A proposed east end bridge and the Ottawa downtown truck problem
 
This site has been created to educate the public on the downtown Ottawa inter-provincial truck problem and of the shortcomings of the three inter-provincial bridge corridors proposed by NCC's Study Team in addressing this problem. We believe that the current study process needs to place more emphasis on finding better alternatives which will provide a more viable solution to this truck problem.

The National Capital Commission (NCC), and its funding partners, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the Québec Ministry of Transportation (MTQ), along with the technical support from the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau  are now conducting a study focused on selecting one out of three short-listed corridors for building a new bridge east of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge across the Ottawa River. The three corridors are referred to as Kettle Island, Lower Duck Island and Baie McLaurin – Gatineau Airport.  More description of these corridors can be found here.

The purpose of this proposed bridge according to the terms of reference of the study is to address the future interprovincial transportation needs of the National Capital Region (NCR).  This includes adding peak hour capacity to meet the projected need in the 20 to 50 year time horizon, providing a new route across the river for heavy trucks, and offering a major arterial interconnection between Highway 417 and Autoroute 5/50. As this study progresses, it has become increasingly clear that each of the short-listed corridors will encounter difficult challenges in trying to simultaneously provide an adequate solution to all three of these requirements.

One of the most critical issues facing the NCR is the passage of about 2,500 heavy trucks per day between Highway 417 and the Macdonald–Cartier Bridge, through residential streets in Ottawa’s downtown. This situation has existed for decades and the consequences in terms of health, safety and degradation of the surrounding areas are well-known and unacceptable. A solution to this problem must be found; one that is environmentally sustainable and does not simply spread the problem to even more neighbourhoods.

 

At the conclusion of the first phase of this study process, it was recommended that heavy trucks be permitted on both a new corridor and on the current downtown approaches to the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, with simulations estimating the majority (60%) of the trucks would continue to prefer a route through the downtown core. In contrast, the City of Ottawa Official Plan states that heavy trucks should be removed from the current King Edward, Rideau, Waller, Nicholas (KERWN) corridor once a new bridge is constructed.

To complicate matters further,  after the phase 1 recommendation, the City of Gatineau passed a motion requesting that the City of Ottawa continue to allow heavy trucks on the King Edward corridor after a new bridge is built. The motion states that it is unacceptable for all heavy truck traffic be routed onto Montée Paiement (the recommended corridor in Phase 1 of the study).  The motion itself (in French) can be read here.

Due to these issues, significant uncertainty exists as to what will happen with heavy trucks if a new bridge is built. Will all heavy trucks be forced to use the new crossing moving them from Ottawa’s downtown to other areas in the east of Ottawa and Gatineau? Or will trucks be simply spread out between both the new bridge and downtown?  Is it even possible for the City of Ottawa to ban heavy trucks on the downtown KERWN corridor and would this decision be subject to legal appeal and potential negation?

Sustainable Solutions/Solutions durables believes that these questions have not been adequately addressed to date and must be clearly answered before meaningful public consultations can occur in phase 2B of this Study. In our opinion it is unacceptable to proceed with a new bridge (with initial cost estimates of $500M) without first clearly demonstrating how a bridge would provide a substantive solution to the passage of interprovincial truck traffic through Ottawa's downtown.

 

We also believe that other alternatives to the short-listed corridors exist which exhibit better potential to solve the truck problem.  These alternatives would not degrade environmentally sensitive areas or direct heavy trucks over lengthy (and at high cost to business) alternative routes of dubious suitability for heavy truck traffic via a new east end bridge.   These alternatives could accomplish this without simply shifting this truck problem into new neighbourhoods. These alternatives, together with other important initiatives such as transit and better planning, will lead to a better and more sustainable NCR.

We believe these alternatives were prematurely screened out early in the Phase 1 process. They should be re-introduced in the analysis of options as part of the next phase of this study and given a full and fair assessment. The public and future decision makers must be provided with clear information about the capabilities of these alternatives when measured alongside the challenges of the currently short listed bridge corridors.
 

Why you should support Sustainable Solutions/Solutions durables


The prospect of an east end bridge has been historically a very divisive issue in the City of Ottawa pitting communities against each other in an effort to prove why a new bridge would be preferable in someone else's community. This limits the impact that citizens have in the public consultation process.

 

Sustainable Solutions/Solutions durables offers a way forward out of this impasse. We are questioning the study proponent's objectives in terms of what problems are to be solved with a new bridge. We want to see a substantive solution to Ottawa's downtown truck problems which doesn't involve simply spreading this truck problem into even more neighbourhoods. Together we can make a positive impact to get the best solution for the NCR as a whole.


Terms of use

Sign in|Report Abuse|Print Page|Remove Access|Powered By Google Sites