Albert and Slater Improvement Project

[danishh]

https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/publi...vement-project

Open house (June 17, 2019)
Posted: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 7:11 am
Last updated: Thursday, May 30, 2019, 5:51 am
Dates & Times
Monday, June 17, 2019,
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Location
Ottawa City Hall
Councillor’s Lounge
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON
The City of Ottawa invites you to attend an open house to discuss a construction project planned in your neighbourhood. Design drawings will be on display for your review and staff will be available to provide information and receive comments.

Why: With reduced bus traffic on Albert and Slater Streets, the opportunity exists to improve these corridors for other users.

What: The design implements elements of “Complete Streets” along these roadways including the addition of cycling facilities.

The project also includes the replacement of sections of watermain that have reached the end of its life cycle along Albert and Slater Streets as well as the replacement of the sanitary sewer on Metcalfe Street.

When: Construction activities will tentatively commence in 2020.

Where: This project will take place on the following streets:

Albert Street (from Elgin Street to Bay Street)
Slater Street (from Bay Street to Elgin Street)
Metcalfe Street (Laurier Avenue to Slater Street)
At the public open house, residents are able to drop in during the hours noted above and review the design plans for the project. Representatives from the City, the design consultant and the Ward Councillor’s office will be available to discuss the project and to answer your questions. Consultations for the sections of Albert and Slater Streets west of Bay Street and East of Elgin Street will be done at a later date as part of two separate projects.

[danishh]

Originally Posted by danishh

https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/publi...vement-project

display boards and schedule are up on the website for the Albert/Slater redesign
https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/publi...view-june-2019

of note - 200+ parking spots will disappear (it seems the ones that were only available off peak anyways)

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by danishh

display boards and schedule are up on the website for the Albert/Slater redesign
https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/publi...view-june-2019

of note - 200+ parking spots will disappear (it seems the ones that were only available off peak anyways)

The 200 parking spots are associated with the ridiculous 3rd and 4th traffic lanes on these streets. I'm SO glad we're getting a big road diet on these two streets.

I'd go so far as to make right and left turn lanes, but take the streets down to ONE driving lane with parking bays

[NOWINYOW]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

The 200 parking spots are associated with the ridiculous 3rd and 4th traffic lanes on these streets. I'm SO glad we're getting a big road diet on these two streets.

I'd go so far as to make right and left turn lanes, but take the streets down to ONE driving lane with parking bays

And when emergency vehicles are tied up in traffic? How is that going to improve the life of people who live and work in the area?

I get that people want to walk around and there should be plenty of places for that. I'm all for shutting traffic down in Byward Market. Having said that, people and goods and services need to get around. They can't all use public transit. Many families have one car and with that one car they do school drop offs, medical appointments, work, after-school activities, the list goes on. That some people only need an A to B transit option, good for them. Many others have points C, D, E, F & G before calling it a day.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

The 200 parking spots are associated with the ridiculous 3rd and 4th traffic lanes on these streets. I'm SO glad we're getting a big road diet on these two streets.

I'd go so far as to make right and left turn lanes, but take the streets down to ONE driving lane with parking bays

Not that big of a diet really. Just replacing bus lane with a bike lane and some buffer. All car lanes are staying. I don't even think sidewalks are being widened.

[danishh]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Not that big of a diet really. Just replacing bus lane with a bike lane and some buffer. All car lanes are staying. I don't even think sidewalks are being widened.

Looking at the design, some sidewalk areas actually shrink.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by NOWINYOW

And when emergency vehicles are tied up in traffic? How is that going to improve the life of people who live and work in the area?

I get that people want to walk around and there should be plenty of places for that. I'm all for shutting traffic down in Byward Market. Having said that, people and goods and services need to get around. They can't all use public transit. Many families have one car and with that one car they do school drop offs, medical appointments, work, after-school activities, the list goes on. That some people only need an A to B transit option, good for them. Many others have points C, D, E, F & G before calling it a day.

Remember that these streets were built to handle hundreds of buses which will disappear (assuming that the LRT actually opens at some point). Have a look at Albert or Slater any time that isn't rush hour and tell me that is a good use of public resources.

[NOWINYOW]

Originally Posted by phil235

Remember that these streets were built to handle hundreds of buses which will disappear (assuming that the LRT actually opens at some point). Have a look at Albert or Slater any time that isn't rush hour and tell me that is a good use of public resources.

I get that. It's when people think a road can be reduced to a single drive lane with little place to move off to the side, when required, is silly.

It was not too long ago that Main Street was changed to it's current condition. Before construction I made a point here about how Main Street is an access route for emergency vehicles coming from Lowertown/Byward to the Ottawa General Hospital. Several here indicated that was a non concern and traffic would flow. 2 weeks ago, me and many dozen more motorists were diverted off Col. By to Main. Virtually nothing was moving. Cars and trucks were blocking lanes during Red lights. Then off in the distance, an ambulance was trying to get through. 10 minutes later, lights and sirens on, it hadn't gone much further than 2 blocks.

[Kitchissippi]

I still feel the having the bike tracks on the left side of Albert/Slater would have been way better, but that ship has sailed.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by NOWINYOW

I get that. It's when people think a road can be reduced to a single drive lane with little place to move off to the side, when required, is silly.

It was not too long ago that Main Street was changed to it's current condition. Before construction I made a point here about how Main Street is an access route for emergency vehicles coming from Lowertown/Byward to the Ottawa General Hospital. Several here indicated that was a non concern and traffic would flow. 2 weeks ago, me and many dozen more motorists were diverted off Col. By to Main. Virtually nothing was moving. Cars and trucks were blocking lanes during Red lights. Then off in the distance, an ambulance was trying to get through. 10 minutes later, lights and sirens on, it hadn't gone much further than 2 blocks.

I agree that there need to be many more drop off zones, particularly downtown.

In terms of emergency services, while a concern, the designs of those roads incorporate ways for emergency vehicles to get through. Not sure what was going on when you were on Main, but there is provision for emergency vehicles to hop the curb to bypass traffic. There's no reason features like that can't solve that problem.

In any event, Albert/Slater will retain multiple lanes, so it's not an issue there.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I still feel the having the bike tracks on the left side of Albert/Slater would have been way better, but that ship has sailed.

That was also in the Downtown Moves plan. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[JayBuoy]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Not that big of a diet really. Just replacing bus lane with a bike lane and some buffer. All car lanes are staying. I don't even think sidewalks are being widened.

They're not. I asked one of the engineers if he expected pedestrian traffic to decrease because of the new transit corridor on Queen, but he said pedestrian traffic is expected to go UP. I'm very disappointed that they're not widening the sidewalks, they can be very crowded as it is.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I still feel the having the bike tracks on the left side of Albert/Slater would have been way better, but that ship has sailed.

I believe most of the loading and garage entrances are on the left sides of the street, so they dind't conflict with buses. It would cause a conflict with bikes.

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by NOWINYOW

I get that. It's when people think a road can be reduced to a single drive lane with little place to move off to the side, when required, is silly.

It was not too long ago that Main Street was changed to it's current condition. Before construction I made a point here about how Main Street is an access route for emergency vehicles coming from Lowertown/Byward to the Ottawa General Hospital. Several here indicated that was a non concern and traffic would flow. 2 weeks ago, me and many dozen more motorists were diverted off Col. By to Main. Virtually nothing was moving. Cars and trucks were blocking lanes during Red lights. Then off in the distance, an ambulance was trying to get through. 10 minutes later, lights and sirens on, it hadn't gone much further than 2 blocks.

Traffic lanes are wide for a reason, and lately people are dicks when it comes to letting ambulances go by. If, on Main street (1 lane each direction) everyone had moved all the way to the curb, there shouldn't have been a problem.

IF these roads were only one lane on the block, widened to 3 (right, left, straight) at each intersection, the lane would be comfortably wide.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by Catenary

I believe most of the loading and garage entrances are on the left sides of the street, so they dind't conflict with buses. It would cause a conflict with bikes.

There is not much difference between the number of garage entrances on the left as on the right. The lame excuse I heard was that bike lanes have always been on the right where drivers expect them to be. However, it's actually easier to spot a cyclist on the driver's side and drivers also have a more regular habit of checking mirrors and blind spots before turning left than while turning right.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by phil235

Remember that these streets were built to handle hundreds of buses which will disappear (assuming that the LRT actually opens at some point). Have a look at Albert or Slater any time that isn't rush hour and tell me that is a good use of public resources.

STO is moving their bus routes to Albert and Slater, so they will be quite useful during rush hour still

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

STO is moving their bus routes to Albert and Slater, so they will be quite useful during rush hour still

No doubt, though STO doesn't have dedicated lanes on Wellington now, and they share with a number of OC routes without too much trouble. The volumes on Albert and Slater will be a fraction of what they see now.

Rush hour restrictions or priority measures might makes sense, but not full-time dedicated bus lanes just for the STO commuter service.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by phil235

No doubt, though STO doesn't have dedicated lanes on Wellington now, and they share with a number of OC routes without too much trouble. The volumes on Albert and Slater will be a fraction of what they see now.

Rush hour restrictions or priority measures might makes sense, but not full-time dedicated bus lanes just for the STO commuter service.

True, but restricting Albert and Slater to "ONE driving lane" (as suggested by OTownandDown) would be problematic for STO.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by phil235

In terms of emergency services, while a concern, the designs of those roads incorporate ways for emergency vehicles to get through. Not sure what was going on when you were on Main, but there is provision for emergency vehicles to hop the curb to bypass traffic. There's no reason features like that can't solve that problem.

.

I am generally in favour of narrowing, humanizing and pedestrianizing streets like these, but not sure that's a real solution for emergency vehicles.

I know they're allowed to hop curbs if absolutely necessary, but that's not always possible if the sidewalk is filled with pedestrians, or there are other obstacles on there.

I know that walking on a sidewalk I certainly don't expect to be confronted with an ambulance or police car to appear where I am walking. That would be pretty unsettling.

[zzptichka]

Gotta feel for those people in Europe where you'd be hard-pressed to find a local street wider than 2 lanes. They are probably all dead by now still waiting for that emergency vehicle to arrive.