992 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2005 mayor of Gatineau after the city had been merged with its neighbours, part of the supra-organization the Communauté Urbaine de l'Outaouais. He was defeated in an election in 2005 by Marc...
for mayor of Gatineau in the municipal elections. During his campaign, Bureau listed the Rapibus system as one of his top priorities. A few months after his election win, talks between the City of Gatineau and the Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
government in order to strike a deal for the amount of funding for the project. Some members of the Gatineau City Council
Gatineau City Council
The Gatineau Municipal Council is the governing body of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is composed of 17 city councillors and the mayor. The mayor is elected at large, while each of the councillors represent wards throughout the city...
, Mayor Bureau, STO administration staff and Cabinet Ministers of the Quebec provincial government including formers Finance Minister Michel Audet
Michel Audet
Michel Audet is an economist and a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the Finance Minister of Quebec in the first Charest government....
and Transport Minister Michel Després
Michel Després
Michel Després is an administrator, consultant and a former Quebec politician. He was the former MNA member of the former riding of Limoilou from 1985 to 1994 and 1998 to 2003 and the former member of the riding of Jean-Lesage from 2003 and 2007 when he was defeated...
along with Treasury Board
Treasury Board
The Treasury Board is the Government of Canada's only statutory Cabinet committee and is responsible for the federal civil service much of the operation of the Canadian government. Among its specific duties are negotiating labour agreements with the public service unions and serving as Comptroller...
President Monique Jérôme-Forget
Monique Jérôme-Forget
Monique Jérôme-Forget is a psychologist and a former Quebec politician. She was the Member of National Assembly for the riding of Marguerite-Bourgeois in the Montreal region as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party between 1998 and 2009...
met in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
on December 6, 2006, to discuss about the deal and how much each level will spend. Following the meeting, Bureau indicated some optimism about a future deal that would guarantee a $150 million funding by the government. However, the Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
responsible for the Outaouais region Benoît Pelletier
Benoît Pelletier
Benoît Pelletier is lawyer, academic, and politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He was a Liberal member of the National Assembly of Quebec from 1998 to 2008 and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of Jean Charest...
told reporters in February 2007 that it would be difficult to realized the project in a short period and no funding was announced in the 2007 Quebec budget on February 20, 2007, prior to the provincial elections
Quebec general election, 2007
The Quebec general election of 2007 was held in the Canadian province of Quebec on March 26, 2007 to elect members of the 38th National Assembly of Quebec. The Quebec Liberal Party led by Jean Charest managed to win a plurality of seats, but were reduced to a minority government, Quebec's first in...
. Quebec Premier Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
later promised during the electoral campaign that the project will be completed for 2010 while pledging $75 million for the project.
While awaiting government funding, the STO led by president and Gatineau councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
Louise Poirier
Louise Poirier (politician)
Louise Poirier is a Quebec politician in the City of Gatineau, Quebec She is the current councillor of the ward of L'Oree du Parc in the Hull sector of the city....
launched in late-February 2007 a radio and television campaign promotion about the project to help attract more support from the local residents.
After the provincial elections, the Charest government tabled a second budget which included significant funding for the project which passed the National Assembly
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
on June 1, 2007. An official announcement was made on October 26, 2007 during a press conference with Poirier, Pelletier, new Quebec Transport Minister Julie Boulet
Julie Boulet
Julie Boulet is the current Member of National Assembly for the provincial riding of Laviolette in the Mauricie region. Member of the Quebec Liberal Party, she is the current Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity.Boulet went the Université Laval and obtained a bachelor's degree in pharmacy...
and federal Transport minister and former STO president Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
. The Quebec government would invest $146 million while the city of Gatineau will fund the remainder of the costs ($49 million), while there are no direct federal government funding for the project.
The initial proposed date for the inauguration of the Rapibus system was slated for 2007, however it was later pushed back for 2010 because of various issues that slowed down the process. Multiple environmental assessments were made, as portions of the route will pass through greenspace areas such as Lake Leamy park near the Casino and also near Lake Beauchamp Park in the east end of the city. Construction was set to start in late 2008 or early 2009 with the completion expected by the fall of 2010, however this has been delayed by a year and the start of Rapibus construction is now scheduled for 2009, with completion for 2011. Groundbreaking on the project occurred on November 30, 2009 at the site of the future Montcalm Station.
Features
The Rapibus is similar to the OC TranspoOC Transpo
OC Transpo is the urban transit service of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. An integrated hub-and-spoke system of services is available consisting of: regular buses travelling on fixed routes in mixed traffic, typical of most urban transit systems; a bus rapid transit system — a high...
's version of the Ottawa transitway
Ottawa Rapid Transit
In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
. As with the Transitway, it will be reserved for buses and other STO vehicles including Para-Transit service, inspectors and likely emergency vehicles. The initial project expects that the busway will start in the east-end of the city in the vicinity of Lorrain and Saint-René Boulevards and will follow the Quebec Gatineau Railway
Chemins de Fer Québec-Gatineau
Les Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau , in English the Quebec Gatineau Railway is a shortline railway operating the long ex-Canadian Pacific Railway line between Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Laval, Lachute and Gatineau, formerly Hull...
track (alongside boulevards Maloney
Boulevard Maloney
Boulevard Maloney is one of Gatineau's main commercial roads. It starts at Autoroute 50 via an incomplete interchange and ends at the boundary with the former city of Masson-Angers. It is also known as Route 148...
and de la Carrière) towards downtown Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
. A bridge over the Gatineau River will be expanded to accommodate the rapid transit lane as well as bike trails alongside near Lake Leamy.
As the project was announced, the City mentioned that the Rapibus will transformed significantly the City while Bureau added that it was the government's biggest contribution for a project in the region. Bureau and Poirier added that it will encourage several projects along the busway including new work locations as well as housing while reducing significantly greenhouse emissions and increase by 15 to 25% the ridership. Several projects are already located, are under construction or planned. The main features that will be served by the system will include, the largest shopping centre in Gatineau, Les Promenades de l'Outaouais
Les Promenades de l'Outaouais
Les Promenades de l'Outaouais is a major shopping centre located in Canada's National Capital Region. It is located in the city of Gatineau near the intersection of Greber and Maloney Boulevards, one of the city's busiest intersections and just off Autoroute 50.It is considered to be the second...
, the Cégep de l'Outaouais
Cégep de l'Outaouais
Cégep de l'Outaouais is the biggest public college in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It is located in the city of Gatineau, Quebec. In 2002, about 75% of the region's high school graduates had been admitted to the institution...
(Gatineau campus), Les Galeries de Hull shopping centre, the Casino du Lac-Leamy, the Maison de la Culture, A new power centre which will include a new Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
mega-store (the largest in Quebec) as well several big-box stores is currently under construction near the De la Gappe station location while near De la Cité Station, a large sports complex has been approved and slated for completion by 2009.
Meanwhile in the Hull sector, the Université du Québec en Outaouais
Université du Québec en Outaouais
The Université du Québec en Outaouais is a branch of the Université du Québec located in Gatineau, Québec, Canada. As of September 2010, combined enrolment at UQO's Gatineau and Saint-Jérôme campuses was 6,017, of which 4,738 were undergraduates and 1,279 postgraduate students...
is planning to merge both of its Hull campuses and will be expanded further east to near the Rapibus terminus on Saint-Joseph Boulevard with the addition of several buildings for the faculties located outside the Alexandre-Taché campus (mainly the faculties at the Lucien-Brault campus located just a few blocks to the north).
The main segment of the line will run from the Lorrain Boulevard area in the Gatineau sector and will run along the CFQG
Chemins de Fer Québec-Gatineau
Les Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau , in English the Quebec Gatineau Railway is a shortline railway operating the long ex-Canadian Pacific Railway line between Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Laval, Lachute and Gatineau, formerly Hull...
line to near the intersection of Alexandre-Taché and Saint-Joseph Boulevards behind the Salaberry Armoury
Salaberry Armoury
The Salaberry Armoury , is an historic armoury in Gatineau, Quebec, that is home to the armoured Régiment de Hull. The armoury was built in 1938, and was named after Colonel Charles de Salaberry, a hero of the War of 1812. It was one of a series of armouries built across Canada during the 1930s...
and just east the Université du Québec en Outaouais. Initial plans have the line terminated near Montcalm Street and Quebec Autoroute 50. A second segment will run along portions the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway
Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway
The Hull–Chelsea–Wakefield Railway is a heritage railway in Quebec, Canada, running tourist trains through the scenic Gatineau Hills and beside the Gatineau River between Hull and the tourist town of Wakefield from May to October, using a 1907 Swedish steam locomotive and 1940s-built Swedish...
from La Carrière Boulevard to Freeman Road. The total length of the busway will be approximately 17 kilometers and the current price tag of the project is estimated at around $195 million dollars.
Transit stations
According to the website and the STO's User Guide, the Rapibus will contain 12 stations along its two segments. The initial plan contained 11 stations but later added the Alexandre-Taché Station located south of the original southern terminus of the busway, Montcalm Station. Several stations will be accommodated by Park and RidePark and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facilities.
Main segment
- Lorrain: Eastern end of the segment near Lorrain Boulevard near two park and ride facilities. CANCELLED as of Winter 2009.
- Labrosse: Located near Labrosse Boulevard between Maloney and Saint-René Boulevards just south of the Jean-Rene Monette Park and Ride facility
- Gouin: Located near Maloney east of Montée Paiement
- De La Cité: Located near Maloney and La Cité Boulevards, near the CEGEP de l'Outaouais Gatineau campus, the Maison de la Culture entertainment centre and the proposed sports complex.
- Greber: Located near Maloney and Greber Boulevards near les Promenades de l'Outaouais
- De La Gappe: Located near the junction of Quebec Autoroute 50 and Maloney Boulevard near the site of a power center (including a Wal-Mart).
- De La Carrière: Located at the junction of the Québec Gatineau RailwayChemins de Fer Québec-GatineauLes Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau , in English the Quebec Gatineau Railway is a shortline railway operating the long ex-Canadian Pacific Railway line between Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Laval, Lachute and Gatineau, formerly Hull...
and the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield stream train lineHull-Chelsea-Wakefield RailwayThe Hull–Chelsea–Wakefield Railway is a heritage railway in Quebec, Canada, running tourist trains through the scenic Gatineau Hills and beside the Gatineau River between Hull and the tourist town of Wakefield from May to October, using a 1907 Swedish steam locomotive and 1940s-built Swedish...
west of the Gatineau River - Casino: Located at the Casino du Lac-Leamy
- Montclair: Located near Montclair and La Carrière Boulevards near Les Galeries de Hull shopping centre and several government buildings.
- Montcalm: Located near Rue Montcalm and A-50
- Alexandre-Taché: Located near Saint-Joseph and Alexandre-Taché Boulevards just east of the Université du Québec en Outaouais. Southern end of the main Rapibus segment.
North segment
- Freeman: Located near Saint-Joseph Boulevard and Freeman Road near the existent Freeman Park and Ride facility.
Future segments
In the long range, there are possibilities that the Rapibus will be extended westward to the AylmerAylmer, Quebec
Aylmer is a former city in Quebec, Canada. It became a sector of the City of Gatineau on January 1, 2002. Located on the Ottawa River and Route 148 it is a part of the National Capital Region. The population in 2006 was 41 882 — approx. 16% of Gatineau...
sector and eastward towards the Buckingham
Buckingham, Quebec
Buckingham was a city located in the Outaouais region of the province of Quebec. Since January 1, 2002, it has been part of the amalgamated city of Gatineau which merged five former municipalities, including Masson-Angers, Buckingham, Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau, into a single entity...
and Masson-Angers
Masson-Angers, Quebec
Masson-Angers is a former municipality and now a sector within the City of Gatineau, located on the north shore of the Ottawa River, in Quebec, Canada, approximately northeast of downtown Ottawa.-History:...
sectors nearby Quebec Autoroute 50
Quebec Autoroute 50
Autoroute 50 is an Autoroute in western Quebec. Once completed, it will link the Outaouais region to the Greater Montreal area....
as well as a link to Ottawa near Tunney's Pasture
Tunney's Pasture
Tunney's Pasture is an area within the City of Ottawa, Ontario, that is exclusively developed for Canada's federal government buildings. It is bordered by Scott Street to the south, Parkdale Avenue to the east, the Ottawa River Parkway to the north and Northwestern Avenue to the west...
.
On December 9, 2007, Gatineau Councillor Alain Riel
Alain Riel
Alain Riel is a Quebec municipal politician in Gatineau, Canada. He is the councillor of the Deschênes District in the Aylmer sector.Riel studied at the University of Ottawa and obtained a bachelor's degree in history and geography and a master's degree in physical geography.After being a teacher...
told Le Droit that the Rapibus should be extended westward towards Aylmer along the Boulevard des Allumettières corridor until Boulevard Saint-Raymond
Boulevard Saint-Raymond
Boulevard Saint-Raymond is a major boulevard located in Gatineau, Quebec. It starts at Boulevard Saint-Joseph and ends at Boulevard Alexandre-Tache just west of the limits between the Hull and Aylmer sectors...
citing concerns that residents living in nearby Le Plateau and newer communities in Aylmer near the new road will abandon public transit for car usage. He also did not rule out the introduction of a former proposed transit corridor called Via-Bus that was intended to run along a former defunct railway corridor south of Chemin d'Aylmer
Chemin d'Aylmer
Chemin d'Aylmer is an east-west main arterial in Gatineau, Quebec. It starts in near les Galeries d'Aylmer shopping center and ends at Boulevard Saint-Raymond where it becomes Boulevard Alexandre-Tache heading towards downtown Gatineau and Ottawa...
to downtown Hull but was abandoned due to fierce opposition by residents of Val-Tétrault in the Hull sector. The former railway corridor has since been replaced by an NCC
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...
bikeway
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
connecting the Aylmer Marina to the Lady Aberdeen Bridge at the Gatineau River
Gatineau River
The Gatineau River is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec...
.
OC Transpo network connection
In the 2000s, the City of Ottawa had examined plans to extend its O-TrainOttawa O-Train
The O-Train is a light-rail transit service in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada operated by OC Transpo. The present line runs north-south on a railway line, from Bayview to Greenboro, a distance of approximately...
light rail network towards Gatineau from Bayview Station
Bayview Station (OC Transpo)
Bayview Station is a transitway and O-Train station in Ottawa, Ontario. The bus stop is at the eastern end of Scott Street when it becomes Wellington Street. The O-Train station, the northern terminus of the current line, is located on a stub-end track branching off from the railway line,...
where it would connected to the existing segment. The train would have used the Prince of Wales Bridge
Prince of Wales Bridge
The Prince of Wales Bridge is a rail bridge across the Ottawa River joining Ottawa, Ontario to Gatineau, Quebec. It connected with the Canadian Pacific Railway line just west of Lebreton Flats, and crosses the south channel of the river to Lemieux Island; it then continues across the northern...
and end at the Casino du-Lac Leamy while providing service to the Université du Québec en Outaouais which also has expansion plans in the upcoming years. In 2007, following the cancellation of the north-south light rail expansion to downtown and Barrhaven Centre
Barrhaven, Ontario
Barrhaven is a rapidly growing suburban neighbourhood in the southwest of the urban area of the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, about southwest of downtown Ottawa. Prior to amalgamation with Ottawa in 2001, Barrhaven was part of the City of Nepean. Its population as of the Canada 2006 Census was...
, a Transportation Task Force Committee led by former Liberal minister David Collenette
David Collenette
David Michael Collenette, PC was a Canadian politician from 1974 to 2004, and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. A graduate from York University's Glendon College in 1969, he subsequently received his MA from in 2004...
examined the future of public transit in the region and had proposed a rail line from Bayview to Wakefield
Wakefield, Quebec
Wakefield is a village on the western shore of the Gatineau River, at the confluence of the La Pêche River in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The village, named after the town of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, is now the southern edge of the municipality of La Pêche, and was founded in 1830...
via the Casino (where a second line would end) with another line going from downtown Gatineau to Masson-Angers
Masson-Angers, Quebec
Masson-Angers is a former municipality and now a sector within the City of Gatineau, located on the north shore of the Ottawa River, in Quebec, Canada, approximately northeast of downtown Ottawa.-History:...
that will follow both existing railways in the Gatineau and Hull sectors as well as all the Rapibus. The City of Gatineau, including mayor Bureau had stated that it would concentrate first on developing the bus network before considering adding rail service in the long range.
The Rapibus project went ahead without a direct bridge link towards Ottawa although environmental assessments for the Prince of Wales Bridge were made possible as part of plans related to interprovincial bridge crossings which will examine possible futures links between Gatineau and Ottawa. A study for an interprovincial transit bridge crossing was canceled in February 2007 in the fallout of the cancellation of the light-rail expansion project. However, later in the year the city of Ottawa resurfaced the possibility of a new Environmental study resurface in the summer of 2007, for inter-provincial links and connections with the Rapibus as part of several recommendations made and funding requests towards higher levels of government for future transportation infrastructures. These projects were the top priorities by Ottawa City Council
Ottawa City Council
The Ottawa City Council is the governing body of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is composed of 23 city councillors and the mayor. The mayor is elected at large, while each of the councillors represent wards throughout the city. Council members are elected to four year terms with the...
and mayor Larry O'Brien
Larry O'Brien (Canadian politician)
Lawrence Robert O'Brien , was the 58th mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is also a current director of Calian Technologies Ltd. and its former CEO and chairman....
. That possibility was again mentioned when new corridors for potential bridges were added.
According to the city of Ottawa, there was an increase of 25% of people heading from Gatineau to Ottawa over the past 10 years.
In a previous transit expansion plan, which was slated to be fully implemented by the completion of the original north-south light rail expansion in 2009, OC Transpo had planned to add a 90-series route that would link the Montcalm Station to Orléans
Orléans, Ontario
Orleans , also written Orléans, is a suburban area within the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the eastern part of the city along the Ottawa River, about from downtown Ottawa. The Canada 2006 Census gave Orleans a population of 95,491. It became a ward of the City of Ottawa in 2001...
thus adding a connection between OC Transpo and Gatineau's rapid transit system.
See also
- Bus rapid transitBus rapid transitBus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
- Ottawa O-TrainOttawa O-TrainThe O-Train is a light-rail transit service in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada operated by OC Transpo. The present line runs north-south on a railway line, from Bayview to Greenboro, a distance of approximately...
- Ottawa Rapid TransitOttawa Rapid TransitIn Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
- Prince of Wales Bridge