Confederation Line tunnel construction reaches milestone

Mining of the 1.5-mile tunnel for the Confederation Line light-rail project under construction in Ottawa, Ontario, is proceeding on time and budget, with about 10 percent of the tunnel excavation now complete, Transport Canada announced yesterday.

At the West Portal in LeBreton Flats, the tunnel boring machine is now digging under Queen Street just west of Bay Street, government officials said in a press release. Mining at the Central Shaft near Queen and Kent streets began over the past two weeks.

The project is the first stage in Ottawa's future rail network. The 7.8-mile electric light-rail system will replace diesel-powered buses, providing rapid transit between Blair Station in the east and Tunney's Pasture in the West. The light-rail route will include 13 stations and the tunnel to help alleviate congestion through the downtown core.