Phase 1 Terms of Reference issues
The Terms of Reference created at the beginning of Phase 1 in 2007 have been worded in such a way as to significantly affect the direction of the whole study. Members of the public interested in other approaches to solving the region's interprovincial transportation needs have been unable to enter into meaningful consultation with the Study Partners about these approaches because certain elements in the Terms of Reference are used to screen them out. Furthermore the Study Partners will not engage in a discussion concerning the requirements as expressed in the Terms of Reference. We believe that significant new perspectives have arisen over the course of the study and this justifies an open public consultation on the topic of "What are the key issues this project is intended to solve". Rather, the scope of the Study to date has been mostly focused on the topic of deciding "What is the best (least worst?) location to build a new bridge".
Follow this link for more details concerning the Terms of Reference and a commentary on some of the issues. >> Terms of Reference
The focus on accommodating more car traffic
Two key aspects of the original terms of reference were: (a) the need for a new bridge to serve as a new truck route and (b) to accommodate the anticipated increase in car traffic.
The study proponents have used the requirement to meet future projected peak auto demand (a difficult parameter to predict) to screen out early in the process options which would have been much better at solving the downtown truck problem. Meanwhile, the shortcomings of all the proposed bridges to solve the downtown truck problem have not been taken very seriously.
The study team must pay more attention to performing the analysis required to ensure any proposed alternative provides an acceptable solution to today's ongoing truck problems. One of the requirements of the study must include a definitive proposal concerning how the recommended project will provide a solution to the truck problems.
The lack of focus on solving the downtown truck problems
Most citizens of Ottawa have understood the most important reason for building a new bridge was to solve the problem of 2500 heavy trucks per day traversing the residential and highly “pedestrianized” Waller, Rideau, and King Edward streets.
One of the roadblocks encountered in consultations with the Study partners is that the Terms of Reference are vague with respect to the extent to which the proposed project was to solve the current downtown truck problem. The Terms of Reference merely state "Provide a truck route, including the possible modification of existing routes, that can link to existing truck routes on both sides of the river".
How many trucks should a new bridge remove from King Edward, Rideau, and Waller streets in order for the bridge to be considered a reasonable and viable project? This has never been defined. Most people assumed that any new bridge would be the solution to this downtown truck issue and not just simply a 'new truck route in the network'. A definitive solution to the downtown truck problem has not been, and currently still is not, the intention of the study partners. This does not reflect the needs and wishes of the majority of Ottawa residents.
Challenges to solving the downtown truck problems
Perhaps one of the reasons why there has been a relative lack of focus on solving the downtown truck problems relative to the importance placed on meeting the projected increases of auto traffic is the difficulty and complexity of solving this downtown truck problem by means of a new bridge. These challenges include the length of these alternative routes via the east end bridges, the poor characteristics of these corridors for carrying large numbers of heavy trucks, and the differing perspectives regarding the truck issues between the City of Ottawa and the City of Gatineau.
To understand more about why this is so click here >> Challenges to Solving Downtown Truck Problem
Projections used for increases in auto demand
Another key requirement of the Terms of Reference was the need for a new bridge to accommodate the anticipated increases in car traffic. The process of predicting just how much traffic this will be is a challenging one. Already during the course of this project we have encountered several revisions of the projected increases in interprovincial automobile traffic. In addition, in the last 10 years population growth and traffic predictions by the City of Ottawa have had to be scaled back.
If you would like to understand more about the mixed data relevant to determining how much new Ottawa River crossing capacity will be needed for cars then click here >> Peak Auto Demand Projections
Challenges with the proposed roadway corridor options
The original Terms of Reference require that this project should deliver a major arterial connection and truck route between Hwy 417 in Ottawa and Autoroute 5/50 in Quebec. All three options that are being carried forward into Phase 2B will be challenged as a 'major arterial connection' and as truck routes on both sides of the river. However, because the Phase 2B process will only perform relative comparisons between the options to determine the best (least worst?) then these limitations will be easy to gloss over.
If you'd like to understand the issues surrounding the suitability of the shortlisted corridors, then click here >> Corridor Challenges
Negative impact on achieving transit objectives
The study team has presented the proposed east end bridge as transit friendly because it would accommodate transit operations across the bridge. However there was no attempt to account for the impact a bridge would have on reducing transit ridership from east Gatineau into downtown Ottawa. The NCC is also currently leading an inter-provincial transit study where options are being analyzed for increasing the capacity of transit across the Ottawa River. An east end bridge, by adding spare capacity for automobiles will certainly increase the attractiveness for driving over transit especially towards the downtown. This impact should be taken into account in the overall cost-benefit analysis of an east end bridge versus other more sustainable alternatives.
Loss of undeveloped green space
All three of the proposed corridors in Phase 2B cut-through significant undeveloped green space. On the Ontario side options 6 and 7 cut-through the Greenbelt while option 5 passes through the Montfort Woods and RCMP Musical Ride grounds. On the Quebec side options 6 and 7 pass through significant undeveloped areas and wetlands. On the actual river crossing option 5 crosses Kettle Island, owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
The proposed roadway will be 4-lanes carrying high volume auto and heavy truck traffic. We should take very seriously the impact this kind of traffic will have on these areas. The magnitude of these side effects makes it imperative that all possible alternatives be given serious consideration. We believe these alternatives have not been adequately investigated.
No Ontario Environmental Assessment
This project envisions significant road work on the Ontario side which may include new or modified intersections with the 417 and major new or modified 4-lane section of roadways some which could be through the Greenbelt and others which are through established residential neighborhoods. Yet despite these impacts, it has been determined that only Federal and not Ontario environmental legislation or review will apply. In contrast Quebec environmental review will be applied for developments on the Gatineau side of the river.