Hello neighbour,
With summer upon us and lots of special events happening in the downtown core, it is not surprising that the issue of road safety for active transportation is in the news again.
Just a few weeks ago, Centretown residents and the cycling community rallied at the corner of Gladstone and Rochester, where a woman was thrown off her bike after a collision with a truck, suffering serious injuries.
Thanks to community advocacy and support from council, we were able to get a motion passed to make immediate fixes to that intersection and expedite the work required to build safe cycling lanes on Gladstone.
But here we are again, with a contentious debate happening about the National Capital Commission’s decision to reserve the Queen Elizabeth Parkway for active use in the summer. Last summer, the QED was used 126,600 times by active users. During the election campaign, I spoke to more than 10,000 residents, and the vast majority indicated a preference for reserving the QED for active use in the summer. This is also the position of the Centretown Community Association.
With so few north-south arteries that are safe for cycling, the QED is an essential connection for active transportation within and between downtown neighbourhoods. That said, the NCC has been flexible when there are major events happening at Lansdowne, allowing cars on the road at those specific times.
The QED is the responsibility of the NCC. While I indicated my preference for reserving the Driveway for active use, the mayor recently shared a different opinion.
It is ultimately up to the NCC’s Board of Directors to make the final call. You can fill out this survey to let the NCC know your preference directly.
Reserving roads for active use creates freedom for kids, especially.
This has been a particularly difficult summer in downtown Ottawa in terms of traffic flow, with construction on the 417, and multiple major sewer replacement and road reconstruction projects. We do appreciate your patience and know that it can be extremely frustrating.
Hope you are enjoying summer in Ottawa, no matter how you get around.
Warmly,
Ariel
