Roads/Bridges projects/issues

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Catenary

There is a requirement for an emergency vehicle to be able to pass a disabled vehicle, which is not possible with a single lane and a median. With the proposed design, an emergency vehicle could enter and exit the bike lane to pass a disabled vehicle in the travel lane. Removing the median is a possibility in the future, but depends on $.

Such a dumb requirement. Emergency vehicle can always climb a curb losing 5 seconds once a year when that happens.
Meanwhile people get killed on wider than needed streets and intersections and we don't give a shit about that.
Pretty stupid that we design our roads for emergency vehicles rather than actual people who use it.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Such a dumb requirement. Emergency vehicle can always climb a curb losing 5 seconds once a year when that happens.
Meanwhile people get killed on wider than needed streets and intersections and we don't give a shit about that.
Pretty stupid that we design our roads for emergency vehicles rather than actual people who use it.

Ya. Emergency Vehicles can climb the curb and plow through the steel barricade.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.42400...2!8i6656?hl=en

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Uniformity? LOL, the two examples of segregated bike lanes on one-way streets in the downtown core — O'Connor and Mackenzie — both have them on the left side. Love how planners pull BS out of a hat when it suits them. Meanwhile, a double signalized crossride, which is virtually what's going to happen in the middle of the M-K Bridge is unconventional and inconvenient.

Both of those examples though are bi-directional, and maintain bicycles where they should be in relation to the traffic. If the lanes were on the right, then cyclists going the opposite direction of traffic would be on the wrong side of the road.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Such a dumb requirement. Emergency vehicle can always climb a curb losing 5 seconds once a year when that happens.
Meanwhile people get killed on wider than needed streets and intersections and we don't give a shit about that.
Pretty stupid that we design our roads for emergency vehicles rather than actual people who use it.

This was brought up. Yes, vehicles can climb it, but as well as the time penalty there is an issue of an ambulance transporting a patient, which cannot climb a curb comfortably.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Both of those examples though are bi-directional, and maintain bicycles where they should be in relation to the traffic. If the lanes were on the right, then cyclists going the opposite direction of traffic would be on the wrong side of the road.

That's a moot point because the cyclists travelling in the same direction are still on the left of the traffic. They could have done unidirectional segregated lanes on either side of those one-way streets, with the contraflow lane functioning as if it were a two-way street with just on-coming bikes and no cars, so that drivers tuning left would only expect cyclists coming from one direction.

At any rate, I'm just amused that "uniformity" is being cited as the main reason when there is no such thing when it comes to the city formulating its bike routes. The route from Westboro to the ByWard Market is just chockfull of irregularities — from shoulder to segregated lane to pathway in random sequence to nothing at all with some dodgy turns and crossings — it would be a challenge for anyone unfamiliar with the route to follow despite it being officially signed as "Bike Route #2". People complain of cyclists being erratic, but we're conditioning them into behaving that way because of inconsistent infrastructure and standards being compromised and made up as we go along.

[J.OT13]

Pedestrian was hit on Queen at Kent yesterday. This is getting pretty common, with cyclist also.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...ec-8-1.4439572

I think we should consider doing like Québec City where everyone has its own individual priority. Lights change for all pedestrians going all directions, then switch for N/S bound traffic, and again for E/W traffic. It also clears the way for those turning right, as opposed to Ottawa where we have to wait for dozens of pedestrians to cross he street before turning at the last second. Often times, people are still crossing (slowly) even after the light turns.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

That's a moot point because the cyclists travelling in the same direction are still on the left of the traffic. They could have done unidirectional segregated lanes on either side of those one-way streets, with the contraflow lane functioning as if it were a two-way street with just on-coming bikes and no cars, so that drivers tuning left would only expect cyclists coming from one direction.

At any rate, I'm just amused that "uniformity" is being cited as the main reason when there is no such thing when it comes to the city formulating its bike routes. The route from Westboro to the ByWard Market is just chockfull of irregularities — from shoulder to segregated lane to pathway in random sequence to nothing at all with some dodgy turns and crossings — it would be a challenge for anyone unfamiliar with the route to follow despite it being officially signed as "Bike Route #2". People complain of cyclists being erratic, but we're conditioning them into behaving that way because of inconsistent infrastructure and standards being compromised and made up as we go along.

The decision to maintain a standard of having unidirectinal lanes on the right just reinforces your point that we currently have a system of irregularities. We started by shoehorning infrastructure into smaller projects bit by bit, but as things are rebuilt completely, we begin to standardize on a "normal" design. The plans for Scott from Bayview to Tunney's have just come out, and they propose converting the MUP on the one side to uni-directional, and improving the eastbound bile lane to compensate.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Pedestrian was hit on Queen at Kent yesterday. This is getting pretty common, with cyclist also.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...ec-8-1.4439572

I think we should consider doing like Québec City where everyone has its own individual priority. Lights change for all pedestrians going all directions, then switch for N/S bound traffic, and again for E/W traffic. It also clears the way for those turning right, as opposed to Ottawa where we have to wait for dozens of pedestrians to cross he street before turning at the last second. Often times, people are still crossing (slowly) even after the light turns.

I wish the police or media would publicize what actually happened - if there are no charges we will never hear about this again. The details of these incidents would help to serve as reminders to everyone.

[rocketphish]

Manhole work will close part of O'Connor Street for six weeks

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: January 17, 2018 | Last Updated: January 17, 2018 6:26 PM EST

A six-week closure of O’Connor Street in the heart of Centretown will force southbound motorists to find alternate routes during the afternoon rush.

The city announced on Wednesday that it will close O’Connor Street between Laurier Avenue and Somerset Street on Monday so manhole covers can be reconstructed at the intersections of Gloucester, Nepean, Lisgar and Cooper streets. The manholes are on the west side of O’Connor Street.

O’Connor Street isn’t expected to reopen until March 2.

According to the city, the O’Connor Street bike lanes will stay open. Pedestrians will also have access through O’Connor Street. There will be some sidewalk closures on the west side of the street, the city says.

There will be local access on O’Connor Street for homes and businesses.

The city is encouraging motorists to find other ways to get through downtown.

Detour signs will take motorists around the closure via Laurier Avenue, Elgin Street and Somerset Street. The existing parking restrictions on those streets will remain. The city will install “no stopping” signs on O’Connor, Gloucester, Nepean, Lisgar and Cooper streets. Bylaw officers will crack down on scofflaw motorists.

O’Connor Street is one-way southbound for vehicles. It provides a direct connection from downtown to Highway 417.

Considering the other LRT-related work in the core, it could be a tough afternoon commute for motorists during the O’Connor Street closure.

jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...-for-six-weeks

[waterloowarrior]

Public meeting Feb 15 for proposed roundabout at Prince of Wales/Barnsdale
https://ottawa.ca/en/barnsdale-princ...cation#1118207

[J.OT13]

Should Albert-Slater be a landmark juncture for downton, LeBreton?

Jon Willing
February 6, 2018


The city is redesigning Albert and Slater streets in preparation for LRT. When the rail line opens, the Transitway bus-only lanes on the east-west streets will be removed

A proposed reconstruction of the western juncture of Albert and Slater streets should have a goal of turning a dead zone into a gateway for the downtown core and a redeveloped LeBreton Flats, city planners have heard.

The city’s urban design review panel has completed a formal analysis of the city’s plan to change the major east-west streets after the Confederation Line LRT opens this year.

The independent peer-review panel has experts from outside of Ottawa City Hall, including some from outside Ottawa, to critique urban design proposals before the plans go to city council.

The panel wants the city to make the new western ends of Albert and Slater streets a landmark. It will be the intersection in front of a new municipal library, which in itself will be a gateway to a redeveloped LeBreton Flats.

The city is eyeing a complete rebuild of the roads west of Bronson Avenue, part of a plan to redistribute road space through the entire Albert-Slater corridor. Albert Street is one-way westbound and Slater Street is one-way eastbound through the heart of downtown.

The Transitway will be removed from Albert and Slater streets when LRT opens, freeing up the bus-only lanes through downtown. The remaining buses bringing passengers to LRT stations will travel in the same lanes as regular vehicular traffic.

Nelson Edwards, the city’s senior project manager on the file, told the design panel last Thursday that it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to introduce changes to the streets, which have been under heavy bus traffic for years.

The city intends to install cycle tracks on each street between the sidewalk curb and parking spots through the core. The city hopes businesses on Albert and Slater streets will give thought to how they should animate the storefronts and sidewalks once the city has succeeded in removing the bus traffic, or what Edwards described as “cooling it all down.”

City planners are considering reducing the number of off-peak on-street parking spots. They believe thousands of indoor spaces in the area are being underused.

Panel member Ronji Borooah, the head of urban design in Markham, cautioned the city about meddling with on-street parking, knowing that motorists get testy if they can’t find parking. Get ready with a communications strategy and an outreach program, he advised.

Alex Taranu, the manager of architectural design in Brampton, warned planners about having enough space for drop-offs. It will become even more challenging to embed drop-off areas when driverless cars are legal, he said.

When it comes to the Mackenzie King Bridge, the city wants to make it a sort of civic promenade. Since it has one of the city’s best vistas to the Parliament Buildings, planners want a street design to invite people to linger and take in the views of Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal.

The western section will involve the most work, and it’s here that the design review panel is asking the city to think deeply about the final design.

The city wants to construct Slater Street west past Bronson Avenue in a straight line, getting rid of the ramp-like road up the escarpment from Albert Street and Empress Avenue.

Emmanuelle van Rutten, director at the Moriyama & Teshima Architects’ Ottawa office, said the planners should be collaborating with the main library team to come up with a solution for the road junction. The importance of the intersection calls for its own design study, van Rutten said.

The design panel recommended the city use public art money for showpieces at each end of the corridor, rather than sprinkling art through the entire east-west stretch.

The city received praise from the design panel for putting the blueprint up for scrutiny. The design experts are usually critiquing drawings for future buildings, but this was a case of the city asking for an outside opinion on a major transportation program.

Work is moving fast. City planners want to have a road blueprint ready for political approval in April and start introducing changes in 2019.

jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawasun.com/news/local-news...9-065d27646747

I like the idea of pooling the art fund for a proper public art installation on each end of the corridor. If the NCC can throw in a monument for the triangle where Mackenzie-King splits at Elgin, bonus.

[zzptichka]

"downton"? Seriously Postmedia?

[Jayday23]

Why are people from the suburban hellholes of the GTA providing advice to us about how to plan an urban city?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Jayday23

Why are people from the suburban hellholes of the GTA providing advice to us about how to plan an urban city?

No kidding. I guess the jokers at City Hall aspire to be another Toronto suburb. Maybe Queens Park would pay more attention to us then.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Alex Taranu, the manager of architectural design in Brampton, warned planners about having enough space for drop-offs. It will become even more challenging to embed drop-off areas when driverless cars are legal, he said.

I like that idea. Instead of on street parking, have drop-off zones. The parking that does remain should have a 15 minute maximum. This will free up the spaces so that more people can get closer to their destination. If you are going to be there for an hour or two, you can walk a bit further.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

"downton"? Seriously Postmedia?

LOL. A new show by Postmedia, Downton Parliament, taking place in Ottawa depicting the lives of the aristocratic Trudeau family and their domestic servants.

[FutureWickedCity]

Let's cross our fingers that the "monuments" at each end of downtown are not too awful (eg., happy face bowling pins on Preston)

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Jayday23

Why are people from the suburban hellholes of the GTA providing advice to us about how to plan an urban city?

Seriously, though.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by FutureWickedCity

Let's cross our fingers that the "monuments" at each end of downtown are not too awful (eg., happy face bowling pins on Preston)

Or like this public art in Calgary?

[J.OT13]

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