A-Line (Hamilton)

Last updated
A-Line
BLAST A.svg
James South Hamilton.JPG
James Street South, looking north
Overview
System HSR Next
StatusProposed
Route
Route type Rapid transit
Locale Hamilton, Ontario
StartWaterfront
Via West Harbour GO, Hamilton GO, Mohawk College
End Hamilton International Airport
Length16 km (10 mi)
Stops21 (tentative)
Route map

Contents

BSicon uexKHSTa.svg
Waterfront
BSicon lhSTRa@f.svg
BSicon uexHST.svg
Picton
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon lhBHF.svg
BSicon uxINT.svg
BSicon STRq.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
West Harbour GO
GO Transit logo.svg GO Lakeshore West logo.svg GO bus symbol.svg
BSicon lhSTRe@g.svg
BSicon uexHST.svg
Cannon
BSicon uexCONTgq.svg
BSicon uexTINTx.svg
BSicon uexCONTfq.svg
King
MacNab Transit Terminal
BSicon TRAM.svg BLAST B.svg Bus-logo.svg
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon KINTeq.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
Hamilton GO
GO Transit logo.svg GO Lakeshore West logo.svg GO bus symbol.svg
BSicon uexHST.svg
St. Joseph's (Charlton)
BSicon MASKa.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon lCSTRq.svg
BSicon uexHST.svg
St. Joseph's (West 5th)
BSicon uexHST.svg
Mohawk College
BSicon uexHST.svg
Fennell
BSicon uexHST.svg
Mohawk
BSicon uexHST.svg
Aldridge/Linc
BSicon dRP4q.svg
BSicon uexSKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon dRP4q.svg
BSicon uexHST.svg
Stone Church
BSicon uexHST.svg
Rymal
BSicon uexHST.svg
Twenty
BSicon uexHST.svg
Mountain Transit Centre
BSicon uexHST.svg
Dickenson
BSicon uexHST.svg
English Church
BSicon uexHST.svg
Mount Hope
BSicon uexHST.svg
Warplane Museum
BSicon uexKBHFe.svg
Hamilton International Airport
BSicon FLUG.svg
 {{{previous_line}}} {{{system_nav}}} {{{next_line}}} 

The A-Line is a proposed rapid transit line running along James Street in downtown and Upper James Street on the escarpment in Hamilton, Ontario. [1] It is part of Hamilton's proposed HSR Next network, involving five other rapid transit corridors. It was previously identified by Metrolinx in its regional transportation plan The Big Move as a project to be completed by 2023. [1] The route is currently served by Hamilton Street Railway's Route 20 A-Line Express bus. [2]

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 announced the B-Line LRT would be constructed between McMaster University and Queenston Circle, as well as a short LRT segment of the A-Line to provide a direct connection to West Harbour GO Station from King Street. [3] [4]

On February 2, 2017, the province removed the 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) A-Line LRT spur from the B-Line construction scope. In its stead, the province proposed advancing the planning and environmental assessment of a 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) BRT along the entire A-Line corridor, from Hamilton's waterfront to Hamilton Airport. [5]

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. [6]

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 17 km (11 mi) of sidewalks, implementation of transit signal priority measures at select intersections, and improvements to approximately 19 transit stops along the corridor. [7] [8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Routes and Corridor Maps". City of Hamilton. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  2. "Route 20 - A LINE EXPRESS schedule and route map" (PDF). Hamilton Street Railway. December 30, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  3. "Ontario Investing Up to $1 Billion for Light Rail Transit in Hamilton". Archived from the original on 2018-08-07. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  4. Hamilton to get a new LRT and GO Train station
  5. Ontario Moving Forward with More Transit Options for Hamilton
  6. 2041 Regional Transportation Plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area
  7. Canada and Ontario invest in improved public transit for residents of Hamilton
  8. Van Dongen, Matthew (19 July 2021). "Hamilton scores $370 million to expand bus system — on top of LRT cash". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 8 August 2025.