Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Ottawa’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Capital Infrastructure Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for shaping the city’s transportation networks through to 2046, has been approved by the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee and is set to go before the full City Council on July 23 for final approval.
This plan outlines approximately $4.2 billion in local investments for walking, cycling, transit, and vehicular infrastructure, with an additional $8.3 billion for O-Train Stage 3 extensions anticipated from other levels of government, bringing the total potential investment to over $12.5 billion. This forward-looking plan, the second part of the TMP, identifies crucial investments necessary to accommodate Ottawa’s projected growth and meet the city’s mobility and livability objectives.
The plan emphasizes a “transit-first” approach, aiming for a significant shift towards sustainable modes of travel. While the cityโs population is projected to grow by approximately 34% between 2022 and 2046, transit trips are forecast to more than double, rapidly outpacing population growth.
“This document is one of two that forms the TMP,” the plan states, adding that it “recommends road and transit projects that are needed to accommodate growth and intensification” and “identifies a subset of projects that are affordable within the city’s long-range financial plans and that should be prioritized for implementation.โ
Transforming public transit: A multi-billion dollar endeavour
Transit is positioned as the core of Ottawa’s vision for a healthy, connected, and thriving city, playing a critical role in supporting mobility, reducing congestion, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and fostering equitable access to jobs and services. The TMP Capital Infrastructure Plan identifies O-Train, Transitway, and bus lane projects to enhance travel speed and reliability and drive a significant mode shift towards public transit.
The Priority Transit Network is a key focus, comprising high-priority projects slated for implementation by 2046 based on current funding assumptions. Proposed major city-led projects include:
- Baseline Transitway: From Algonquin College to Billings Bridge;
- Cumberland Transitway: Sections from Blair Road to Chapel Hill Station and Chapel Hill Station to Esprit Drive. This project aims to provide fast, reliable service across the Greenbelt for south Orlรฉans and Blackburn Hamlet residents, connecting to downtown and the O-Train;
- South Transitway: From Longfields Drive to Greenbank Road, and Riverview Station to Limebank Station;
- Southwest Transitway: From Barrhaven Centre Station to Kilbirnie Station;
- Kanata North Transitway: From Eagleson-March Station to Terry Fox Drive;
- Heron/Walkley Transitway: This segment, from Billings Bridge to Russell Road, was moved to the Priority Network from the Needs-Based Network following technical analysis that supported a transitway over bus lanes due to high quality east-west connectivity and improved access to employment, commercial, and institutional uses.
Significant O-Train extensions are also part of the priority list, although their implementation is “fully reliant on funding from other levels of government”:
- O-Train Line 1 Extension: From Algonquin Station to Barrhaven Centre. The O-Train Line 1 extension from Baseline Station to Fallowfield Station is projected to see peak unidirectional ridership of 4,100 passengers per hour.
- O-Train Line 3 Extension: From Moodie Station to Hazeldean Station.
The plan also includes continuous bus lanes on vital corridors such as Carling Avenue, Blair Road, St-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal Road, Merivale Road, and Conroy Road. The Conroy Continuous Bus Lanes project saw its limits modified, with transit priority measures now deemed sufficient for the section between Rosebella Avenue and Bank Street, “minimizing impact to the Greenbelt and increasing cost-effectiveness.โ
An annual $8 million has been allocated for “isolated transit priority measures” along Transit Priority Corridors. These measures, which clarify the city’s intention to implement improvements at specific congested locations, may include dedicated bus lanes, queue jump lanes at intersections, and transit priority signals. Newly added corridors include Earl Armstrong Road, Richmond Road, Gladstone Avenue, Beechwood, Ogilvie Road, and Tenth Line.
Furthermore, the city plans to expand its Park and Ride network from 8,646 to 11,400 spaces by 2046, establishing new or expanded facilities in suburban and rural areas. Some existing facilities, such as Nepean Woods, Terry Fox, Eagleson, Algonquin, Greenboro, and Place d’Orlรฉans, are identified as candidates for transit-oriented development (TOD) redevelopment.
Beyond 2046, the “Ultimate Transit Network” envisions long-range projects, including the Chief William Commanda Bridge as a potential future interprovincial rail link, the double tracking and electrification of O-Train Line 2, and a bus rapid transit facility extending east from Trim Station along Old Montreal Road.
Strategic road investments: Capacity, urbanization, and mainstreet improvements
Ottawa’s road network, a crucial component connecting people, goods, and communities, is set for significant upgrades. The TMP identifies projects across three main categories: road capacity, road urbanization, and mainstreet improvements.
Road capacity projects address deficiencies and provide access to new developments, following a “transit-first” approach to avoid overestimating auto demand. Priority Phase 1 projects include:
- Stittsville Main Street Extension: A new north-south collector road;
- Greenbank Road re-alignment: A new two-lane road connecting Cambrian Road to Kilbirnie Drive, moved to Phase 1 to match scoring;
- Robert Grant Avenue edxtension: A new two-lane road providing access and capacity for Stittsville development;
- Prince of Wales Drive widening: From Deakin Street to Amberwood Crescent;
- Brian Coburn Boulevard widening: From Navan Road to Mer-Bleue Road, moved to Phase 1 as an “urgent need for Orlรฉans residents and to support planned developmentโ;
- Airport Parkway Widening: From Brookfield Road to Hunt Club Road;
- New Road in the Hurdman Area: A new two-lane road required for new development in the area.
Notably, the Terry Fox Drive widening (Winchester to Castlefrank) was removed from the Priority Network Phase 1 and moved to the Network Modification Program, with a scaled-down version planned to address localized congestion. The Eastern Connectivity in the Innes-Walkley Area project was moved to Phase 2 due to a higher cost estimate.
Road urbanization projects retrofit existing roads to accommodate sustainable modes, adding amenities like sidewalks, cycling facilities, and bus stops. Examples include the Richmond Road, Fernbank Road, River Road, and Manotick Main Street Urbanizations. The plan now includes the urbanization of Prince of Wales Drive (Merivale to Amberwood), Fallowfield Road (Greenbank to Strandherd), and Blair Road (Montreal to Ottawa River Pathway) to provide new multi-use pathways and support growth.
Mainstreet improvement projects focus on enhancing arterial corridors to support intensification, placemaking, and economic development through investments in walking and cycling infrastructure and public amenities. Projects include Stittsville Main Street Improvements, St. Joseph Boulevard Improvements, and Bank Street Improvements.
Active Transportation: Critical links and network expansion
The plan incorporates more than 240 retrofit walking and cycling projects, with 149 identified for implementation in the first phase over the next seven to 10 years. These projects target critical missing links and network expansion opportunities, adding or upgrading sidewalks, multi-use pathways, bike lanes, and street crossings.
Priority pedestrian projects include new sidewalks on Doheny Street, Neepawa Avenue, Iroquois Road, Nanaimo Drive, and Robertson Road. The Stanton Road sidewalk project was moved to the First Phase due to its priority in providing access to a school, while the Albany Drive sidewalk was moved to a later phase. Similarly, the Blossom Drive sidewalk and Brant Street sidewalk were moved to First Phase due to access to transit, parks, and equity priority neighbourhoods.
For cycling, priority projects include:
- Carling Avenue, Beachburg Rail Underpass: Widening to address safety concerns;
- Richmond Road: Separated cycling facilities and/or bike lanes from Carling Avenue to Bayshore Drive;
- Maitland Avenue cycling: Facilities on Maitland Avenue from Highway 417 westbound on-ramp to Riddell Avenue South;
- Iris Street and Navaho Drive: Bike lanes on both roads;
- Kanata Avenue and Campeau Drive: Bike lanes and/or separated cycling facilities to address key missing links, now moved to the First Phase;
- Brian Coburn Boulevard MUP: Multi-use pathway along Brian Coburn Boulevard between Tenth Line Road and Portobello Boulevard, deemed a “key community link” and moved to the First Phase.
The Sixth Bridge debate and the future of Ottawa’s network
The discussion around a potential “sixth bridge” linking Ottawa and Gatineau has been a significant point of public interest. The federal government has announced its intention to construct a new interprovincial bridge connecting the Aviation Parkway in Ottawa to Montรฉe Paiement in Gatineau, with a plan to accommodate vehicles, public transit, pedestrians, and cyclists.
However, this project has faced local opposition. According to CBC News, Councillor Riley Brockington has expressed a preference for a “ring road” alternative. “Letโs develop a ring road and get trucks and other cars, particularly those driving through Ottawa from other jurisdictions, out of the downtown core and off our local streets,” Brockington said.
The TMP Capital Infrastructure Plan included sensitivity testing for the new interprovincial bridge, even though it was not part of the core modeling due to its recent announcement. The analysis showed a “redistribution of auto volumes across the city, with significant reductions in traffic on existing interprovincial crossings,” particularly the Macdonald-Cartier, Portage, and Chaudiรจre bridges. Conversely, traffic volumes are expected to “increase on corridors leading to the new Kettle Island bridge,” such as Aviation Parkway, St-Laurent Boulevard, and Sir George รtienne-Cartier Parkway. The TMP concluded that this sensitivity testing “did not identify the need for any modifications to the TMP Capital Infrastructure Plan”.
Looking ahead: Performance and adaptability
Implementation of the Priority Networks is projected to achieve a citywide daily sustainable mode share of 48% by 2046, a substantial increase from 43.4% in 2022. While Downtown and Inner Urban areas are expected to reach very high sustainable mode shares (79.5% and 59.0% respectively), outer urban, suburban, and rural areas are not expected to meet the overall target.
Other anticipated benefits include an 11% improvement in average transit travel times (from 20.4 to 18.2 minutes), a 12% decrease in vehicle kilometers traveled on congested arterial and collector roads, improved job accessibility by transit in Equity Priority Neighbourhoods, and increased walking and cycling distances, contributing to public health.
The plan acknowledges inherent uncertainties in long-range transportation planning, with provisions for ongoing monitoring of travel trends and potential adjustments to recommendations in future TMP updates. The city will continue to seek funding from other levels of government to advance projects within the Priority Networks and potentially implement additional projects from the Needs-Based Networks if funding becomes available. This comprehensive strategy, once fully approved, aims to ensure Ottawa’s transportation network effectively serves its growing population well into the future.