City to spend $1.65 million to improve 7 HSR end loops

The city is contributing $1.65 million to seven Hamilton Street Railway end-of-line bus location improvements.

They include Watson’s Loop at York Road, the Pirie at Governor’s in Dundas, and the West Hamilton end-of-line on Wilson Street in Ancaster.

The total budgeted cost is $3.3-million; but individual costs are not yet known. The federal government’s Transit Infrastructure Fund is matching the city’s contribution.

City spokesperson Jasmine Graham said the upgrades planned for this year, and currently in the design phase, will ensure end-of-line loops — like those at York Road south of Watson’s Lane — will be safer and convenient.

“The project at Watson’s Loop will include grading the existing granular surface and paving the loop with asphalt, replacing culverts in the area, and installing a new landing pad,” Graham said.

Listed on the city’s website database of capital construction projects, the Watson’s Loop end-of-line project indicates a project budget of $3.3 million.

But finance staff confirmed that figure is the total available budget for the seven projects.

“Given unique requirements for each location, the cost, timing and other specific details for construction at each location are not yet known,” Graham said.

The Pirie at Governor’s project is not listed in the capital construction database, but the Wilson Street project is, and like the York Road project, notes a budget of $3.3 million.