City of Ottawa - Cycling in the City - August 2025

 

Cycling Route Planning in Ottawa: Avoid Sidewalks

Many cyclists assume that the route they use for driving will also work for biking, but high-speed roads often lack safe cycling infrastructure. As a result, some people ride on sidewalks which is illegal in Ottawa unless clearly marked as a shared facility. Pedestrians always have priority in these areas and cyclists risk being fined.    Sidewalk riding is unsafe for a number of reasons:   Drivers expect slow-moving pedestrians on sidewalks, not fast-moving cyclists.   Sidewalk riding endangers pedestrians, especially in narrow areas.   A better option is to plan routes that avoid major roads that lack cycling infrastructure. Some tips for this are:    Take parallel residential streets: these tend to have lower vehicle speeds and be more comfortable.  Safe crossings: Use Google Maps Streetview to preview bridges or underpasses over rivers, highways, or arterials to find a route you are comfortable with.   Parks & pathways: some multi-use paths connect neighborhoods and avoid busy roads. Check Geo Ottawa or the City’s cycling map to see which ones allow cycling.     If you must use a sidewalk, walk your bike until you reach a safer route.   Some route planning tools that might help you are listed here: Transit App, Bike Ottawa’s Route Planner, Cycling Guide App, City of Ottawa’s GeoOttawa (enable “Active Transportation” layer), and paper maps available at libraries and community centres.

Smyth Road at Riverside Drive, Cycling Safety Improvement Project

With the recent pavement markings added, the Smyth Road cycling safety project at Riverside Drive has been completed. The intersection of Smyth Road and Riverside Drive was previously identified through the Cycling Safety Review of High-Volume Intersections. This project extends cycling facilities along Main Street and the McIlraith Bridge, to east of the Riverside Hospital Campus, and makes improvements to the intersections to reduce vehicle conflicts. Some minor additional works will be completed as part of the current construction on the hospital campus; this will include additional signage and pavement markings at the intersection and is currently anticipated for 2026.

Carling Road Safety - Bridge Removal

In July, a notable cycling safety concern along Carling Avenue was addressed on the approach to Kanata. A former CN Rail line crossed Carling Avenue on a bridge in this location since the early 1900s. With the rails removed in 2014 and the City acquiring the corridor in 2021, the bridge was recently removed as the first part of a cycling safety and connectivity project in this location. By removing the bridge and its abutments, the City has eliminated the pinch point and provided continuous paved shoulders along this segment.   A subsequent phase of this project will reconstruct the intersection of Carling Avenue and the entrance to the Shirley’s Bay federal campus. The reconstructed intersection will connect the Watts Creek Pathway south of Carling Ave to the former Beachburg rail corridor which will be repurposed into a multi-use pathway. This new multi-use pathway will extend along the rail corridor from Carling Avenue to Celtic Ridge Crescent. Look out for future updates on this project.

Bank Street Active Transportation Improvements – Public Consultation Coming This September

A large segment of Bank Street is currently under construction as part of a renewal project between Riverside Drive and Ledbury Avenue. At the southern end of this segment, additional safety and connectivity improvements for residents walking and cycling are being considered between Kitchener Avenue and Johnston Road. The City has developed a functional design that includes new dedicated cycling facilities along Bank Street and the bridge, improved crossings of the  on and off-ramps at the Bank Street loop near Ledbury Avenue and the Home Depot, and a more direct pedestrian link via a ramp and stairs down the embankment to the Banff-Ledbury community. The design  focuses on enhancing safety and connectivity to Greenboro Park and Ride and surrounding amenities such as South Keys. These changes aim to improve comfort and safety while working within the constraints of the existing infrastructure.   An in-person public consultation is planned for September 2025 and on Engage Ottawa (webpage live in September); stay tuned to your local Councillor’s newsletter (Ward 16 and Ward 10) for details on how to find out more and share your feedback.