Phase 2B

Jun 2013. The Study Partners announce that the preferred corridor for a new interprovincial bridge is Corridor 5 (Aviation Parkway - Kettle Island - Montee Paiement). The Province of Ontario announces that they will not fund a bridge at this location and withdraws from the Study. The Province of Quebec subsequently withdraws and the NCC decides not to continue further with the next phase of the study (to perform a Federal Environmental Assessment for bridge at this location). The study process which started in 2007 (cost of ~7m$) is effectively terminated.

Jun 2012. Round 2 of the Phase 2B public consultations are now underway. The PCG meeting (community leaders update meeting) was held on May 23rd (Ottawa meeting) and a public open house held on Jun 12th in Orleans. Inbetween these 2 dates several documents have been released providing details such as:

  • detailed view of exact route of the proposed approach roads and bridge location for each of the 3 corridors
  • transportation report detailing year 2031 truck and car flows expected for each possible bridge location
  • analysis of impacts of these flows on adjacent streets and intersections
  • natural environment report
  • fisheries report
  • explanation of the methodology that will be used to select the preferred location

These reports are all available at: http://www.ncrcrossings.ca/index.php/whats-new-

The following text is repeated from http://www.ncrcrossings.ca/index.php/public-consultation website and explains how the public can provide further input to the process.

"Two evaluation methods will be utilized in the evaluation of a Technically Recommended Corridor (TRC). Being the weighted evaluation methodology, the Pair-Wise approach will be the primary method for identifying a TRC, whereas the Reasoned Argument approach will be the secondary method used to verify the results of the Pair-Wise method. For more details regarding the Pair-Wise Comparison method, please see the Draft Evaluation Methodology Report available on the Resources page.

The Web-Based Pair-Wise Comparison of Evaluation Criteria survey, available here

for you to complete, will guide you through a series of comparisons between the eight (8) Global Factor Groups that will be used in the Pair-Wise evaluation of the three (3) Study Corridors. Following completion of the survey, you will have the chance to review your choices and the resulting weights.

The Web-Based Pair-Wise Comparison of Evaluation Criteria survey will be available online from June 5th to July 5th.

Following Round 2, Roche-Genivar will prepare and post the relevant Consultation Report and will initiate and subsequently report on the comparative evaluation of corridors. The weights collected from the public will be presented to the Evaluation Committee for their information and consideration during the evaluation process."

Before providing your input via the online tool referenced above, it may be useful to read this online tool feedback statement by one person who has used the tool explaining the flaws/limitations they experienced.

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Mar 16, 2011. We have learned that on Feb 8, 2011 the process closed for consulting firms to bid on the contract for leading Phase 2B of the study for selecting a location and performing the Environmental Assessment for a new Ottawa River Crossing in the east of downtown. Accordingly we should see notice of initial public consultation sessions in the not to distant future.

The terms of reference for this study continue to limit the scope to only the 3 potential bridge locations established in Phase 2A. Sustainable Solutions/Solutions durables will remain engaged in the Phase 2B process and will be guided by the following principles:

  • we will continue to uphold what has always been our primary focus (achieving an acceptable solution to the downtown truck problem)
  • we will press the consultants do the homework required to analyze the current truck problem and the extent to which any of the proposed bridge corridors will/will not alleviate the problem
  • we will continue to educate politicians and communities on the shortcomings of each of the proposed bridge corridors in resolving the downtown truck problems and work towards highlighting alternatives that hold better potential to provide a solution to the downtown truck problem
  • we will continue to draw attention to the fact that the primary driver behind this move to build a new bridge is the enabling of higher levels of peak hour auto use for commuting
  • we remain firmly convinced that none of the bridge corridors provides an acceptable solution to the downtown truck problem and that more promising solutions to this problem have been prematurely screened out of the analysis.

Go to this link for more information about the RFP for Phase 2B