Quote:
Originally Posted by Horus
I know that this still in the realm of fantasy planning, but how many people does this bridge actually benefit? There are low density neighbourhoods on both sides of the river and the Ottawa side doesn't even connect to the primary E-W cycling routes.
Seems like a lot of money and effort so that a few cyclists and pedestrians can get a closer look at seagull island in the rapids.
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You'd need to consider how many areas are within a reasonable biking distance - which is probably about a 10k radius on both ends of the bridge, which would include all of Aylmer, some of Gatineau, all of Nepean and even part of Kanata (though effectively all of Kanata as there would be no better router). There are some pretty high density areas in those radiuses. I think it would have a significant amount of bike commuter traffic, as it would be the best route by far for half of each city.
I've also noticed over the years that estimated usage on pedestrian/biking bridges is significantly lower than the actual usage as they tend to induce a lot of usage once built - even in the winter.
Don't get me wrong - I still think this is a pipe dream. It would cost a ton and I don't see the political will to get it done - particularly on the Ottawa side. Britannia and the local councillor will fight it tooth and nail and the Ottawa mayor hates anything that cars can't drive on. The only hope would be the NCC picking it up and including it in their shore revitalization plans, though this would probably cost more than they've budgeted for everything else.