Bank Street Canal Bridge Improvements

[phil235]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Traffic was at a standstill prior to Friday night's Redblacks game. We gotta off the bus and walked. Awful!

That was pretty much the case everywhere around Lansdowne on Friday. Seemed to be due to the fact that it was the first home game of the year, and everybody decided to try to drive and park in the neighbourhood right next to Lansdowne. It was basically gridlock with people circling the blocks by the park. Should be better next game when people have hopefully learned their lesson.

The changes to the bridge should actually improve bus service at least NB, as there will be 2 lanes, contrary to the current one lane to make space for pedestrians and bikes.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by phil235

That was pretty much the case everywhere around Lansdowne on Friday. Seemed to be due to the fact that it was the first home game of the year, and everybody decided to try to drive and park in the neighbourhood right next to Lansdowne. It was basically gridlock with people circling the blocks by the park. Should be better next game when people have hopefully learned their lesson.

The changes to the bridge should actually improve bus service at least NB, as there will be 2 lanes, contrary to the current one lane to make space for pedestrians and bikes.

The northbound active transportation lane closure was removed for football games last year, effectively simulating the situation once work is complete (2 NB lanes, 1 SB).

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Catenary

The northbound active transportation lane closure was removed for football games last year, effectively simulating the situation once work is complete (2 NB lanes, 1 SB).

I could be wrong, but I don't think that is the case this year, as they are prepping for the bridge work. But I didn't look closely on Friday.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by phil235

That was pretty much the case everywhere around Lansdowne on Friday. Seemed to be due to the fact that it was the first home game of the year, and everybody decided to try to drive and park in the neighbourhood right next to Lansdowne. It was basically gridlock with people circling the blocks by the park. Should be better next game when people have hopefully learned their lesson.

The changes to the bridge should actually improve bus service at least NB, as there will be 2 lanes, contrary to the current one lane to make space for pedestrians and bikes.

There was a further problem. We waited half an hour for a bus at Greensboro and we were far from the front of the line. Many seeing the line turned around and drove to Lansdowne. My brother said that only 5 buses were scheduled, something like half the buses compared to prior to covid. When the bus finally arrived, it could not handle the lineup and we barely arrived by game time. The others? There were dozens of empty buses at Billings Bridge and an Inspector watching at Greensboro. Why couldn't they send .a few more buses the 5 minutes to South Keys? With this level of poor service, more will be circulating the streets near the park next game.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

There was a further problem. We waited half an hour for a bus at Greensboro and we were far from the front of the line. Many seeing the line turned around and drove to Lansdowne. My brother said that only 5 buses were scheduled, something like half the buses compared to prior to covid. When the bus finally arrived, it could not handle the lineup and we barely arrived by game time. The others? There were dozens of empty buses at Billings Bridge and an Inspector watching at Greensboro. Why couldn't they send .a few more buses the 5 minutes to South Keys? With this level of poor service, more will be circulating the streets near the park next game.

That makes no sense. They knew that the game was basically sold out, so there is no excuse for cutting half of the buses. Though not surprising, and OC has typically been awful at making adjustments when they see an issue like that. They really do seem to have a knack for encouraging people to drive.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by phil235

That makes no sense. They knew that the game was basically sold out, so there is no excuse for cutting half of the buses. Though not surprising, and OC has typically been awful at making adjustments when they see an issue like that. They really do seem to have a knack for encouraging people to drive.

While it is true that my experiences are anecdotal, all my experiences with OC in the last few years have been bad. There seems to be no will to address the problems.

All it takes is one or two bad experiences to turn people off transit for years.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by phil235

I could be wrong, but I don't think that is the case this year, as they are prepping for the bridge work. But I didn't look closely on Friday.

You're correct, the lanes are now closed for construction this summer. I was just pointing out that OC has experience operating in what will be the future configuration.

[DarthVader_1961]

couple of pics by me

Looking North



Looking South



still some work on the expansion joints happening

[DarthVader_1961]

West side of bridge is completed and open. Work now starting on east side of bridge.

[stolenottawa]

I'm hoping it manages to slow down traffic a bit. (Won't hold my breath) Walking to and from city folk over the past two weeks I saw so much terrible, dangerous driving around this stretch.

[ponyboycurtis]

One side is done! So roomy feeling compared to before. Sidewalk is a touch wider I believe.



Interesting that they added this guard rail. I want to say the sidewalk is slighter higher than before? Looking at the wall curb on the opposite side this side seems slightly shorter. Perhaps code has changed and the wall is no longer copasetic. I know I have sat on the top of this wall many times after football games, perhaps they are trying to discourage that.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

One side is done! So roomy feeling compared to before. Sidewalk is a touch wider I believe.



Interesting that they added this guard rail. I want to say the sidewalk is slighter higher than before? Looking at the wall curb on the opposite side this side seems slightly shorter. Perhaps code has changed and the wall is no longer copasetic. I know I have sat on the top of this wall many times after football games, perhaps they are trying to discourage that.

The code for railings requires taller ones when bicycles are present due to their higher CoG. You'll see similar railings bolted onto the Booth Street LRT overpass, since those cycle tracks were retrofitted there after construction. Similarly, this is why the bidirectional lanes on Portage bridge are sunken from the sidewalk; if they were higher the railing would be out of spec and need an extension like this.

[DarthVader_1961]

Both sides are now completed.

Looking north .

[OTownandDown]

I noticed something new here when I walked across and almost sprained my ankle while stumbling into the bike lanes.

The bike lane grade changes throughout the length of the bridge (on both sides) from a 6" delta between the top of sidewalk and top of asphalt down to about 1" minimum near the peak of the bridge.

Such a small difference that I didn't notice a grade change until I stepped on the joint between concrete and asphalt when there were 4-people abreast (two one way, two the other) and I put half my foot on the sidewalk and rolled my ankle. Funny enough, the height difference was small enough that I didn't *fully* roll my ankle, as I rolled till I hit the asphalt, but it still threw me off balance.

Will be fun for bikes in the same situation, when they drift just a bit too far and catch the sidewalk 1" lip and go ass-over-teakettle.

[vtecyo]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

I noticed something new here when I walked across and almost sprained my ankle while stumbling into the bike lanes.

The bike lane grade changes throughout the length of the bridge (on both sides) from a 6" delta between the top of sidewalk and top of asphalt down to about 1" minimum near the peak of the bridge.

Such a small difference that I didn't notice a grade change until I stepped on the joint between concrete and asphalt when there were 4-people abreast (two one way, two the other) and I put half my foot on the sidewalk and rolled my ankle. Funny enough, the height difference was small enough that I didn't *fully* roll my ankle, as I rolled till I hit the asphalt, but it still threw me off balance.

Will be fun for bikes in the same situation, when they drift just a bit too far and catch the sidewalk 1" lip and go ass-over-teakettle.

It's quite strange - the original sidewalk was a consistent height above the roadway - I can't imagine why the bike lane isn't as well.

Honestly - it would have been so much faster and better if they had just added permanent concrete barriers where the construction barrels were placed for the last few seasons - as we can see in the old streetview here

[eltodesukane]

I wish the sidewalks on Vanier over the 417 were as wide,


same for the sidewalks on St Laurent between St Laurent mall and Industrial Ave

[vtecyo]

Originally Posted by eltodesukane

I wish the sidewalks on Vanier over the 417 were as wide,


same for the sidewalks on St Laurent between St Laurent mall and Industrial Ave

Almost all the provincially owned highway bridges over the 417 in the city seem to be built exactly like that - with the exception of Kanata Avenue - which has a gloriously wide sidewalk on it's west side. I'd guess it's the minimum legal width allowed.

[J.OT13]

Blair has... nothing. Just a stone siding. I see people cross with their motility scooters in the car lanes often enough.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by vtecyo

It's quite strange - the original sidewalk was a consistent height above the roadway - I can't imagine why the bike lane isn't as well.

Honestly - it would have been so much faster and better if they had just added permanent concrete barriers where the construction barrels were placed for the last few seasons - as we can see in the old streetview here

There is a requirement for two northbound lanes on the bridge to facilitate OC Transpo service to RedBlacks games, which is why they couldn't just block the curb lanes. The barrels were removed from the northbound curb lane on game days in 2021/2022.

[vtecyo]

Originally Posted by Catenary

There is a requirement for two northbound lanes on the bridge to facilitate OC Transpo service to RedBlacks games, which is why they couldn't just block the curb lanes. The barrels were removed from the northbound curb lane on game days in 2021/2022.

Yeah - but I think they could have easily placed the barriers slightly closer to the sidewalks - at the edge of what is now the existing bike lanes, and still had room for 3 driving lanes.