Roads/Bridges projects/issues

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

We should hire the City of Montreal to run the public art portion of our projects.

Ottawa/Ontario never think they have anything to learn from Montreal/Quebec, and the feeling is mutual.

[SkeggsEggs]

I visited Montreal in the summer and one thing I liked alot was all the different murals I saw on otherwise blank walls. I am not sure whether that is endorsed or not but it was something I wish Ottawa could have more of.

[rocketphish]

.

[TransitZilla]

In the news today was MTO's plan to replace some Queensway bridges starting this year, including the overpass at Nicholas. (https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/specials/queen...ent-where-will-they-take-place-1.3833247)

I think it's unfortunate that they are planning to retain the huge loop ramps:



These ramps eat up a ton of land that could be put to better use for the residents of the high-density Lees Avenue area. I put together a quick-and-dirty sketch of how I would re-design this interchange. Recall that the long-term plan is to extend Nicholas south via the Alta Vista Parkway (AVTC). The design for the AVTC was to install traffic signals at the eastbound Nicholas off-ramp to allow for traffic coming from the south.

The new bridge shifts the location of overpass to the west, which should allow enough room for a roundabout on the south end of the 417. Now we can avoid the need for traffic signals in the future and also eliminate the loop ramps entirely, freeing up a large parcel of land for community benefit.



It's too bad MTO isn't thinking more outside the box here.

[Buggys]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

In the news today was MTO's plan to replace some Queensway bridges starting this year, including the overpass at Nicholas. (https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/specials/queen...ent-where-will-they-take-place-1.3833247)

I think it's unfortunate that they are planning to retain the huge loop ramps:



These ramps eat up a ton of land that could be put to better use for the residents of the high-density Lees Avenue area. I put together a quick-and-dirty sketch of how I would re-design this interchange. Recall that the long-term plan is to extend Nicholas south via the Alta Vista Parkway (AVTC). The design for the AVTC was to install traffic signals at the eastbound Nicholas off-ramp to allow for traffic coming from the south.

The new bridge shifts the location of overpass to the west, which should allow enough room for a roundabout on the south end of the 417. Now we can avoid the need for traffic signals in the future and also eliminate the loop ramps entirely, freeing up a large parcel of land for community benefit.



It's too bad MTO isn't thinking more outside the box here.

A giant traffic circle? That's like adding a crash magnet, especially in winter.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by Buggys

A giant traffic circle? That's like adding a crash magnet, especially in winter.

Good Day...

Welcome to that which they were propsing for the Vanier/417/RCMP/Coventry/southern end of the SH#TT tunnel. A major clusterF*** no matter other opinions on the whole thing. Sorry @bradnixon, but I do really still think that traffic circles, certainly huge ones, especially in the ottawa context, are just utter disasters. (try the Armdale rotary in Halifax..... wow! SAD!

IMO.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by PHrenetic

Good Day...

Welcome to that which they were propsing for the Vanier/417/RCMP/Coventry/southern end of the SH#TT tunnel. A major clusterF*** no matter other opinions on the whole thing. Sorry @bradnixon, but I do really still think that traffic circles, certainly huge ones, especially in the ottawa context, are just utter disasters. (try the Armdale rotary in Halifax..... wow! SAD!

IMO.

While agreeing that these traffic circles are not usually a good idea coming on or off limited-access highways, and yes the Armdale Rotary is wild, the idea that roundabouts don't work in _insert name of Canadian city here_ is cultural, not anything to do with the Canadian city in question.

Canadian drivers are no less or more intelligent than UK/Irish/European ones. People are - slowly, but surely - getting used to roundabouts/rotaries/circulars in Canada as more of them are built.

My main worry is making the bloody things more pedestrian friendly, which they haven't been to date.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Canadian drivers are no less or more intelligent than UK/Irish/European ones. People are - slowly, but surely - getting used to roundabouts/rotaries/circulars in Canada as more of them are built.

Most of those countries have more vigorous testing requirements to get a license, so they may well be more knowledgeable behind the wheel.

That being said I agree that there is not necessarily a problem implementing roundabouts in Canada. Waterloo Region has gone all-in towards roundabouts over the last 15 years or so.

However, I don't think a roundabout (particularly a gigantic one) is appropriate for a freeway-to-freeway intersection.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by PHrenetic

Good Day...

Welcome to that which they were propsing for the Vanier/417/RCMP/Coventry/southern end of the SH#TT tunnel. A major clusterF*** no matter other opinions on the whole thing. Sorry @bradnixon, but I do really still think that traffic circles, certainly huge ones, especially in the ottawa context, are just utter disasters. (try the Armdale rotary in Halifax..... wow! SAD!

IMO.

The Armdale Rotary was re-built in 2007 and now functions significantly better than before. And BTW, it handles 60,000 vehicles/day.

http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2010/docs/j4/lenters-2.pdf

People predicted the St Joseph/Jeanne d'Arc roundabout in Orleans would be a disaster and it has turned out to be anything but.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

The Armdale Rotary was re-built in 2007 and now functions significantly better than before. And BTW, it handles 60,000 vehicles/day.

http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2010/docs/j4/lenters-2.pdf

People predicted the St Joseph/Jeanne d'Arc roundabout in Orleans would be a disaster and it has turned out to be anything but.

Good Day.... somewhat agree, but more disagree,

in that as long as one is familiar with the rotary in question, it can be effective.
The big problem is the drivers who are not familiar with the (insert name) rotary in question... the approach signage in most cases is totally inadequate, leading to 'wild' lane changes on approach and in the rotary itself. Case in point - the very minor PoW drive rotary in the Farm..... I'm not an everyday user, but I know it well....and many don't. Same situation the Brookfield rotary to the Airport parkway.... simply wild on approach as drivers simply do not know what lane for the airport.
And the St.J/JdA rotary - yes it is efffective in getting traffic thru (again, as long as you know it) but for newbies ?
Agreed - this is a matter of implementation - but for rotaries, implementation is everything.
And as was mentioned, pedestrian accommodation on any of these is horrible (yes, partly due to prov.regs and such, but not all).

summary - the concept (for cars) is great. Ottawa's implementation is terrible.

IMO.

[daud]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

The Armdale Rotary was re-built in 2007 and now functions significantly better than before. And BTW, it handles 60,000 vehicles/day.

http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2010/docs/j4/lenters-2.pdf

People predicted the St Joseph/Jeanne d'Arc roundabout in Orleans would be a disaster and it has turned out to be anything but.

I think traffic circles work, often in busy intersections-like them very much. But I think the idea that it will work in this location, at the end of a limited access highway tunnel next to an arterial which is connected to another limited access highway I think is a full on recipe for a total disaster.

I think the whole tunnel idea is insane, we should be building a bridge at kettle island and I would bet that we will be revisiting that issue at some point down the road, maybe having the conservatives in power provincially will be a catalyst for that change-I don't know.

[McC]

Please don't use the terms "traffic circle" and "roundabout" interchangeably, they're not the same thing.

[zzptichka]

I have a better idea. Just tear down Nicholas completely. It's really a shame we have this giant 2km highway ramp taking space in the middle of the city.
Look at this mess. We need maybe half of that at most.

[J.OT13]

I'd be more inclined to remove Colonel By and develop the waterfront (low scale 3-4 storey buildings) between Laurier and the Corktown footbridge. If DND ever moves out of its downtown HQ, it would add to the redevelopment site.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I'd be more inclined to remove Colonel By and develop the waterfront (low scale 3-4 storey buildings) between Laurier and the Corktown footbridge. If DND ever moves out of its downtown HQ, it would add to the redevelopment site.

I agree with this idea. Losing Colonel By between Laurier and Pretoria would be nice. I don't understand why we have both Colonel By and Nicholas running adjacent for the length of Ottawa U.

[Buggys]

Originally Posted by McC

Please don't use the terms "traffic circle" and "roundabout" interchangeably, they're not the same thing.

Not sure what the difference is? They're both round & circle-like.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by McC

Please don't use the terms "traffic circle" and "roundabout" interchangeably, they're not the same thing.

This is news to me. What's the difference?

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

This is news to me. What's the difference?

Traffic circles historically gave priority to through traffic rather than traffic running around the circle. That kind of traffic flow is now defunct so there is no need to distinguish the terms anymore. Traffic Circle was a Canadian term while Roundabout came from the UK. I would like to see us retain our own terminology.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I agree with this idea. Losing Colonel By between Laurier and Pretoria would be nice. I don't understand why we have both Colonel By and Nicholas running adjacent for the length of Ottawa U.

Colonel By is a north-south route, Nicholas is for east-west travel.

[roger1818]

Personally I think Nicholas and Colonel By should be merged into one road where they run parallel. No need for a fancy interchange, just a simple merge/fork.