Hamilton scores $370 million to improve, expand HSR bus system

Hamilton now has the cash to expand HSR bus service across the city - and prepare for a future electric fleet - after Monday's announcement of $370 million in long-delayed government grants.

The federal Liberals and the provincial Tories announced the city was eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in transit cash as far back as March 2018 - but project funding requests from Hamilton remained in approvals limbo for more than two years until Monday.

Now we can go full-steam ahead in developing a much-improved, much-expanded, wonderful transit system," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger at an in-person announcement at the Mountain Transit Centre.

The federal government will put up about $202 million toward seven major transit projects with the province contributing $168 million. The remaining $130 million will be covered by the city via its annual capital budget.

Highlights include:

• A $260-million bus barn in the lower city that will eventually be capable of charging and maintaining 100 electric buses;

• Eighty-five new buses by 2026 meant to beef up service on critical corridors like the north-south A Line between the waterfront and the airport;

• Improvements to speed up transit on the A Line, including signal priority measures and queue-jumping lanes; and

• Ninety-two new compressed natural gas buses to replace aging standard-sized and large, articulated vehicles.

More to come.