O-Train station at St. Laurent reopens after five day closure

OC Transpo will be holding a news conference this afternoon to update the city on progress made in the St. Laurent tunnel, five days after the station was closed to LRT riders because of issues with the concrete ceiling. The O-Train station at St. Laurent Station reopened for customers Wednesday morning.

The St. Laurent Station is open for O-Train passengers on Wednesday, after a five day closure to address issues with the suspended ceiling panels and the concrete ceiling inside the station tunnel.

OC Transpo general manager Renee Amilcar says St. Laurent Station reopened for the start of passenger service on Wednesday morning, and trains are serving all stations between Tunney's Pasture and Blair.

"Crews were able to successfully complete the required remedial work which was then inspected to confirm that all hazards have been mitigated," Amilcar said. "The station has been cleaned and is ready to receive passengers."

The St. Laurent Station had been closed to riders since Friday after an inspection of ceiling tiles found evidence of corrosion and possible damage to concrete in the underground station. Trains continued to run through the tunnel, but riders had to take buses to connect to the St. Laurent Shopping Centre.

OC Transpo said Monday that crews had to remove suspended ceiling tiles above the rail platforms and inspect the tunnel concrete. Rail service was suspended and replaced with R1 buses between Hurdman and Blair stations Tuesday night for repairs and additional work.

OC Transpo says the concrete roof slab pre-dates light-rail construction and that section of the St. Laurent Station was originally built to serve buses as part of the Transitway.

An email Tuesday afternoon said a "virtual situational update on St. Laurent Station" would be provided Wednesday at 1 p.m. Amilcar and Infrastructure and Water Services general manager Tammy Rose will be present, alongside officials from Rideau Transit Maintenance.