Rideau Street Renewal

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by UrbOttawa

As per here, it looks like shortly after line 1 opens, they will begin the rideau and william st renewal - so I imagine it its going to be some time before its fully re-opened.

Yeah, there is quite a bit of work required to make that area pretty. I was going to end with the word "again", but Rideau hasn't been "pretty" in a very, very long time. Since before I was born? (And the Beatles were still together - barely - when I was born.)

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by UrbOttawa

As per here, it looks like shortly after line 1 opens, they will begin the rideau and william st renewal - so I imagine it its going to be some time before its fully re-opened.

I hope those plans have evolved a bit more. If this is what constitutes installing "cycling facilities" while placing on-street parking right on top of an LRT station, I'm going to need several barf bags.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I hope those plans have evolved a bit more. If this is what constitutes installing "cycling facilities" while placing on-street parking right on top of an LRT station, I'm going to need several barf bags.

Apparently open house is today 6-8 in the overpass above Rideau at Rideau Centre.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Apparently open house is today 6-8 in the overpass above Rideau at Rideau Centre.

Interesting. I thought the design was locked in a couple of years ago.

Before they were not planning any cycling facilities but maybe there is an opportunity to add a 2-way cycle track on the north side between Mackenzie and William, which would provide a connection to the Market and Rideau Station from the Mackenzie and future Wellington cycle tracks.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Interesting. I thought the design was locked in a couple of years ago.

Before they were not planning any cycling facilities but maybe there is an opportunity to add a 2-way cycle track on the north side between Mackenzie and William, which would provide a connection to the Market and Rideau Station from the Mackenzie and future Wellington cycle tracks.

That's what I thought too, considering Byward Market declaring they want to become more pedestrian/bike friendly.

[lrt's friend]

Why are we prioritizing cycle tracks on our key transit routes? Especially when a parallel street is available. The Confederation Line cannot do everything for everybody.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Why are we prioritizing cycle tracks on our key transit routes? Especially when a parallel street is available. The Confederation Line cannot do everything for everybody.

Why are we prioritizing on-street parking on key transit routes? There's parking right outside almost every downtown station entrance. A cyclist is more likely to be a transit user off-season or during inclement weather, whereas a driver is harder to part from a car.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Why are we prioritizing on-street parking on key transit routes? There's parking right outside almost every downtown station entrance. A cyclist is more likely to be a transit user off-season or during inclement weather, whereas a driver is harder to part from a car.

Agreed. I cannot fathom on-street parking in front of the Rideau Centre. All I want is Rideau open to through traffic.

[JayBuoy]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I hope those plans have evolved a bit more. If this is what constitutes installing "cycling facilities" while placing on-street parking right on top of an LRT station, I'm going to need several barf bags.

Mathieu Fleury tweeted what looks to be a more up-to-date rendering from the exact same angle, with no parking this time.

https://twitter.com/MathieuFleury/st...65041830273024

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by JayBuoy

Mathieu Fleury tweeted what looks to be a more up-to-date rendering from the exact same angle, with no parking this time.

https://twitter.com/MathieuFleury/st...65041830273024

But still two ped. bridges for some reason.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Why are we prioritizing on-street parking on key transit routes? There's parking right outside almost every downtown station entrance. A cyclist is more likely to be a transit user off-season or during inclement weather, whereas a driver is harder to part from a car.

Both are there I suspect to justify getting rid of a lane in each direction which is a good thing IMHO. I don't know why we don't leave it as busses only. As a driver it is not a good route to take to anywhere as you will get bottled up further on Rideau anyway.

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Interesting. I thought the design was locked in a couple of years ago.

Before they were not planning any cycling facilities but maybe there is an opportunity to add a 2-way cycle track on the north side between Mackenzie and William, which would provide a connection to the Market and Rideau Station from the Mackenzie and future Wellington cycle tracks.

Rideau Street from Sussex to Cobourg is not in the Cycling Plan.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Apparently open house is today 6-8 in the overpass above Rideau at Rideau Centre.

I would so love to go to that, but alas I have other plans. I hope people from this forum attend and ask some pressing questions

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by JayBuoy

Mathieu Fleury tweeted what looks to be a more up-to-date rendering from the exact same angle, with no parking this time.

https://twitter.com/MathieuFleury/st...65041830273024

I preferred the previous rendering with the trees and parking. It looks like a main street with a more pleasant walking experience.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Agreed. I cannot fathom on-street parking in front of the Rideau Centre. All I want is Rideau open to through traffic.

It IS open to through traffic. I see cars go through the restricted zone all day every day, one after another, and zero enforcement. Mind you, I have never seen a bus or HOV lane enforced in this city since the day I arrived in 1991.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by hwy418

Rideau Street from Sussex to Cobourg is not in the Cycling Plan.

I never said they need to go all the way to Cobourg.

In the future when we have cycle tracks running in front of Parliament Hill, shouldn't we make it possible for residents and visitors to ride from Parliament to the Byward Market? This just seems like such an easy and obvious connection.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Agreed. I cannot fathom on-street parking in front of the Rideau Centre. All I want is Rideau open to through traffic.

To be fair I think these are probably taxi/uber stands and delivery/loading zones.

Still, I think there is still enough room for a cycle path on the north side of the road without any impact to the transit lanes or the road and the sidewalk would still be wider than it is today.

[J.OT13]

Those Rideau Street plans are embarrassing. Rideau Street hasn't had street parking for as long as I can remember. Why in the heck would we add some now? I'd like to see something similar to the Booth Street Bridge, with 4 vehicle lanes (but with the two nearest the sidewalk for buses only) and bike lanes that pass behind the bus stops. No parking!

We could still have the sidewalks much wider than they are now.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Those Rideau Street plans are embarrassing. Rideau Street hasn't had street parking for as long as I can remember. Why in the heck would we add some now? I'd like to see something similar to the Booth Street Bridge, with 4 vehicle lanes (but with the two nearest the sidewalk for buses only) and bike lanes that pass behind the bus stops. No parking!

We could still have the sidewalks much wider than they are now.

You think a major retail street having curb side parking is "embarrassing"? Ugh

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

You think a major retail street having curb side parking is "embarrassing"? Ugh

I do. The Rideau Centre just recently expanded their multi-storey parking garage around the corner from Rideau, and there are at least 2 multi-storey parking garages a block or two away in the Byward Market, followed by the fact that this is right beside an LRT station such that parking on this section of Rideau is completely unnecessary.

We haven't had private vehicles on this stretch of Rideau for several years and it has not had any negative impact on traffic patterns. As well, the Byward Market is notoriously dangerous to get to by bike such that it's pretty much impossible unless you want to be riding in traffic with tonnes of aggresive vehicles, including tractor-trailers. Rideau should have been narrowed and with a segregated bike lane instead of dangerous sharrows, have much wider sidewalks with nice street furniture and vegetation/ trees, and rebuilt this street as a great example of urban design. Instead, we're getting more of this half-baked street for car drivers from the '60s and '70s that you'll find everywhere else in the city.

I could also get into how retail streets don't actually need curbside parking, and that wider sidewalks and bike lanes actually results in businesses doing even better than if it were just parking. It's also problematic when we consider the failure of what is planned for Elgin despite extensive consultations that told them that what they're doing now is not what people want.