Cycling in the City

The Booth Street Bridge has undergone a transportation transformation. A combination of cycle tracks and bike lanes were constructed in 2018 on the Booth Street Bridge to create a safer environment for cyclists, pedestrians, transit users, and motorists. These new cycling facilities will serve the future O-Train Pimisi station, planned development sites such as LeBreton Flats and Zibi, and onward cycling connections both along and across the Ottawa River.
The new cycle lanes are continuous with broad designated pedestrian crossing areas indicated by a ladder crosswalk pavement marking, similar to crosswalks on the roads. There are pavement markings at the commencement of the cycling track, indicating both the designated cyclist and the pedestrian areas. While this does provide added protection, cyclists are required to yield to pedestrians at designated pedestrian crossing areas. To learn more about this facility and information for different users, refer to the Booth Street Bridge information on the City’s website.

To make intersections more safe and comfortable for people walking, cycling and driving, the City of Ottawa is implementing the ‘protected intersection’ concept at certain locations. Protected intersections provide dedicated space and crossings for pedestrians, bicycles and motor vehicles at a signal-controlled intersection. The design improves safety and comfort while minimizing potential conflicts by incorporating the following key features; 1) corner safety islands; 2) forward stop bars; 3) setback crossings; and 4) dedicated bicycle signals. You can find more details about these features on the City’s website, along with a list of protected intersection locations and a link to a short explanatory video.

Cycling and Light Rail: Made for Each Other! With the coming of the O-Train Confederation Line, Ottawa will be transformed into a more connected place to work, live and play. Cycling is already a healthy, environmentally friendly and flexible option for short-to-medium distance trips. Soon you’ll be able to combine your bike with light rail to get those same benefits for long-distance trips as well! Bike parking will be provided at or near the stations on the new Confederation Line and all stations will be connected to or located close to multi-use pathways. Signs and maps at each O-Train station will direct you to nearby paths.
Bikes are also welcome onboard, just bring your bike on the train! Bike channels will let you easily walk your bike up and down the stairs at multi-level stations. A bicycle area will be located in the first car of every train, as part of the cooperative seating area.
If you’re already a cyclist, consider using light rail to open up new parts of your city. You can get all the details about using the new Confederation Line at OCTranspo.com/ready4rail.

The City is making it easier for residents to ride their bikes to transit stations. Handy neighbourhood maps that highlight comfortable cycling connections to Greenboro, Innovation and Trim transit stations are available online. Residents in neighbourhoods of these three stations can stay tuned for community bike rides using the new maps. Ride details will be posted at ottawa.ca/biketotransit. Additionally, the City will install a further 50 ‘ring & post’ bike racks at bus stops in 2019. Similar to the 50 installed in 2018, new racks will include locations suggested by residents where additional parking is desired. Look out for these later in 2019.

A number of Ottawa Cycling Plan projects were completed in 2018; this section focuses on two of these, the McArthur Avenue project and the Trans-Orléans Pathway.

Trans-Orléans Pathway; this new link is an approximately 3.2km long east-west multi-use pathway. It connects the City’s transit and recreation facilities at the Trim Road-Millennium Park area with the residential neighbourhoods to the west, stretching over towards Tenth Line Road. The connecting north-south ‘Avalon Pathway’ within the hydro-corridor to the east of Espirit Avenue, provides further connectivity here. A number of schools are located along these routes including Avalon, Des Sentiers and Gisèle-Lalonde. The Trans-Orléans Pathway alignment can be seen on the City’s GeoOttawa mapping portal.
McArthur Avenue; construction of this facility was completed late in the fall of 2018. The project adds ‘buffered’ bike lanes to McArthur Avenue between North River Road and St. Laurent Boulevard. The bike lanes are ‘buffered’ from the adjacent vehicle lanes by measures including painted lines, intermittent concrete curbs, planters, and flex-posts. The project provides a dedicated east-west cycling facility in this part of the city and provides connectivity between destinations along the corridor as well as between the Rideau River Eastern multi-use pathway (including the Adàwe Crossing) and the NCC’s Aviation Parkway pathway to the east of St. Laurent Boulevard.

With most projects being on hold through the winter, spring signals the arrival of the 2019 construction season. Work is ongoing on the Flora Footbridge, with a current focus on constructing the ramp connections at either end and the manufacture of the bridge railings off-site.
Upcoming consultation will take place on the updated design for Stage 2 of the O’Connor Street Bikeway later in May. The Stage 2 project limits are between Laurier Avenue and Wellington Street, and the design has been updated to account for lessons learned since the original design was approved in 2015. You can find out more information on the O’Connor Bikeway Project webpage, where the updated design and consultation will be posted in due course – watch this space.

Cycling in the City - May 2019

10^th Annual Bike to Work Month

Booth Street Cycle Tracks Ready for First Full Cycling Season

Protected Intersections – A New Design for Ottawa

Cycling and Light Rail: Made for Each Other!

Let’s Bike to Transit / 50 Ring and Post

Improve Your Biking Skills

2018 Project Focus – McArthur Avenue Buffered Bike Lanes and the Trans-Orléans Pathway

Spring 2019 Round Up