City of Ottawa - Cycling in the City - September 2020

 

Have Your Say on the Active Transportation Plan Update

The City of Ottawa would like your input on the Active Transportation (AT) Plan, which updates and combines the 2013 Pedestrian and Cycling Plans. The AT Plan is a long-term planning document that sets out the vision, strategic direction, and policy goals for walking and cycling in Ottawa. The AT Plan also identifies and prioritizes stand-alone projects to enhance the City’s walking and cycling networks. The AT Plan is one element of the Transportation Master Plan update, scheduled for presentation to Council in 2023. At this time we are looking for your input on the AT Plan’s focus areas, missing links, prioritization criteria for candidate projects, and more. Visit the Transportation Master Plan Update webpage and participate in the Active Transportation Plan Update consultation to inform the future of walking and cycling in Ottawa. The consultation is open until October 31, 2020.

Electric Kick Scooter Pilot

The first shared electric kick scooters (e-scooters) hit Ottawa’s multi-use pathways, bike lanes and streets in mid-July. The e-scooter pilot aims to provide an additional physically distanced transportation choice, to gauge public interest in the program and evaluate safe and courteous riding and parking. Since their launch, shared e-scooters have been very popular, with 82,000 trips recorded in the first month, or an average of over 2,600 per day. Three companies, Bird Canada, Lime and Roll, now offer dockless e-scooters for rent in and around downtown Ottawa. E-scooters are allowed on City cycling facilities including bike lanes, cycle tracks, and multi-use pathways. Their maximum operating speed in Ottawa is 20 km/h. They are not allowed on sidewalks, National Capital Commission pathways, across the river in Gatineau, in the Byward Market, in any OC Transpo vehicle or facility, or on streets with speed limits of more than 50 km/h. E-scooters must be parked upright in the sidewalk "furniture zone" closest to the curb – out of the way of pedestrian travel. Please visit the City’s e-scooter webpage for information including the e-scooter deployment areas. The pilot will run until the end of October, at which time the City will be looking for feedback from residents on the e-scooter webpage.

Booth Street Cycle Tracks

Cycle tracks are nearing completion for a 400m section of Booth Street, from Fleet Street to the NCC’s Ottawa River Pathway. The Booth Street cycle tracks provide a fully segregated facility connecting the heavily used Ottawa River Pathway with Cross-Town Bikeway #2 at Albert Street and the Pimisi O-Train station. The project also includes protected intersection features at the Ottawa River Pathway crossing and Wellington Street. Future extensions of the cycling facility north over the Chaudière bridge to Gatineau are planned in conjunction with the Zibi development project.

Bay Street Cycle Tracks

Cycle tracks are also under construction along both sides of Bay Street, from Wellington Street to Laurier Avenue. The new Bay Street cycle tracks are an upgrade to the previous northbound-only bike lane. In the southbound direction, they add a valuable alternative to the previous options: cycling in mixed traffic on Lyon Street or sidewalk cycling on the west side of Bay Street (one of the few locations in the City where this was specifically permitted). The project also adds protected intersection features at most intersections. This upgraded 300m link connects the Portage Bridge cycle tracks to Cross-Town Bikeway #2 along Laurier and enables cyclists on the NCC’s Ottawa River Pathway to reach downtown from the west. Construction is expected to be substantially complete in Spring 2021.

Heron Road Cycling Facilities

Heron Road, from Data Centre Road to Bank Street, is part of the City’s Cross-Town Bikeway #7. It is a four-lane arterial road with a posted speed limit of 60 km/h where the addition of separated cycling facilities will dramatically improve cyclist safety and comfort. The City has completed the first phase of the Heron Road cycling facilities project, from Clover Street to Data Centre, and the second phase of construction is underway. The first phase added a protected intersection at Clover Street, a new multi-use pathway connection to connect Heron Transitway Station, and a new eastbound cycle track from Data Centre to Clover. Cycle tracks are now being built from Clover to just east of Gilles Street. Substantial completion of this second phase is expected by the end of the year. The final connection to the planned Bank Street cycling facilities will occur as part of Bank Street renewal in a few years’ time. There are long-term plans to extend the separated cycling facilities west along the Heron/Baseline corridor.

Cedarview Pathway Upgrades

The City has completed upgrades to a 2km section of the Cedarview Pathway between Bruce Pit (at Bruin Road) and Holly Acres Road. Improvements include repaving and widening sections of the pathway and adding a new cross-ride at the Baseline Road intersection. The pathway follows Cedarview Road and then passes to the west of the Queensway Carleton Hospital, providing valuable north-south connectivity and access to recreation areas in Bells Corners.

Manotick Village / Doug Thompson Pathway Connection

Improvements are substantially complete on a community connection between the Doug Thompson Pathway (formerly Osgoode Pathway), and Manotick Village.  The project includes: extra-wide paved shoulders along Mitch Owens Road between River Road and Dozois Road; a new multi-use pathway segment in front of George Nelms Park and St Marks High School; upgrades to an existing pathway through the Rideau Forest neighbourhood between St. Marks School and Gough Road; and additional pavement markings, signage, and paved shoulders. This upgraded route provides a comfortable cycling connection between Manotick Village and the Doug Thompson Pathway.

Jackie Holzman Bridge Opening

After two years of reconstruction, the new Jackie Holzman Bridge (formerly Harmer Avenue Bridge) officially opened on Sept 10, 2020. The new pedestrian and cycling bridge connects Harmer Avenue North, in Wellington West, to Harmer Avenue South and the Ottawa Civic Hospital across Highway 417. This restores a neighborhood connection across the highway, reduces walking and cycling distances and offers a comfortable active transportation route, including for students of Fisher Park School. Mrs. Holzman is a passionate accessibility advocate and was the first Jewish woman to become Mayor of Ottawa.

Cyrville Station Pathway Under Construction

A new multi-use pathway is under construction from the Cyrville O-Train Station to the south end of the NCC’s existing Aviation Pathway at Ogilvie Road. This new 500m pathway provides a comfortable and direct walking and cycling route to Cyrville Station for residents living north of Ogilvie. It provides a particularly valuable link to transit for residents of the Carson Grove community and La Cité College students. It also allows cyclists arriving by O-Train to ride on pathways all the way to the NCC's Ottawa River Pathway system, via the Aviation Pathway. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2020.