| BLAST network | |
| Operator: | Hamilton Street Railway |
| Locale: | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Transit Type: | Light rail / bus rapid transit |
| Lines: | 5 |
| Website: | Hamilton Rapid Transit |
The BLAST network is a plan for a frequent rapid transit system in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The system is planned to include five routes, with two light rail transit (LRT) lines, and three bus rapid transit (BRT) lines.
In 1981, during Bill Davis's Progressive Conservative administration, the Province of Ontario offered to finance the construction of a light metro in Hamilton from Lloyd D. Jackson Square to the Lime Ridge Mall. The line would have employed the ICTS platform used in the Scarborough RT in Toronto and the Expo Line in Vancouver. The plan, however, faced significant local opposition, and Hamilton-Wentworth Council rejected the proposal. The plan called for an elevated trackone of the elements that triggered opposition, with residents suggesting commuters would be invading their privacy by looking down on their back-yards and in their second floor windows.[1]
BLAST was conceived as part of the city's 2007 transportation master plan. It was later incorporated by Metrolinx as part of its regional transportation plan, The Big Move.[2] [3] The B-Line LRT and A-Line were among the plan's prioritized transit expansion projects and were funded by the Government of Ontario in May 2015.[4]
By 2019, Hamilton and Metrolinx were preparing to build the B-Line (Hamilton LRT).[5] Land acquisition and building demolition for a 14km (09miles) line from McMaster University to Eastgate Square had started.[6] On December 16, 2019, the Government of Ontario announced it was cancelling its funding for the BLAST system's B-Line LRT, due to cost overruns.[7] The provincial Ministry of Infrastructure noted that provincial funds originally planned for the Hamilton LRT project would be redistributed to other transportation infrastructure projects, with consultation with a newly formed Hamilton Transportation Task Force and Hamilton's city council.[8] On April 9, 2020, the Hamilton Transportation Task Force released the report, suggested that the city need a "higher order transit project", and it could be either LRT on B-Line or BRT on both B-Line and A-Line.[9]
On February 9, 2021, the province reversed its decision and reinstated the project as the Hamilton LRT.[10]
The B-Line LRT and A-Line BRT are the top transit priorities for the City of Hamilton and were originally scheduled for completion in 2024.[11]
The 2017 Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan outlines a proposed regional transportation network for service by 2041.[12] It includes four priority bus routes and an LRT to run on the north portion of the A-Line. BRT and LRT transit lines included in Metrolinx's 2017 Regional Transportation Plan includes:
| Line | Type | Corridor / main route | Termini | Opening | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRT | Main Street, King Street and Queenston Road | Eastgate Square | 2024 | |||
| BRT | University Plaza | McMaster University | Before 2041 | |||
| BRT | Highway 6 and York Boulevard | Downtown Hamilton | Waterdown | Before 2041 | ||
| LRT | James Street and Upper James Street | Hamilton Waterfront | Hamilton International Airport | Before 2041 | ||
| BRT | 2024 | |||||
| BRT | Centennial Parkway, Upper Centennial Parkway, Rymal Road and Garner Road | Ancaster Business Park | Confederation GO Station | Before 2041 | ||
| BRT | Kenilworth Avenue, Upper Ottawa Street, and Mohawk Road | Meadowlands | The Centre on Barton | Before 2041 | ||