Sussex Drive

[waterloowarrior]

Looks like George to St. Patrick is currently under construction
http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/sussex_george/index_en.html
http://ottawa.ca/cgi-bin/trafficreport/report_search.pl?lang=en

St. Patrick to King Edward looks to be in the design stages
http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/sussex_confederation/index_en.html

Haven't found any plans online yet though.


U.S. pitches in to spruce up concrete barricades at embassy in Ottawa
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/us-pitches-in-to-spruce-up-concrete-barricades-at-embassy-in-ottawa/article1492364/
Hulking security barriers on Sussex Drive considered an eyesore, disruption; ambassador didn't like the look of them
Ottawa — The Canadian Press
Published on Saturday, Mar. 06, 2010 1:45PM EST
Last updated on Saturday, Mar. 06, 2010 2:31PM EST

The United States is kicking in half a million dollars toward beautifying the ugly concrete barricades around its embassy in Ottawa.

The large concrete blocks cut off a lane of traffic on a stretch of Sussex Drive in the capital's popular ByWard Market neighbourhood.

They've been a bone of contention for businesses since they were put in place as an added security measure following the Sept. 11, 200,1 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The barricades will be replaced with “visually pleasing” bollards that will still keep cars from approaching the gleaming fortress-like compound that sits in the heart of Ottawa's tourist district. The total cost of the project, which will include a new four-block bike path on Sussex Drive, is more than $3-million, with $2.5-million coming from the federal government's stimulus fund, and $125,000 from the city of Ottawa.

U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson says the new bollards will make his country better neighbours while meeting his government's security needs.

Mr. Jacobson began his posting to Ottawa last fall, and said he was not impressed with the barricades when he first laid eyes on them following a driving tour of Parliament Hill, the Rideau Falls and other sights in the capital.




Interested in what the bike path will look like.

Here's what the press release says:

The new dedicated bicycle lane will be built along the east side of Sussex Drive from George Street to St. Patrick Street. Jersey barriers are currently lined up to create a concrete barricade on Sussex Drive near the Embassy of the United States of America. The new security bollards will replace this barricade with attractive rigid posts arranged in a line to restrict the passage of cars and other vehicles. The bollards will offer a visually appealing security solution on this important route in Ottawa's downtown core, and allow the new bicycle lane to be created.

[Kitchissippi]

Personally, I would like to see the bike lanes on the west side of Sussex if it is a two-way urban bikeway. When they redo the Sussex/Rideau intersection, it could easily link to the Rideau Canal Pathway without having to switch sides, and also work better with linking with Alexandra bridge with a slight rework of the north side of the embassy. I would imagine cyclists would feel safer if the new bollards actually were between them and the cars.

[Richard Eade]

Personally, I would like to see the bike lanes on the east side of Sussex if it is a two-way urban bikeway. When they redo the Sussex/Rideau intersection, it could easily link to the Rideau Canal Pathway without having to switch sides, and also work better with linking with Alexandra bridge with a slight rework of the north side of the embassy. I would imagine cyclists would feel safer if the new bollards actually were between them and the cars.
Are you as west-east challenged as I am? I assume you mean that you would like the bike paths on the WEST side of Sussex; the side that the American Embassy is on.

[Kitchissippi]

Are you as west-east challenged as I am? I assume you mean that you would like the bike paths on the WEST side of Sussex; the side that the American Embassy is on.

Yes, i did mean west side. Somehow I typed "east"...

[Dado]

Councillor Bédard was interviewed this morning on CBC's Ottawa Morning and during that interview he said the bike lane would be between the bollards and the sidewalk beside the embassy, yet the news that immediately followed carried on with saying it was on the "east side".

My guess is that Bédard was trying to get it on the west side and he thought he was successful but really he was just successful in getting a uni-directional bike lane.


Here's a question to those who want a bi-directional bikeway next to the embassy: how would this be accessed at Murray St/the Peacekeeping monument, particularly from cyclists already on Sussex, and, additionally, how would northbound cyclists leave it? I suppose a bi-directional bikeway could continue on the west/north side of Sussex all the way to at least the Rideau River and possibly all the way until the existing path begins/ends at the yacht club, but even in that hopeful world some kind of temporary arrangement would be necessary.

[waterloowarrior]

Until some kind of bikeway was extended north of Murray... it would probably the same situation as where the Colonel By pathway ends at Daly for cyclists wanting to continue north on Sussex.
Ideally they could also reconfigure the Murray/Sussex/MacKenzie intersection to link the Alexandra bridge bikeway with this Sussex bikeway (continuous ON-QC link)

[Kitchissippi]

Even with a bi-directional bikeway beside the embassy, there would be nothing preventing cyclists from using the Sussex roadway, much like Colonel By or any parkway, and I suspect many cyclists will continue to do so.

At the moment, getting from Sussex to the Alexandra bridge pathway can't be any worse or more dangerous, jostling with 2 lanes of impatient car traffic going around the Peacekeeping monument (hardly peaceful).

A bikeway ROW could easily be carved out beside the Peacekeeping monument and extended at least to the National Gallery. The section of Sussex between St Patrick and King Edward will be redone in the immediate future and a bikeway all the way to Rideau Falls is quite possible. There is even a wide cross-hatch painted portion of the M-C bridge that could be used for this purpose (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=45.435683,-75.698349&spn=0,359.996186&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=45.435445,-75.698566&panoid=8Po8JjuJSaXYL1a53eyPbA&cbp=12,19.28,,0,5). I think this part should have regular bike lanes for commuters in addition to the separate bikeway for recreational cyclists.

[Richard Eade]

From the sounds of it, the Jersey Barriers will be replaced with "attractive" bollards. The lane along Sussex will not be released by the Embassy and is lost. You will notice that there is already a line of bollards along the edge of the sidewalk in front of the Embassy, and that the current Jersey Barriers allow vehicles to enter from the north. I believe this arrangement will continue, with the new (second) row of bollards simply replacing the barriers.

It would be possible for bikes to weave between the new bollards, but there may be vehicles parked in that area. Also, where would the bike lanes go once they left the front of the Embassy? Directly south, York dumps south-bound traffic onto Sussex, and north of the mess of an intersection with Murray/St. Patrick, there is no room on Sussex for anything more than the narrow sidewalks and the four lanes of traffic.

Better if they would reclaim the tunnel under the Plaza Bridge which used to be occupied by the Museum of Contemporary Photography to create a bike path along the canal, under Plaza Bridge, along the old rail RoW to the Alexandra Bridge. Also there should be a branch which loops under the Alexandra Bridge, along a new structure past the National Art Gallery, to meet up with Lady Grey Drive. I would, in the future, be looking for a crossing over the M-C Bridge (maybe over the Sussex Bridge if a safe intersection can be planned). The PM and British High Commissioner could ride to work along this new path!

Does any know if the Jersey Barriers along Mackenzie Avenue are also being replaced by bollards?

[Radster]

The PM and British High Commissioner could ride to work along this new path!




Ya right, not in a million years!!!

[Kitchissippi]

There can't be any vehicles parked on the other side of the bollards. I heard the reason behind putting the jersey barriers was apparently to minimize the damage from a car bomb. The embassy building itself is practically bomb-proof but the closer distance would cause greater surrounding damage from the blast's ricochet off the building.

Cyclists can already go under the Plaza Bridge in the summer. The bike rental place is under there and there is a stairway with a bike groove that leads to Major's Hill park. The point for a bikeway would be to gradually make all the urban attractions bike-accessible for the average cyclist and tourists using a bike share system.

[Richard Eade]

There can't be any vehicles parked on the other side of the bollards.....
Maybe so, but I have often seen vehicles in there. Even Google Street View caught some in there.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=45.428576,-75.695972&spn=0,359.975495&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=45.428671,-75.696055&panoid=tLKiYCMtXDE0JZwvnNpYHw&cbp=12,178.48,,0,4.45

[Yroc]

Cyclists can already go under the Plaza Bridge in the summer.

Often (way too often) the door is locked on the north side. Other times, the gate is locked on the south side.

I have no idea why they insist on closing this up. If it is a security issue, the company operating at this location should invest in some cameras or find a new location.

Always pisses me off when I cannot ride through.

[waterloowarrior]

found this image on the Sun's website
http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/blogs-prod-static/2010/03/08/image/b7c1763584eca63785a9c6e0c0fdef25.jpg&size=400
http://blog.canoe.ca/cityhall/2010/03/08/cullen_wants_answers_on_embassy_barriers

:tomato:

[Richard Eade]

It's a nice picture, but according to Diane Irwin, Project Manager, NCC,
I would like to clarify with regards to the bike path that you may have heard about in some media reports. You are correct that a bike path between the rows of bollards is not feasible until such time as the connections north and south are worked out, to link it in a safe manner to the remainder of the Capital pathway network.

On the other hand, the replacement of the jersey barriers with security bollards will leave sufficient space on the reconstructed Sussex roadway for a bicycle lane along the east curb side between George and St. Patrick Streets. The protected area on the west side along the US Embassy will be reconstructed as a wider sidewalk for pedestrian use.

So the people in the drawing are cycling on the sidewalk and are libel to be fined.

[waterloowarrior]

some pics of construction by the Citizen (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Stimulus+spending+highway+hell/2709622/story.html)
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/2709633.bin?size=620x400
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/2709632.bin?size=620x400

[waterloowarrior]

Sussex Drive reconstruction - St Patrick to King Edward
http://www.ottawa.ca/en/city_hall/planningprojectsreports/construction/projects/sussex_confederation/poh1/index.htm

Roadway to be widened to add bike lanes, two buildings will need to be demolished... at NCC board right now

NCC wanted to reduce lanes but City is against lane reductions

[J.OT13]

Why do we need bike lanes on Sussex? Couldn't we just use Lady Gray drive and save that million + in expropriation (I assume it's privately owned?).

Even if we do use Sussex drive, if we need to expropriate these 2 buildings, would we not need to either push back the Mint's gates or tear down the old General's (Elizabeth Bruyère Hospital) stone wall?

It doesn’t add up.

[McC]

too bad; the lane reduction on Scott St is working fine, (and OT, I hope they extend it east of Parkdale and over the viaduct to Albert).

[Nepean]

Why do we need bike lanes on Sussex? Couldn't we just use Lady Gray drive and save that million + in expropriation (I assume it's privately owned?).

Even if we do use Sussex drive, if we need to expropriate these 2 buildings, would we not need to either push back the Mint's gates or tear down the old General's (Elizabeth Bruyère Hospital) stone wall?

It doesn’t add up.

I work on Sussex Drive and many of my colleagues bike to work. That bend is particularly dangerous and needs to be addressed.

The eastward bike lane on Sussex is pretty wonky to say the least. It goes from the corner of Rideau / Sussex until the peacekeeping memorial, and then stops. From the National Art Gallery to 125 Sussex bikes have to compete with cars and buses, which can be dangerous, especially around that bend. (I remember a cyclist being killed 2-3 years ago in front of 125 Sussex).

The bike lane doesn't restart until 111 Sussex. As such, there has long been talk of installing a bike path from the NAG to 111 Sussex, so there is one continuous path from the Rideau Centre. (In fact, we got an email about this last year at work). Expanding the bike lane system makes sense given that the majority of cyclists who bike to work in this area do not take Lady Gray Drive. The westward lane also needs to fill in a big missing gap, especially around the bend.

That being said, you make a valid point that expanding the bike lanes will be complicated. Given that I often walk down Sussex while going to an from work, I am very aware of the difficulty of installing bike lanes in this section of Sussex.

[J.OT13]

I've never biked in the area, but I'll take your word for it that Lady Gray is not the best option and that bike lanes on Sussex are needed.

But what I can say is that I have driven Sussex many times and car traffic is never that bad so a lane reduction would be the best alternative as opposed to tearing down perfectly fine buildings, specialy if they are to be replaced by another useless building like the "Canada Pavillion" (or whatever the hell it's called) or another ultra expensive bland condo building.

[Kitchissippi]

Bike lanes are definitely needed on Sussex if the NCC wants to expand the Bixi network to include Rideau Hall, 24 Sussex and Rideau Falls. Sussex is also considered to be the link between the two halves of the Ottawa River Pathway which stretches from Britannia to Orleans.

Coincidentally, I just had lunch under a tree by Lady Grey Drive, there are some really nice shady maples just opposite the Saudi embassy. It got me thinking the NCC should really do something about that area as it is such a waste of a nice view. It almost reminds me of the Dufferin Terrace in Quebec City. I bet you could park food trucks/trailers and pitch craft-brewed beer tents for the summer and it would draw a crowd. Parking would be a problem but I imagine enough pedestrians and cyclists could be enticed to make it out there it offered something different and unique.

Ideally, they should eventually cut a pathway around Nepean Point, sneaking under the Alexandra Bridge and connecting up to Lady Grey behind the Gallery.

[J.OT13]

Bike lanes are definitely needed on Sussex if the NCC wants to expand the Bixi network to include Rideau Hall, 24 Sussex and Rideau Falls. Sussex is also considered to be the link between the two halves of the Ottawa River Pathway which stretches from Britannia to Orleans.

Coincidentally, I just had lunch under a tree by Lady Grey Drive, there are some really nice shady maples just opposite the Saudi embassy. It got me thinking the NCC should really do something about that area as it is such a waste of a nice view. It almost reminds me of the Dufferin Terrace in Quebec City. I bet you could park food trucks/trailers and pitch craft-brewed beer tents for the summer and it would draw a crowd. Parking would be a problem but I imagine enough pedestrians and cyclists could be enticed to make it out there it offered something different and unique.

Ideally, they should eventually cut a pathway around Nepean Point, sneaking under the Alexandra Bridge and connecting up to Lady Grey behind the Gallery.

Have people enjoy the waterfront! How dare you!?:d

[McC]

It would be nice to start to fix that gap in the river pathway system; it now stops below Major's Hill, requiring a nearly-ridiculously steep climb up towards St Patrick, and then you're kinda on your own for bike infrastructure until New Edinburgh...

UPDATE: Like Kitchissippi said.

[Nepean]

I've never biked in the area, but I'll take your word for it that Lady Gray is not the best option and that bike lanes on Sussex are needed.

But what I can say is that I have driven Sussex many times and car traffic is never that bad so a lane reduction would be the best alternative as opposed to tearing down perfectly fine buildings, specialy if they are to be replaced by another useless building like the "Canada Pavillion" (or whatever the hell it's called) or another ultra expensive bland condo building.

I have mixed-feelings about a lane reduction in this area, or more specifically around the Sussex bend. As a general rule, I tend to support lane reductions and / or road "diets", e.g. reducing a four-lane road to three. In this case, however, I don't know if it's a good idea.

My experience with Sussex is usually around rush hour, i.e. 8:30 to 9:30 am and between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Between April and October, this time of the day is filled with many cars and a good number of bikes. The interaction between the two is fairly sketchy, which is why I didn't bike to work when I lived downtown. During the work day it's better, but not great. (That being said, I should repeat that many of my colleagues bike to work and have not had an accident while navigating the bend).

It's true that on weekends and in the evenings Sussex is fairly clear. The problem is that the danger arises during the work day, particularly at the Sussex bend. I can see how lane reductions can work in the stretch between the Japanese embassy and 125 Sussex. The bend, on the other hand, is a different ball game. It's that particular corner that causes a lot of the problems, and unfortunately it's where the houses that may be demolished are located.

[Uhuniau]

I've never biked in the area, but I'll take your word for it that Lady Gray is not the best option and that bike lanes on Sussex are needed.

But what I can say is that I have driven Sussex many times and car traffic is never that bad so a lane reduction would be the best alternative as opposed to tearing down perfectly fine buildings, specialy if they are to be replaced by another useless building like the "Canada Pavillion" (or whatever the hell it's called) or another ultra expensive bland condo building.

Or another one of the god-awful street-killing diplomatic trophy buildings that have already helped destroy whatever was left of Sussex that the interprovincial bridge and the Foreign Affairs monstrosity didn't.

AT LEAST THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY VIBRANT GREEN SPACE.

[Uhuniau]

Sussex Drive reconstruction - St Patrick to King Edward
http://www.ottawa.ca/en/city_hall/planningprojectsreports/construction/projects/sussex_confederation/poh1/index.htm

"Edit tree mass to open up river views".

Krised.

[Nepean]

NCC board approves the demolition of homes to install bike lanes.

NCC endorses demolition of two Sussex Drive homes

By Neco Cockburn, The Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA — The idea of demolishing homes on a pair of Sussex Drive properties during a road reconstruction project was endorsed by the National Capital Commission’s board on Friday.

Plans for the project, led by the city with NCC involvement, would see a pair of cycling lanes added to a curved stretch of road near Bolton and Cathcart streets as part of larger improvement work between King Edward Avenue and St. Patrick Street.

Planners have settled on the idea of demolishing NCC-owned rental homes at 273 and 275-279 Sussex Dr., and adding cycling lanes to the four lanes of traffic. Green space would be created by some of the area left vacant once the homes were knocked down, the board heard.

No real improvements have been made in the area since the 1960s, NCC project manager Richard Daigneault told board members. A staff report to the board said that the need to fix the curve to improve sightlines and make the road safer was first identified that same decade.

“Lane widths are inadequate and the curvature of the road does not meet design and safety standards,” it says.

Residents and heritage advocates have raised concerns about the potential loss of the homes, which sit in the Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District. Former governor general Adrienne Clarkson lived in one of them for a brief period while growing up.

The city and NCC looked at other options that would save the homes, such as building a cantilevered road and installing shared lanes, but found they were too expensive or didn’t provide adequate safety.

Reducing the number of vehicle lanes was the NCC’s preferred approach, but the city said that would cause too many traffic problems, especially at rush hour.

Although the board endorsed a “recommended concept” for the road project that includes removing the homes, its final review and approval would be needed for the demolition and related agreements.

Before that, the plans must go through the city’s Ottawa built heritage advisory committee, planning committee and council. That’s expected to happen this fall, according to a staff report.

Construction on the project is expected to start as early as this year and possibly continue up to 2015, the report states.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/News/Ottawa/endorses+demolition+Sussex+Drive+homes/6867895/story.html

[Capital Shaun]

This was bound to happen:
Heritage Ottawa speaks out against the planned demolitions - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/06/30/ottawa-sussex-drive-redevelopment-heritage.html

I don't think I've ever heard of a situation before where buildings would get knocked down for bikes lanes.

[J.OT13]

According to Le Droit, NCC owns the properties since the 80s (sorry I don't have a link) and tearing them down is the cheapest option (not that I agree with LRT on the Parkway, but aren't the NCC grilling the city for being obsessed with the Parkway cause it's the cheapest option?).

[eternallyme]

Using Lady Grey to connect the bike paths to Sussex near the curve is the best plan, then have bike lanes from the curve to Rideau Hall (that section being basically a parkway). The only challenge is sneaking them under the Alexandra Bridge due to the terrain in the area. Sussex south of the curve, with buildings at the sidewalk and no room to expand, probably cannot see any further improvements.

[Uhuniau]

Using Lady Grey to connect the bike paths to Sussex near the curve is the best plan, then have bike lanes from the curve to Rideau Hall (that section being basically a parkway). The only challenge is sneaking them under the Alexandra Bridge due to the terrain in the area. Sussex south of the curve, with buildings at the sidewalk and no room to expand, probably cannot see any further improvements.

The solution, OBVIOUSLY, is to get rid of ALL THE BUILDINGS.

Just imagine how VIBRANT Ottawa will be once all the damn buildings are out of the way!

[J.OT13]

Replace all of them with vibrant green space. But don't make it a National Park; we might need to build more highways.