The A-Line is a proposed

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

line running along James Street in downtown and Upper James Street on the escarpment in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. It is part of Hamilton's proposed

BLAST network The BLAST network is a plan for a frequent rapid transit system in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It was conceived as part of the city's 2007 transportation master plan. It was later incorporated by Metrolinx as part of its regional trans ...

, involving four other rapid transit corridors. It is identified by

Metrolinx Metrolinx is a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario that manages and integrates road and public transport in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), which comprises much of Ontario's Golden Horseshoe region. Headquartered at Union Sta ...

in its regional transportation plan

The Big Move The Big Move is the regional transportation plan (RTP) published by Metrolinx for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) in Ontario, Canada. It makes specific recommendations for transit projects, resulting from seven "green papers" and ...

as a project to be completed by 2023. The route is currently served by

Hamilton Street Railway The Hamilton Street Railway commonly known as the HSR is a public transport agency in Hamilton, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The name is a legacy of the company's early period, when public transit in Hamilton was primarily served by streetc ...

's ''Route 20 A-Line Express'' bus.

History

During planning, both bus rapid transit (BRT) and light rail transit (LRT) were considered for the corridor. On May 26, 2015, the

Government of Ontario The government of Ontario (french: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor� ...

announced the B-Line LRT would be constructed between

McMaster University McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Ga ...

and Queenston Circle, as well as a short LRT segment of the A-Line to provide a direct connection to

West Harbour GO Station West Harbour GO Station is a regional rail station in the North End neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The station has been served by GO Transit's Lakeshore West line since July 9, 2015. Via Rail service may eventually be provided. Hi ...

from King Street. On February 2, 2017, the province removed the A-Line LRT spur from the B-Line construction scope. In its stead, the province proposed advancing the planning and environmental assessment of a BRT along the entire A-Line corridor, from Hamilton's waterfront to Hamilton Airport. On March 8, 2018, Metrolinx released the 2041 Regional Transportation Plan (2041 RTP) for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), superseding the previous RTP completed ten years earlier (The Big Move). The 2041 RTP recommends removing the waterfront portion of the corridor and constructing a BRT from West Harbour GO to Rymal Road and a "Priority Bus" from Rymal Road to Hamilton Airport. On July 19, 2021, the federal, provincial, and municipal governments announced funding for upgrades to the A-Line corridor. The proposed works include construction of five queue jump lines and of sidewalks, implementation of transit signal priority measures at select intersections, and improvements to approximately 19 transit stops along the corridor.Canada and Ontario invest in improved public transit for residents of Hamilton
/ref> Construction of dedicated BRT lanes were not included in the funding announcement.

References

External links

Hamilton Rapid Transit

BCA Consultation boards
{{coord missing, Ontario Transport in Hamilton, Ontario Passenger rail transport in Hamilton, Ontario Proposed public transport in the Greater Toronto Area Light rail in Canada The Big Move projects