Roads/Bridges projects/issues

[lrt's friend]

Why is the city wasting time on such discussions? Let's spend our time and money on meaningful things. This is the sort of thing that creates the Grove Avenue misdesign, wasting tax money.

There is stupidity in this city everywhere. I noted those traffic signal change delays that give pedestrian preferred crossing. Great where there are significant numbers of pedestrians but the city puts them up randomly where there is no need to delay drivers, and transit. Just like putting up 40 or even 30 kph speed limits on bus routes. Then we wonder why transit costs are out of control and the city is choking on traffic.

My message to councillors, serve your constituents, not just special interest groups.

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Why is the city wasting time on such discussions? Let's spend our time and money on meaningful things. This is the sort of thing that creates the Grove Avenue misdesign, wasting tax money.

There is stupidity in this city everywhere. I noted those traffic signal change delays that give pedestrian preferred crossing. Great where there are significant numbers of pedestrians but the city puts them up randomly where there is no need to delay drivers, and transit. Just like putting up 40 or even 30 kph speed limits on bus routes. Then we wonder why transit costs are out of control and the city is choking on traffic.

My message to councillors, serve your constituents, not just special interest groups.

Spending time and effort on things that improve safety for the most vulnerable road users is not a waste at all.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Lakeofthewood

Spending time and effort on things that improve safety for the most vulnerable road users is not a waste at all.

Completely agree. I wouldn't consider pedestrians a special interest group.

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by phil235

Completely agree. I wouldn't consider pedestrians a special interest group.

Especially since most people are pedestrians at one point in their journey, whether they take transit, bike, or even those who drive and have to walk to their destination after parking.

[J.OT13]

Yeah, this is not a waste of time. Well it is in that it seems they jerrymandered the conclusion based on the Mayor's "fight the war on cars" mantra. The conclusion is heavily one sided while City staff is supposed to give an objective opinion laying out pros and cons.

I'd say the battle for the Kanata private golf course or the battle for the PILTs are far bigger wastes of time and money.

[J.OT13]

We have another past broken CAQ (and others) promise getting revived, temporarily no doubt; widening of le Pont Alonzo-Wright.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/actua...-pont-alonzo-PUNDHW2DUVBT5GAWYS7IENITX4/

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Yeah, this is not a waste of time. Well it is in that it seems they jerrymandered the conclusion based on the Mayor's "fight the war on cars" mantra. The conclusion is heavily one sided while City staff is supposed to give an objective opinion laying out pros and cons.

Yeah this is an honestly awful answer. Using past data doesn't prove that they don't need No RTOR restrictions. Collision data only includes collisions that were reported - near misses like people who jump out of the way of getting hit by a car and don't report the collision don't count. It continues to be embarrassing that Ottawa refuses to have a Vision Zero policy, but with staff reports like this, I can see why.

[J.OT13]

I would hope to at least implement no right on red in the "Inner Area" (Ottawa River, Rideau River, Line 2), though I'd like the entire pre-war Ottawa included, though that wouldn't be as simple.

They say that people would be more aggressive having to wait at the red lights. I often find myself at a red, wanting to turn right. If I can't see properly if oncoming cars are coming (or in which lane they are, often hard to discern when it's dark), or of course if there are pedestrians, I don't turn, but the people behind me often honk the horn under anyone of those circumstances.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

They say that people would be more aggressive having to wait at the red lights. I often find myself at a red, wanting to turn right. If I can't see properly if oncoming cars are coming (or in which lane they are, often hard to discern when it's dark), or of course if there are pedestrians, I don't turn, but the people behind me often honk the horn under anyone of those circumstances.

I don't even think what they are saying is true or supported by evidence. At least anecdotally, changes to streets in Montreal have resulted in a huge improvement in driver behaviour. What was a city of notoriously aggressive drivers has become much more civil, and it is remarkable how much more patient drivers have become with pedestrians and cyclists. We need a culture change in Ottawa, and this kind of rationale is the opposite of how you achieve that.

[lrt's friend]

The best solution to street safety is defensive driving, defensive cycling and defensive walking. We all know that a minority do not follow this practice. This is when we run into trouble.

I still remember a cyclist was riding on the Bronson Avenue canal bridge going the wrong direction in a traffic lane on a blind curve with tragic consequences. You can never fully stop stupidity.

[Davis137]

Anyone else out there loving the start of "Pothole Season"? I am sure a lot of other drivers think I am a lunatic when I quickly weave my car all over the road to avoid them...lol.

Makes me think of those polls about the worst roads in Canada (or at least Ontario), where North, and East Hamilton used to be the prevailing champion, but I think Ottawa had a series of "Hold My Beer" moments, as Bank, Bronson, Carling, Walkley, Heron, Sunnyside, and a myriad of others could certainly be in the running...

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Davis137

Anyone else out there loving the start of "Pothole Season"? I am sure a lot of other drivers think I am a lunatic when I quickly weave my car all over the road to avoid them...lol.

Makes me think of those polls about the worst roads in Canada (or at least Ontario), where North, and East Hamilton used to be the prevailing champion, but I think Ottawa had a series of "Hold My Beer" moments, as Bank, Bronson, Carling, Walkley, Heron, Sunnyside, and a myriad of others could certainly be in the running...

Ogilvy as well, but Nicholas takes the cake. None compares to Maloney in Gatineau.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Davis137

Anyone else out there loving the start of "Pothole Season"? I am sure a lot of other drivers think I am a lunatic when I quickly weave my car all over the road to avoid them...lol.

Makes me think of those polls about the worst roads in Canada (or at least Ontario), where North, and East Hamilton used to be the prevailing champion, but I think Ottawa had a series of "Hold My Beer" moments, as Bank, Bronson, Carling, Walkley, Heron, Sunnyside, and a myriad of others could certainly be in the running...

I seem to have the same reaction every year, but Ottawa may have a pothole season for the ages this year. They are everywhere and whole stretches of major corridors are already in a pretty shocking state.

[dougvdh]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The best solution to street safety is defensive driving, defensive cycling and defensive walking. We all know that a minority do not follow this practice. This is when we run into trouble.

I still remember a cyclist was riding on the Bronson Avenue canal bridge going the wrong direction in a traffic lane on a blind curve with tragic consequences. You can never fully stop stupidity.

Which lead the City to accept that the infrastructure in the area was dangerous/hostile to cyclists and led them make some very significant changes. Now there's actually a controlled crossing so that people coming out of Anniversary Park and heading north can get to the correct side of the road. And north and south bound bike lanes.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by dougvdh

Which lead the City to accept that the infrastructure in the area was dangerous/hostile to cyclists and led them make some very significant changes. Now there's actually a controlled crossing so that people coming out of Anniversary Park and heading north can get to the correct side of the road. And north and south bound bike lanes.

The city only takes action when there is a fatality. I have tried to get missing sidewalk in my neighbourhood without success for years. No action until someone is killed and it seems likely sooner or later.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I seem to have the same reaction every year, but Ottawa may have a pothole season for the ages this year. They are everywhere and whole stretches of major corridors are already in a pretty shocking state.

I don't think it's potholes, but rather general heave, but there is a nasty problem at King Edward where bus routes 6 and 20 cross it, especially westbound, that causes the buses to jar and judder like nothing else I've ever felt. It can't be good for maintenance, and it sure as hell isn't good for the riders.

[rocketphish]

Replacement of Woodroffe, Maitland bridges over Highway 417 set for 2028
Those two spans crossing Highway 417 were both originally constructed in the late 1950s.

By Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 26, 2026 | Last updated 2 hours ago

Highway 417 will have two full closures in the spring and summer of 2028 to accommodate rapid bridge replacements at Woodroffe Avenue and at Maitland Avenue.

Both streets will be closed for six to eight weeks as they will also be widened to accommodate active transportation with bicycle lanes. Maitland will be widened by 10 metres and will close for seven to eight weeks, while Woodroffe will be widened by 6.5 metres and will close for six to seven weeks.

Detours will be in place along Carling Avenue and Baseline Road during the construction periods, and the two bridge replacements will not overlap with each other.

The rapid bridge replacement will require Highway 417 to close fully in both directions for 24 hours for the demolition and removal of the existing bridges and another 48- to 72-hour period for the new bridge installations.

The bridge replacement at Maitland Avenue is slated for the late spring or early summer of 2028 with the Woodroffe Avenue bridge replacement to follow in the summer of 2028.

There are “ongoing efforts to maximize the schedule,” which would push the rapid replacements ahead to 2027, according to a presentation from Lincoln MacDonald, project manager with the Stantec consulting firm to the City of Ottawa’s public works and infrastructure committee.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation previously replaced five bridges at Preston Street, Rochester Street, Booth Street, Bronson Avenue and Percy Street due to their deteriorating condition.

New bridges were constructed in staging areas and each replacement was done during full traffic shutdowns of Highway 417 over four-day periods around weekends. Those rolling bridge replacements began in 2021 and construction was largely completed by the end of 2025.

The Maitland and Woodroffe bridges were both constructed in the late 1950s, MacDonald said.

The contract submission period opens in March and a tender is expected to be awarded in June. This will be the first of two contracts awarded, with a future contract to be awarded for bridge replacements at Pinecrest Road and Richmond Road.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/woodroffe-maitland-bridge-replacements-2028

[ponyboycurtis]

This is interesting. All 5 previous bridges were underpasses while these will be overpasses. I would imagine that would make things more complicated.

Would they build these inside the cloverleaf on each side and then swing them over?

[dougvdh]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

This is interesting. All 5 previous bridges were underpasses while these will be overpasses. I would imagine that would make things more complicated.

Would they build these inside the cloverleaf on each side and then swing them over?

That's basically what they did when they replaced the Lees Ave overpass in 2014-2015. I'm pretty sure the 417 closure was only 2 or three days.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by dougvdh

That's basically what they did when they replaced the Lees Ave overpass in 2014-2015. I'm pretty sure the 417 closure was only 2 or three days.

Lees and Vanier Parkway were both done like that in that timeframe.