Chief William Commanda Bridge (former Prince of Wales Bridge)

[1overcosc]

A railway line from Bayview across the PoW bridge, then turning east into Portage is very much in Ottawa's interests, as it allow OC Transpo buses across the Booth Street bridge to be removed from service providing many operating savings.

It would also shift the transfer point to Gatineau-bound buses from Lebreton to Bayview. This would mean Gatineau-bound commuters coming from west Ottawa would get off the train at Bayview instead of Lebreton, which would provide more space on Confederation Line trains for customers coming in off the Trillium Line and aiming to transfer downtown, possibly allowing us to delay capacity improvements a few more years into the future than currently planned.

For both these reasons, it's worth it for OC Transpo to build this, even if Gatineau doesn't contribute any money.

[rocketphish]

No complaints filed at city hall about Prince of Wales Bridge

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: August 22, 2016 | Last Updated: August 22, 2016 5:11 PM EDT

The city has no record of incidents on the Prince of Wales Bridge, but police occasionally get called to the shabby interprovincial crossing.

“The city’s public works department and bylaw and regulatory services have not received any complaints regarding the Prince of Wales Bridge,” according to Kevin Wylie, the general manager of public works and environmental services.

A review of Ottawa Police Service calls to the bridge would take some time since analysts need to view every report, but a police spokesman said the initial calls have been largely related to disturbances, trespassing and suspicious activity. There have been about eight Ottawa police calls to the bridge this year. Gatineau police didn’t have call information immediately available.

The bridge, which is owned by the City of Ottawa, spans the Ottawa River north of the Bayview transit station.

The city is considering locking up both ends of the bridge as a public safety measure. Transport Canada compels the city to make the bridge safe, even if trains aren’t running across it. According to the city, the federal agency can mandate expensive safety measures if the city doesn’t improve safety on its own.

The city acquired the truss bridge, along with the now Trillium Line tracks, in a deal with CP, anticipating one day it would run the municipal rail service to Gatineau.

While more than 1,300 people have put their names on an online petition to keep the bridge publicly accessible, the city doesn’t have the money required to do any serious work to make the crossing safe.

After failing to secure a monetary commitment from the National Capital Commission and the City of Gatineau, Ottawa council transferred the earmarked funds to another bridge project. A new crossing over the Rideau Canal between Fifth Avenue and Clegg Street is now the city’s priority, with detailed design work expected to be complete by next spring.

Turning the entire Prince of Wales Bridge into an interprovincial pedestrian path and bikeway would cost $10.5 million. Upgrading the bridge for trains would cost up to $40 million.

The bridge dates back to 1880.

While it’s a popular place for people to walk or watch the sunset, no one is technically allowed up there.

In defending the city’s position last week on the state of the bridge, Mayor Jim Watson suggested he’s concerned about future legal action if the city doesn’t move on security measures.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...t-city-hall-about-prince-of-wales-bridge

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

For both these reasons, it's worth it for OC Transpo to build this, even if Gatineau doesn't contribute any money.

Sadly, it'll need at least buy-in and approvals from Gatineau, even if there's no cash involved.

Sadlier, it'll need the same things from Ottawa, which so far has exactly no political will and no imagination to do such a thing, despite fairly widespread support for the idea from a bunch of quarters, and especially from dedicated transit users. Too bad its the casual users and non-users who keep shouting it down.

If only people who actually used transit in this town had some say in how it's built and operated.

[Uhuniau]

Anyway, thank you to Jim Watson, which is uncharacteristic of me since he almost never does anything worthy of thanks: if not for your little meltdown the other day about this issue, I would never have known you could access the Prince of Wales bridge, which I did this evening for the first time.

Lovely views. Too nice to be locked up or, worse, reserved for bus crappid transit.

[eltodesukane]

z

[passwordisnt123]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

No complaints filed at city hall about Prince of Wales Bridge

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: August 22, 2016 | Last Updated: August 22, 2016 5:11 PM EDT

The city has no record of incidents on the Prince of Wales Bridge, but police occasionally get called to the shabby interprovincial crossing.

“The city’s public works department and bylaw and regulatory services have not received any complaints regarding the Prince of Wales Bridge,” according to Kevin Wylie, the general manager of public works and environmental services.

A review of Ottawa Police Service calls to the bridge would take some time since analysts need to view every report, but a police spokesman said the initial calls have been largely related to disturbances, trespassing and suspicious activity. There have been about eight Ottawa police calls to the bridge this year. Gatineau police didn’t have call information immediately available.

The bridge, which is owned by the City of Ottawa, spans the Ottawa River north of the Bayview transit station.

The city is considering locking up both ends of the bridge as a public safety measure. Transport Canada compels the city to make the bridge safe, even if trains aren’t running across it. According to the city, the federal agency can mandate expensive safety measures if the city doesn’t improve safety on its own.

The city acquired the truss bridge, along with the now Trillium Line tracks, in a deal with CP, anticipating one day it would run the municipal rail service to Gatineau.

While more than 1,300 people have put their names on an online petition to keep the bridge publicly accessible, the city doesn’t have the money required to do any serious work to make the crossing safe.

After failing to secure a monetary commitment from the National Capital Commission and the City of Gatineau, Ottawa council transferred the earmarked funds to another bridge project. A new crossing over the Rideau Canal between Fifth Avenue and Clegg Street is now the city’s priority, with detailed design work expected to be complete by next spring.

Turning the entire Prince of Wales Bridge into an interprovincial pedestrian path and bikeway would cost $10.5 million. Upgrading the bridge for trains would cost up to $40 million.

The bridge dates back to 1880.

While it’s a popular place for people to walk or watch the sunset, no one is technically allowed up there.

In defending the city’s position last week on the state of the bridge, Mayor Jim Watson suggested he’s concerned about future legal action if the city doesn’t move on security measures.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...t-city-hall-about-prince-of-wales-bridge

So, in other words, Watson was completely lying through his teeth when he said the justification for locking up the Prince of Wales bridge was because of the liability caused by the incessant lawsuits directed at the city because of the Prince of Wales Bridge?

[Uhuniau]

A 180-ish degree pano from the Hull side abutment. A bit grainy due to dusky light.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by eltodesukane

How to fix a decrepit bridge?
How to revitalize a rotting bridge?
Put a fence around it.. Problem solved! (?)

Sounds like a good solution for stretches of bad pavement or a rotting concrete overpass, too.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

A railway line from Bayview across the PoW bridge, then turning east into Portage is very much in Ottawa's interests, as it allow OC Transpo buses across the Booth Street bridge to be removed from service providing many operating savings.

They would save on buses but have to pay for a new train route. I'm not sure if the OCTranspo routes to Hull transport enough passengers to offer much of an operational savings. Also, with it ending at Terrasses de la Chaudière, many would have to transfer to an STO bus. Maybe not a cost for OCT, but it might create bad will with STO.

It would also shift the transfer point to Gatineau-bound buses from Lebreton to Bayview. This would mean Gatineau-bound commuters coming from west Ottawa would get off the train at Bayview instead of Lebreton, which would provide more space on Confederation Line trains for customers coming in off the Trillium Line and aiming to transfer downtown, possibly allowing us to delay capacity improvements a few more years into the future than currently planned.

It would certainly be beneficial for those in the west end. I am just not convinced those in central and eastern Ottawa would want to travel even further west, even if it does allow them to take a train instead of a bus.

The post LRT plan has two "Frequent" routes traveling to Hull with route 8 using the Portage bridge and route 85 using the Chaudière crossing. The train would likely only replace the route 85 crossing (and likely also "Rapid" routes 63, 66 and 75).

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by passwordisnt123

So, in other words, Watson was completely lying through his teeth when he said the justification for locking up the Prince of Wales bridge was because of the liability caused by the incessant lawsuits directed at the city because of the Prince of Wales Bridge?

Not really. Just because they haven't had a lawsuit doesn't mean they aren't at risk of having one in the future.

The bigger issue of course is Transport Canada. The city has to do something or risk them stepping in and doing something even less desirable and/or more expensive (the city would be responsible for the cost).

The city is kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place here. Without support from the Federal gov. (or NCC), either provincial government (Ontario or Quebec) or even Gatineau, the options are limited.

A single petition against the city of Ottawa is kind of useless. We also need petitions to both provinces, the federal government and the City of Gatineau.

Buying the bridge may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it was likely a mistake.

[silvergate]

Any extension across the river could also tie into any future Aylmer-Hull rapid transit plans. Who knows, it might even be able to alleviate some of the rush-hour congestion on Champlain.

[IntoTheCore]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Anyway, thank you to Jim Watson, which is uncharacteristic of me since he almost never does anything worthy of thanks: if not for your little meltdown the other day about this issue, I would never have known you could access the Prince of Wales bridge, which I did this evening for the first time.

Watch out: police are now staking out the bridge and ticketing crossers.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/4z7qda/cops_nabbing_people_xing_princewhales_bridge/

[IntoTheCore]

Originally Posted by roger1818

A luxury condominium has been build near the corner of Young St and Railway St? Google Maps still shows a rundown commercial building.

I had read awhile back (but I can't find the source now) that MTO has or will expropriate the commercial building and use the land during the bridge replacement. Lixar moved out awhile back, although the rest of the building is still occupied. I don't know what the plans are for that spot afterwards.

There are new houses at the east end of Young on the south side (they're not visible on Google Street View as the Young St imagery is from 2012). There are also plans to demolish the house beside the new ones (in GSV, it has a For Sale sign). The houses being built at the north end of Railway in GSV (May 2015) are now occupied.

[Uhuniau]

I think the solution to this problem is to fence off and patrol the Portage Bridge:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/rope-rescue-portage-bridge-1.3740904

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I think the solution to this problem is to fence off and patrol the Portage Bridge:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/rope-rescue-portage-bridge-1.3740904

I wonder if the guy will sue the City now. Or Jim Watson.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

I wonder if the guy will sue the City now. Or Jim Watson.

He should!

[rocketphish]

Ottawa residents stage pop-up picnic to save Prince of Wales rail bridge

Joe Lofaro, The Ottawa Citizen
Published on: September 7, 2016 | Last Updated: September 7, 2016 10:03 PM EDT



With the sun setting in the distance, Wednesday evening’s pop-up picnic at the Prince of Wales rail bridge would have been just like any other — if it weren’t for the line of police officers guarding the entrance to the Quebec side.

Ignoring the no-trespassing signs on the chainlink fence below, about 25 people showed up for a picnic to peacefully protest the city’s plans to build a steel gate on the decommissioned rail bridge to keep visitors away.

Much to the chagrin of people who have been coming to watch sunsets there for years, the city’s infrastructure department wants to spend $250,000 to install barriers on both ends.

“It will be sad to see them try to spend a quarter of a million dollars to block it out just so people can break in again,” said Stephanie Pichette, sitting next to the rail tracks with a spread of brie, baguette slices and fruit on a blanket.

She has been coming to bridge for the last three years to hang out with friends and watch sunsets. She wants to see the city find ways to keep the bridge open instead of seeing it abandoned behind steel barriers.

“It’s another totally short-sighted thing from the City of Ottawa,” said her friend, Tyler Blanchett.

The city is required by Transport Canada to ensure the bridge is safe and to prevent unauthorized access. Mayor Jim Watson has noted that “it’s not safe to be on an unused, rickety old train bridge,” adding the structure is a liability for the city.

Some residents are pushing the city to come up with another plan to keep the 130-year-old bridge accessible.

Michelle Reiner, who helped organize the pop-up picnic, urged the city to be a little more “visionary” in its approach. Some people have suggested using the $250,000 for safety upgrades such as adding railings and missing tiles.

“Continuing the abandoning of the grounds is a waste,” said Reiner.

“You can look at High Line Park in downtown Manhattan. There’s a lot of urban, beautiful revitalization examples in North America and around the world.”

Co-organizer Aileen Duncan, who is a member of the Ottawa Rail Bridge Project group, plans to hold consultations with interested groups to brainstorm new ideas.

“It’s a beautiful space and I believe it could be made so much better,” she said.

More than 1,500 people have signed an online petition to keep the bridge open.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...cnic-to-save-prince-of-wales-rail-bridge

[roger1818]

Some people have suggested using the $250,000 for safety upgrades such as adding railings and missing tiles.

Sounds logical on the surface. The problem is if they only spend $250k they would still have to keep the bridge closed to the public. What we need is for the federal, Quebec, Ontario, Gatineau and Ottawa governments to all work together. Good luck getting that to happen.

Maybe the city should donate the bridge to the NCC.

[zzptichka]

I think the good solution would be to install guard rails on the first 100ft of the bridge and fence off the rest. Enough for people to enjoy a sunset or have a picnic or check out the structure and take some photos.

[PHrenetic]

Good Day...
.....or even fence it, deck it (planks are perfectly acceptable for safety/legal concerns), and open it over to Lemieux Island. Then gate the Gatineau stretch sufficiently (at both Gat and Lemieux ends) for safety/legal requirements. That lets Gatineau decide on their own if they wish to 'participate' in at least this much use of PoW.
The rails will have to be pulled up for any rehabilitation at this point anyway (it's been way too long since proper maintenance).
So......viable ?