South Keys station

South Keys
Ottawa Transitway station
South Keys station looking southwest. The O-Train platform is seen behind the bus platform
General information
Location	Ottawa, Ontario Canada
Coordinates	45°21′13″N75°39′19″W / 45.35361°N 75.65528°W / 45.35361; -75.65528
Owned by	OC Transpo
Platforms	Centre platform
Tracks	2
History
Opening	September 2, 1995 (Transitway) 2024 (LRT)
Services
Preceding station OC Transpo Following station Airport Terminus Route 97 Greenboro toward Hurdman Hawthorne Terminus Route 98 Leitrim toward Barrhaven Centre Route 99
Future services
Preceding station OC Transpo Following station Greenboro toward Bayview Line 2 Reopens 2024 Leitrim toward Limebank Uplands toward Airport Line 4 Opens 2024 Terminus

South Keys station is the southernmost station of the Southeast Transitway in Ottawa. ^[1] The station is located in the South Keys neighbourhood, behind the south end of the South Keys Shopping Centre, and between Bank Street and the Airport Parkway. The Transitway station was opened for bus service on September 2, 1995.

Previously, City Council approved the addition of an O-Train station at South Keys (instead of Lester) in conjunction of the expansion of the north–south light rail line. The project was cancelled on December 14, 2006. In 2024, an O-Train station will open next to the existing Transitway station, serving as the transfer point between the Trillium Line and the Airport Link. ^{[2] [3]}

O-Train station

Upgraded west side entrance to South Keys

An Alstom Coradia LINT Line 4 train pulling into the northbound platform of the South Keys O-Train station

In 2024, an additional island platform O-Train station will be opened on the west side of the Transitway station, accessible by elevator or stairs via the existing pedestrian walkway beneath the station. The South Keys O-Train station will serve as a transfer station between Line 2 and Line 4, (the "Airport Link"), and has been designed with a third pocket track to enable operations for cross platform transfers between the two lines. A Line 4 train will drop off its passengers on the northbound platform, then move to the pocket track to allow Line 2 trains to serve both north and southbound platforms. The Line 4 train then moves to the southbound platform to pick up Airport-bound passengers. ^[4]

Service

See also: OC Transpo routes

The following routes serve South Keys as of April 4, 2024:

Station service
O-Train replacement	R2
Rapid routes	97  98  99
Frequent routes	6  40  90
Local routes	92  93  96  197  198  199
Connexion routes	294  299
Shopper routes	304
School routes	640  644  649  698

• After Line 2 and Line 4 open for revenue service in 2024, Route 97 will be discontinued and replaced by Line 4. Route 99 service to/from Riverside South will be replaced by Line 2.
• School route 693 serves the intersection of Transitway and Hunt Club, but not this station directly.

Safety issues

This station has a history of safety concerns during the night time hours. There were several incidents involving assaults, ^[5] swarming ^[6] and vandalism ^[7] in the vicinity which prompted some increased safety measures. This station has a Transecure night stop which all buses use after 9 PM. ^[8]

References

1. "South Keys" (PDF). Station Layout. OC Transpo.
2. "Trillium Line South Extension". ottawa.ca. November 19, 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
3. "South Keys | OC Transpo". www.octranspo.com. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
4. "South Keys station layout". octranspo.com.
5. "Police looking into another south-end personal robbery". CBCnews. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
6. Bell, Danielle (20 November 2012). "Girls arrested after South Keys robberies". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
7. "Two boys charged after dog spray released at transit stop". Ottawa Sun. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
8. "Night Stop and Safe Stop". OCTranspo. Retrieved 4 April 2024.