Rapibus Extension to Boulevard de l'Aéroport - Let Us Know Your Preference!

Introduction

The Rapibus corridor between Taché-UQO and Labrosse came into operation in 2013. The Labrosse-Lorrain section will come into service in fall 2023.

In September 2022, the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) hired the CIMA+ firm to prepare the opportunity study for the extension of the Rapibus corridor and the multi-purpose pathway between the Lorrain station and boulevard de l'Aéroport. That study will be completed in 2024.

Objective

The overall objective of the Rapibus extension to boulevard de l'Aéroport is to pursue the implementation of a dedicated public transit system that:

• meets the short-, medium- and long-term transportation needs of Gatineau residents and Gatineau's east end;
• improves the quality of life of residents;
• helps reduce social health inequities by contributing to urban, economic and social development; and
• promotes sustainable mobility in the region.

Key stages

This study includes five key stages :

1. Determination of needs, constraints and intervention requirements
2. Identification of potential solutions – the scenarios
3. Determination of the performance, impacts, constraints, issues, opportunities and costs of the different scenarios
4. Identification of the most promising scenario
5. Identification of the details of the solution recommended by the study

As part of stage 1, an initial public consultation took place in December 2022. This consultation revealed that 80% of the 562 respondents were very much in favour of extending the Rapibus to boulevard de l'Aéroport.

As part of stage 2, three (east-west) scenarios were selected, in addition to the enhanced status quo, which will be used as a reference, as well as two options for extension to autoroute 50 (north-south).

We are now at the end of stage 2, where we must validate or optimize the different scenarios selected.

Thus, the STO is now asking you to contribute to this effort by filling out this new questionnaire.

Following a preliminary analysis of the main constraints associated with the different possible scenarios, the following were selected for more detailed analysis. This will help inform the process by identifying the most promising scenario for implementation.

Details of the measures for implementing the scenarios

a) “Lorrain-Aéroport” scenario

Scenario 0 – Enhanced status quo

- Keep the Rapibus terminal at the Lorrain station
- Enhanced bus service:

• Increase the frequency of local feeders 75, 77 and 78;
• Increase the frequency of route 97 from Masson-Angers.

Certain temporary measures were looked at to facilitate the movement of buses, including partial reserved lanes on Lorrain and Maloney, and priority for buses at traffic lights.

Scenario A1  – Railway corridor, train tracks remain in place

- Two new stations: Cheval-Blanc and Aéroport.

 - Train tracks remain in place, Rapibus runs to the north, multi-purpose pathway to the south, standard dimensions.

- Permanent pedestrian and bicycle crossings of the railway corridor

- Projected reorganization of bus services:

• All Rapibus services extended to boulevard de l'Aéroport (routes 18, 68, 400 and 800);
• More frequent service to the Aéroparc;
• Transfers from certain Buckingham / Masson-Angers routes to the Rapibus and increase in their frequency.

Scenario A2 – Railway corridor, train tracks moved

- Two new stations: Cheval-Blanc and Aéroport.

- Train tracks moved south, Rapibus and multi-purpose path to the north, standard dimensions.

- Permanent pedestrian and bicycle crossings of the railway corridor.

- Projected reorganization of bus services :

• All Rapibus services extended to boulevard de l'Aéroport (routes 18, 68, 400 and 800);
• More frequent service to the Aéroparc;
• Transfers from certain Buckingham / Masson-Angers routes to the Rapibus and increase in their frequency.

Scenario B – Lorrain / Maloney

- Three new stations: Maloney, Cheval-Blanc and Aéroport.
- Multi-purpose pathway in the railway corridor.

- One-way reserved lane on Lorrain (see image below).

- Six more traffic lights added on Maloney.
- Central reserved lanes on Maloney with central median (See image below).

- Multi-purpose pathway along the railway corridor, to the north of it.

- Projected reorganization of bus services:

• Some Rapibus services extended to boulevard de l'Aéroport (routes 400 and 800);
• More frequent service to the Aéroparc;
• Transfers from certain Buckingham/Masson-Angers routes to the Rapibus and increase in their frequency.

b) “Autoroute 50 extension” variants

Variant Pa – No extension to autoroute 50

• The Rapibus is not extended to autoroute 50;
• The terminal and the park-and-ride are built next to boulevard de l'Aéroport at the level of the railway corridor (scenarios A1 and A2) or boulevard Maloney Est (scenario B).

Variant Pb – Extension to autoroute 50 without a reserved lane

• The Rapibus is extended to autoroute 50 with regular traffic;
• The terminal and the park-and-ride are built to the north of boulevard Industriel, close to the autoroute 50 west exit;
• New station: A-50.

Variant Pc – Extension to autoroute 50 using reserved lanes

• The Rapibus is extended to autoroute 50 using central reserved lanes;
• The terminal and the park-and-ride are built to the north of boulevard Industriel, close the autoroute 50 west exit;
• New station: A-50;
• Traffic lights added on boulevard de l'Aéroport.

- New sidewalks.

• The Rapibus extension scenarios between Lorrain and de l'Aéroport do not affect the choice of variant for the extension to autoroute 50. Every variant is possible with those scenarios;
• The chosen solution will be the best combination of scenarios and variants.

THE CONSULTATION IS NOW OVER