I have been inspired to come up with my own alternative plan. I have created a plan that I have drawn for an efficient, cost-effective, expanded light rail plan for the City of Ottawa and beyond. It plans for and serves not only existing population and traffic, but it also lends itself to being easily and cheaply expanded to serve growing communities. The implementation of such a plan has the opportunity to introduce a renaissance in the way people live and make their way around this city.
An Introduction
This plan calls for the use of the relatively cheap diesel train alternative (at least in the short term). The plan also permits itself to be expanded in phases as funding becomes available and population growth requires. Every effort has also been made to use existing tracks and/or existing, but abandoned rail corridors, existing infrastructure and to facilitate easy transfers and integration with existing services within the transportation network. For the most part, I believe that some of the corridors would be able to remain a single-track option with proper scheduling until expansion is found to be necessary. Such expansion should be relatively easy as it would take place along existing corridors that generally leave space for such occurrences.
In More Detail
My proposal is designed to complement and expand upon - not replace - the existing O-Train, existing transportation networks and already planned network expansions. It serves all major outer suburbs of Ottawa (Kanata, Stittsville, Bells Corners, Barrhaven, Orleans, Blackburn Hamlet and Riverside South) and future ones, citizens in Gatineau and leaves options open to later serve communities further away such as Carp, Arnprior, Smiths Falls, Carleton Place, Kemptville, Cassleman, and Rockland as they grow to become bigger assets within the City of Ottawa.
The plan involves creating a hub and spoke system towards downtown. The plan creates two main culminating points for the O-train system - Bayview Station and Train Station. The Train Station is already close to being well-equipped to handle such traffic while the Bayview location could easily be expanded to do so considering its location. The route through downtown between Bayview Station and Train Station does not include a train aspect in this plan. To deal with increased pressure on this section, I suggest creating a shuttle between the two points in a loop through downtown similar to the Friends of the O-Train's downtown plan, but I suggest simply using buses in the short term to keep costs and conflicts to a minimum. This section can be re-evaluated in the future as issues of congestion become more prevalent and our population is perceived to be able to support other solutions possibly including a subway or bus tunnel network. For an eventual subway, I recommend a line running from a eventual hub and spoke terminals Bayview Station and Hurdman Station running underneath Somerset Street and connecting with the existing Train Station (one of two main transfer points for this LRT plan) and other stops along the way. This route would leave the Transitway untouched and would allow for the expansion of the downtown core further south by providing proper transit to the area. I have separated the plan into 9 potential phases of implementation. This network is planned along the model of GO Transit in Toronto - a regional high-speed rail network bringing commuters into the city. As a result I propose the fewest stops along the line to keep the ride as short as possible and allow trains to reach higher speeds. I have placed potential stops near main roads and near existing or near-future population areas and at potentially major transfer points. Stops should all include large Park and Ride lots to facilitate users from farther away and should be incorporated with local buses to make closer connections as smooth as possible.
This plan is not intended to replace existing networks. It is created to take additional strain off the existing system that is a result of growth, get large volumes of people from farther suburbs into downtown as fast as closer counterparts and also better serve what is already in place. Duplicating existing networks is redundant and unnecessary. I believe that this system will truly make Ottawa a world class city and serve as an example for other cities. It will not only encourage smart growth in the future, but will serve to alleviate some of the city's existing problems.
I believe that the cost of this plan would be relatively minimal - especially considering the potential positive effects. Most track is existing, what track needs to be added is either along existing corridors or in undeveloped areas, trains are diesel and thus inexpensive and not needing massive infrastructure costs, and the only other costs involve building new stations along the lines. I have also made it such that all large new spans/tunnels that would have to be built are incorporated into potential locations for new links that are already planned (i.e. an east-end bridge, west-end bridge/tunnel, Strandherd-Armstrong bridge).
Phase 1
I propose the extension of the existing o-train to the airport and to Earl Armstrong Road. This would begin to serve the community of Riverside South while leaving funding for other phases to be implemented quickly. I also propose the investment of monies into the Bayview Station to Transitway connection as this location will become one of two major transfer points in the overall plan.
Phase 2
This includes a loop from the existing Train station out to Kanata, stopping at Woodroffe (transfer point to Transitway), in Bells Corners and at March Road, on existing track. It would then turn south passing through the parking lot for a stop at ScotiaBank Place (as a potential location for a great partnership for a Park and Ride and it would do wonders to serve ScotiaBank Place for transportation to and from events). The line would then extend further south for a stop in Stittsville, then loop back onto the existing VIA line cutting through Barrhaven, stopping at the junction between old and new tracks (approximately at Moodie Drive and McKenna Casey Drive) and then at Fallowfield VIA station (transfer point to Transitway). It would then return to Train Station stopping at the junction with the existing O-train (transfer point from one O-train direction to the other) and then at Bank Street or Smyth Road.
Phase 3
Phase 3 creates a line on mostly new track from Train Station to Orleans. There will be a station at Innes on existing track, then on new track a station serving Blackburn Hamlet (at approximately Navan Road), one at Trim Road and one at the other end of Innes Road. A second station serving Orleans could potentially be built at Old Montreal Road. The train will then reverse directions and return to Train Station.
Phase 4
This plan marks the first foray of the O-train into Gatineau to alleviate pressure on interprovincial bridges. This phase includes crossing the Prince of Wales Bridge which the City already owns, and stopping at 2 stations on existing track at Boulevard St. Laurent or at Boulevard Montclair, followed by a station at the Casino du Lac Leamy. This would be an extension of the original O-train route. This phase could potentially be combined in part with phase 6.
Phase 5
This phase links the extended original O-train route in the south (at that point ending at Armstrong Richardson Road) to Barrhaven via the Strandherd-Armstrong bridge. This phase would essentially complete the project just terminated not so long ago. It would extend with two new stops in Riverside South, a stop at Barrhaven Town Centre, and then link into the existing station from Phase 2 at the junction between the existing VIA tracks and the newly constructed LRT Kanata line (approximately at Moodie Drive and McKenna Casey Drive).
Phase 6
Phase 6 links Orleans to downtown (Bayview) through the Gatineau side. It would cross the Ottawa River along an already-planned east-end interprovincial bridge and then link into existing tracks on the Gatineau side. This would add stops at Rue des Laurentides, the Gatineau Airport (Boulevard de L'Aéroport), Rue Main, and Boulevarde Gréber. This route would then link into Casino and Montclair/St. Laurent stops and finish at Bayview Station.
Phase 7
This phase connects downtown Gatineau and Aylmer to Kanata. It would serve new development in Aylmer and the northwest side of Kanata. It would also be linked to a new interprovincial bridge/tunnel extended straight across the Ottawa River between Riddell Drive on the Ottawa side and Boulevard de L'Outaouais on the Gatineau side. This is the best location I can see for both the rail bridge and for the road crossing considering existing infrastructure. This would help complete a full loop of roads and transit through Gatineau that would remove truck and passenger traffic headed to Gatineau from downtown Ottawa, as well as facilitate better flow of commuters living in Gatineau and working in Kanata.
Phase 8
Phase 8 serves eventual population growth to the east of Riverside South and south of Orleans. It also marks the final section of an LRT loop surrounding and unifying the suburbs of the city and Gatineau. Stops would be added as is seen to be appropriate.
Phase 9 - Regional expansions
(see second and third attachments - scan0007) These expansions would take place as these outlying communities become larger and create higher numbers of commuters entering the city. These regional lines would most closely resemble the GO Transit model. They consist mostly of existing track or existing, but abandoned corridors being put to use. The Brown line could extend all the way to Arnprior, passing through Carp, mostly on existing track from Train Station. Replacement of abandoned track would only be necessary towards the very end of the line. The Dark Blue line could extend all the way from Train Station to Carleton place passing through Smiths Falls, Richmond, and Barrhaven. The Green line would extend from Bayview station along the original O-train line to potentially all the way to Winchester, passing through Kemtville. This would follow an existing, but abandoned corridor to Kempville, then connect to an existing line. The Light Blue line would extend from Train Station to Casselman along the beginning portion of the existing VIA route to Montreal. Finally, the Orange line would depart from Train Station, follow the Phase 3 route, then be extended so as to serve Cumberland, Rockland and beyond.

I have created rough drawings of the plan which I am happy to send to anyone. I also already have plans or ideas for three of the stations on the Kanata/Barrhaven Line.

Please let me know what you think.