Lowertown Active Transportation Audit

7/29/2019 Lowertown Active Transportation Audit

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Lowertown Active Transportation

Audit ReportSeptember 19, 2013


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Acknowledgements

Ecology Ottawa and the Lowertown Community Association would like to wholeheartedly thank Walk Ot-

tawa, Citizens or Sae Cycling, and the King Edward Ave Task Force or partnering with us in our Lowertown

Active Transportation Audit.

We would also like to thank Councillor Mathieu Fleury and Alanna Dale Hill or their participation.

In addition, we also thank the ollowing individuals and organizations or advice and guidance:

Associate Proessor Elizabeth Kristjansson,

University o Ottawa Institute o Population

Health and Lead Investigator, Ottawa Neighbour-

hood Study

Hilda Chow, Ottawa Public Heath

Guylaine Gratton, Lowertown Community Resource

Centre

Rose Kung & Amy Faulkner, Community Planning

& Urban Design, Planning & Growth Management

Department, City o Ottawa

Robin Bennett, Cycling Facilities Coordinator, City

o Ottawa,

Rob Wilkinson, Saer Roads Ottawa, City o Ottawa

Gill Wilson, Sustainable Transportation, Planning &

Growth Management Department, City o Ottawa

Zlatko Krstulic, Transportation Planner, City o

Ottawa

Guy Schryburt, Markets Management, City o

Ottawa

Mary Gracie, Parking Studies, City o Ottawa

Ryan Anders Whitney, Toronto Centre or Active

Transportation

Wallace Beaton, Green Communities Canada

Jasna Jennings, ByWard Market Business

Improvement Area

Ecology Ottawa interns Amanda Allnut, Darby

Babin, Erica Richard, Erin McFarlane and Stepha-nie Pompeo, and Lars Wessman

This report was designed by Maya Hum and printed and bound in Canada on 100% post-consumer

recycled paper.


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table of contents

01 About Us

01 About our Partners

02 Glossary

03 Summary

04 Recommendations

06 Background

08 Audit Overview

09 Street-by-Street AuditFindings

17 For More Inormation

18 Resources

18 Appendix

19 Media Clippings


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About Us

Ecology Ottawa

Ecology Ottawa is a not-or-prot volunteer-driven grassroots organization, working to make Ottawa the

green capital o Canada. Ecology Ottawa provides residents with inormation and tools they need to un-

derstand local environmental issues and promote environmental leadership in city hall. Ecology Ottawa

has ocused on Smart Growth and Sustainable Transportation: aiming to help Ottawa adopt a sustainable

urban orm based on compact, complete and transit-supportive communities. www.ecologyotttawa.ca

Lowertown Community Association

The Lowertown Community Association, ounded in the mid 1970s is comprised o local residents and

meets every month to discuss issues o importance to the community. The community association reviews

development applications, monitors environmental concerns and provides a voice or the community as a

whole. www.lowertown-basseville.ca

About our partnersWalk Ottawa

Walk Ottawa is a group o citizen volunteers who contribute their time, talent, and resources to promote

walkability and advance the interests o pedestrians in Ottawa. http://ottawawalkingproblems.ca

Citizens for Safe Cycling

Citizens or Sae Cycling is a voluntary association made up o cyclists who work or better, saer, environ-

mentally-riendly cycling in the Ottawa area. http://www.saecycling.ca/

King Edward Avenue Task Force

Since 1986, the King Edward Avenue Task Force has been a voice in the City o Ottawa or the residents o

King Edward Avenue and the surrounding community o Lowertown in downtown Ottawa.

http://kingedwardavenue.com/


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Lowertown Active Transportation Audit Report

Glossary

Complete Streets

Complete Streets is a planning ramework that

holds transportation planners and engineersto designs that ensure streets are accessible to

all users, not just cars. Streets are designed to

accommodate all ages, abilities and modes o

travel, including orms o Active Transportation.

This includes inrastructure that provides sae

and comortable access or pedestrians, cyclists,

transit-users and the mobility-impaired.

http://completestreetsorcanada.ca/what-are-

complete-streets

Active Transportation

Active transportation reers to all human pow-

ered orms o transportation, particularly walking

and cycling, but also skateboarding, rollerblad-

ing and skiing, and using a wheelchair. Active

transportation can also be combined with other

modes, such as public transit that together can

decrease dependency on vehicles and promote

healthy households by increasing exercise. Active

transportation also helps to build bustling, sae

and complete communities.

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/pa-

ap/at-ta-eng.php


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Summary

The ByWard Market is - and should continue to be - a place that both the community and the country can

be proud o. A place that meets the needs o its residents and acts as a showcase attraction in our nations

capital.

For the Lowertown Community Association and Ecology Ottawa, how people get to and rom the ByWard

Market, and how they get around once there helps set the tone or the community and says a lot aboutthe kind o city that Ottawa wants to be. How we design our neighbourhoods has a direct impact on the

health and prosperity o our communities. We want the ByWard Market to be an even better place to live,

work, shop and play.

With this in mind, the Lowertown Community Association and Ecology Ottawa, assembled a group o 25

people rom a variety o walks o lie and toured the neighbourhood looking or ways to make it better by

improving active transportation in our community. Our group included:

residents with a detailed knowledge o the streets that they walk along every day;

local business people who care about their community and want it to prosper;

a local councillor and city sta who are trying to both lead and serve their constituents;

public health ocials and academics with expertise in the advantages and disadvantages o dierent

orms o transportation; and

partners rom other organizations who are working to help move people around in the easiest and

most sustainable way.

The conclusions o this report are clear: i we want a vibrant and bustling ByWard Market, a truly great com-

munity in the heart o our city, then we have to design our streets with all users, ages and abilities in mind.

We need to prioritize pedestrians and sae cycling and ensure that our streets act as bridges between the

ByWard Market and the emerging public transit system. We need parking, but we need to turn streets like

York Street into great public spaces rather than parking lots. We also need to move away rom the outdated

thinking that has turned King Edward Avenue into the worst example o designing streets solely as high-

ways or cars and trucks. Facilitating car travel is important, but the interests o trucks and single-passenger

vehicles should no longer be prioritized over the health, saety and prosperity o the community.

This report documents short-term actions that will move us in the right direction as well as issues that

need to be addressed over the longer term. It is a road map that can be used immediately to engage the

community and its leaders as well as a living document that will be rened, and will play a role in shaping

a vision or what our community will look like decades rom now.


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Recommendations

Short-term recommendations:

The City o Ottawa and the community can move

immediately to:

Adopt a Complete Streets policy as part o

the ongoing review o the Ocial Plan and

related plans.

Ban sandwich boards on sidewalks and pub-

lic right o ways throughout the ByWard Mar-

ket. Enorce this through regular patrols o

By-law enorcement ocers and not just on

a complaint basis.

Ensure a 2m minimum clear walking width

throughout in the ByWard Market to allow

or the simultaneous passage o a wheelchair

and a pedestrian. Patios that inringe on this

2m minimum width should not be granted

licenses or should have them revoked.

Address unsae intersections or cyclists and

pedestrians.

Shorten pedestrian wait times or crossing

lights, and increase the duration o lights or

pedestrians.

Enorce 40 km speed limits on King Edward

Avenue and reduce and enorce speed limit

on Sussex Avenue.

Repair cracks in sidewalks and depressions

which create pools o water.

Enhance bicycle access through improved bi-

cycle parking and signage.

Replace dead trees and improve mainte-

nance to ensure the health o other trees.

Increase number o garbage cans.


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Long-term recommendations:

In the context o a Complete Streets policy or

all o Ottawa, the ollowing issues need to be ad-

dressed over the longer term.

Public Spaces

Enhance pedestrian courtyards through

better signage, prohibiting vehicles rom

parking at entrances and blocking access to

them. Expand connections and linkages or

improved walkability. Increase trees, public

benches, ountains, and artwork. Produce a

map or improve highlights in existing maps.

Add benches, trees, water ountains and pub-lic art throughout the community.

Walking and Biking:

Expand pedestrian zones, including the Wil-

liam St pedestrian area, rom Rideau through

to Clarence, making it a Gateway into the

market and connection to the uture LRT stop

at Rideau and William St.

Improve the intersection o Mackenzie/Ride-au/Wellington, which many residents cited as

the most dangerous or cycling and walking.

Create a dedicated bike lane on MacKenzie

Ave and enorce no biking on sidewalks.

Create a connection to the Citys East-West

bikeway project rom Westboro to Vanier pro-

viding an East-West route or cyclists crossing

the citys core.

Phase out curved curb radii on sidewalk in-

tersections and return to 90 degree angles, ascurves ease turning or vehicles but increase

pedestrian crossing distance, reduce the

amount o space available on the sidewalk

and present dangerous access or wheel-

chairs, sending them into the intersection.

Add crosswalks on King Edward Avenue and

extend the median rom St Patrick to Cathcart.

Implement cross-walk light cycle policy that

is more avourable to pedestrians through-

out Lowertown, particularly during non-peak

hours. Ensure automatic walk signal at red

lights regardless o demand button being

pushed.

Phase out use o blue advertising bicycle

parking (which use more pedestrian space)

and replace with City o Ottawa ring and post

bicycle parking and lots like on the west side

o the Market building. Ensure there is a sig-

nicant net increase in bicycle parking.

Car Traffic and Parking

Ban trucks on King Edward Avenue, Rideau

and Waller Streets and nd a permanent so-

lution to removing the trucks rom King Ed-

ward Avenue.

Transition away rom the current approach to

managing parking, by reducing the amount

o on street parking that could be better used

as public space.

Increase way-nding and directional signs or

municipal parking lots and expand hours o

paid parking (ie Sundays and holidays).


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Background

Lowertown is one o the most historic neighborhoods and a vital community in the heart o the City o Ot-

tawa. It is to the north o Rideau Street, east o the Rideau Canal, south o the Ottawa River and west o the

Rideau River. The ByWard Business Improvement Area (BIA) denes the ByWard Market as George Street

North, Dalhousie Street rom George to Cathcart, and Sussex Drive East to Cumberland Street West. Rideau

and Mackenzie are beyond the ByWard Markets jurisdiction.

Lowertown residents walk and cycle more than other residents in Ottawa. Thirty-six percent o Lowertownresidents walk to work, 3.6% bike and 28% use public transit, compared to the average o 7.8% o residents

walking to work, according to the 2006 census.

While it has not benetted rom a ormal community development plan, in the past two years the Low-

ertown Community Association (LCA) has begun a number o consultations and visioning exercises to

engage residents in discussing what we most like about our neighbourhood and improvements we wish

to see to make our community more complete, liveable, beautiul and more accessible or healthy, sae

walking and cycling.


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Transportation choices, which we make on a daily

basis, have a signicant impact on the environ-

ment as well as the livability o our community.

Walking, cycling and other active modes o trans-

portation not only reduce our greenhouse gas

emissions, but promote healthy households by

providing exercise and recreational opportuni-ties, and contribute to bustling complete com-

munities. But to choose sustainable methods o

transportation such as transit, cycling, walking, or

rollerblading, the inrastructure to ensure saety

o those methods must be available. Residents o

Lowertown have identied this as a key priority.

Many o us chose to live here so we can walk and

bike to work and to shop and enjoy Ottawas

pathways and greenspace. For our wheelchair us-

ers, and or many o us aging, with reduced mo-

bility, we want sae access with our aides. While

we benet rom good access to public transpor-

tation, we are bordered by King Edward Avenue,

Rideau St, Sussex Avenue (all undergoing recent

reconstruction) and have thoroughares, St Pat-

rick and Murray St, cutting through our commu-

nity directly impacting our ability to saely walk

and cycle.

For more than 25 years, Lowertown residents

have sought solutions to the high trac volumes

on King Edward Avenue since it was designateda truck route and since the construction o the

Macdonald-Cartier Bridge in 1965. We have ad-

vocated or the need to move away rom the out-

dated kind o thinking that has prioritized cars

and trucks over the health, saety and prosper-

ity o the community. King Edward Avenue has

divided, literally bi-secting, our neighbourhood.

The King Edward Avenue Task Force has docu-

mented 67 pedestrian injuries and 4 atalities

rom 2005-2009.

The ByWard Market, since its inception, has beenintegral to the City o Ottawa. Recently, citizens

have expressed concerns regarding the loss o

traditional market activities and the use o public

space or local ood and the dominance o restau-

rants, bars and nightclubs. In 2012, the LCA un-

dertook, in partnership with the Market BIA, the

Market Saety and Security Committee and the

City o Ottawa, a consultation process to develop

a vision or the uture o the ByWard Market. The

City hired the rm Project or Public Spaces (PPS)

to assist in developing a vision or the uture o

the market. To ensure residents o Lowertown

were well represented, the LCA conduced an on-

line survey as well as a public meeting. Both had

high participation levels, and through input gath-ered in both the survey (180 respondents) and

attendance at the meeting (70 participants) it

was very clear that residents enjoy living in Low-

ertown, in or by the ByWard Market, are attached

to their community and want to see the neigh-

bourhood improve and develop sustainably. In-

deed, one o the most oten cited improvement

residents wished to see was in walkability and cy-

cling inrastructure. The report submitted by PPS

recommends short-term improvements such as

enhancing bicycle access and parking, and long-term ones such as creating more useable public

open spaces.

Given these concerns, and that the City o Ottawa

began the Building a Liveable Ottawa process, its

review o the strategic documents that guide the

development o our city in 2013, residents agreed

it was an opportune time to conduct an active

transportation audit. As part o Ecology Ottawas

emerging Community Network, we are working

with communities across the city to build the

kinds o sustainable neighbourhoods that peoplewant to live in.

We hope to eed our results into the review o

the Ocial Plan, Transportation Master Plan, In-

rastructure Master Plan, Cycling and Pedestrian

Plan. The ByWard Market Visioning process, the

start o construction o the LRT and the station on

Rideau at William will also provide excellent op-

portunities or identiying immediate, as well as

long-term, improvements or active transporta-

tion users. We intend to meet our elected repre-

sentatives, City sta, and other partners using thisreport as a community checklist. We also intend

to conduct additional audits, including one in the

winter and one or seniors in our community.


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Lowertown Active

Transportation

Audit Overview

For approximately two-and-a-hal hours during

the early evening o Wednesday, June 19, 2013,

over 20 people participated in the Lowertown

Transportation Audit, which was co-organized

by the Lowertown Community Association and

Ecology Ottawa. Participants included walkers

and cyclists; residents using wheelchairs and

walkers; members o the Byward Market Business

Improvement Area (BIA); City Councillor or Ward

12, Mathieu Fleury; City o Ottawa sta; Proes-

sor Betsy Kristjansson o the University o Ottawa;and representatives rom Walk Ottawa, the King

Edward Avenue Task Force, Citizens or Sae Cy-

cling, the Lowertown Community Association,

and Ecology Ottawa. Participants were asked to

bring whatever they would typically have with

them when travelling around the area (a shop-

ping cart, a stroller a cane, etc.).

Participants met at the Routhier Community Cen-

tre (172 Guigues Avenue). This location served as

the audits start and end point. Ater an initial

overview o the audits aims and an explanationo the process, the group divided into two and be-

gan traveling through the neighbourhood. From

the Routhier Community Centre, both groups

traveled northeast to King Edward Avenue. They

then traveled southwest on York Street to the Wil-

liam Street Pedestrian Mall in the Byward Market.

The groups traveled around the Market, includ-

ing visits to its various courtyards, and made their

way to Sussex Drive beore heading back to the

Routhier Community Centre (see Appendix A or

map).

Participants were asked to observe the streets

they visited with a critical eye and were told to

jot down their eedback both positive and neg-

ative - on one o the recording sheets provided

by audit organizers (see Resources - page 18) or

to share their thoughts with one o the volun-

teer note takers. This allowed or participants to

document open-ended descriptions o their ob-

servations. Organizers also came prepared with

some pre-determined questions to ask. Examples

o questions asked were: Are streets well-lit? Are

pedestrian lights reasonably timed? Are side-

walks ree rom obstructions such as sign poles

or sandwich boards? Are sidewalks wide enoughor strollers and wheelchairs? Are there enough

bike racks? In order to provide a means or a more

structured assessment o the area, organizers

made available two audit tools or participants:

The Neighbourhood Walkability Checklist rom

The Heart Foundation in Australia; and the bicy-

cling inrastructure section o the B.E.A.T (Built

Environment & Active Transportation) Neigh-

bourhood Assessment tool rom the British Co-

lumbia Recreation and Parks Association (see Re-

sources - page 18).


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Location Observations Action

Guigues Street No bicycle parking in ront o Centre Routhier Add bicycle parking in ront o

Centre Routhier by installing a

ew more ring and post park-ing spots on Guigues St. and

a sign in ront indicating more

parking is in back

King Edward

Avenue

Uneven sidewalk (sloped in certain areas)

makes it dicult or those with mobility issues

Crossing light at St. Patrick too short to cross

saely

Crossing light at Murray St too short

Wait time or pedestrian crossing light at St

Patrick is long Wait time or crossing light at Andrew is long

Unnished brick work around Hydro man

hole on east side Kind Edward and St. Patrick

Repair sidewalk

Extend crossing time or pe-

destrians

Adjust trac light circle

Shorten wait time or pedestri-an crossings, particularly during

o-peak hours. Make pedestri-

an crosswalk automatic on cycle

not on demand when pushed

Repair sidewalk

Street-by-Street Audit Findings

Below is the documented summary o the evaluated comment sheets completed by participants o the

Active Transportation Audit. (See Resources - page 18) or an example o the participant survey.

As soon as you turn the corner (from

Guigues onto King Edward) you fee

you are no longer in a community bu

on a highway. - Audit participant


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King Edward

Ave and

Murray Street

Sidewalk area around trees unnished in ront

o Shepherds o Good Hope

Limited space in ront o Shepherds o Good

Hope means that groups oten congregatehere, making it dicult or pedestrians to pass

Garbage fows down sidewalk rom ood ven-

dor up street

Timing o trac lights should be ocused on

slowing trac down considering it is a one-

way street not a green light at every cross-

ing at the same time

Cyclists were riding on sidewalk

Trucks and vehicles going too ast, speed limit

too high

Too noisy, eels like a highway and unsae.Improved where the median has trees and

greenery

Finish area around trees

Adjust trac light cycle

Create dedicated bicycle lanes.

Reduce speed limit. Addition-

al pedestrian crosswalks rom

Cathcart to St Patrick

Extend the median rom StPatrick to Cathcart, maintain

existing and extend green

space on medians

Increase width o sidewalk

York Street Crosswalks are not at both sides o King Ed-

ward and York

Lack o benches and water ountains

Crosswalks are not clearly visible

Cracks in the sidewalk on the north side walk-

ing rom KEA to Cumberland, cracks and glass

Positives

Dierence in noise ater turning the corner

rom King Edward was immediately noted

Trees

Trac calming techniques

Less trac overall

Green space in the median is maintained

Benches

Add crosswalk

Add benches and water ountains

Repaint crosswalks

Repair sidewalk


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York and

Cumberland

Street

Stoplights are conusing with a long wait

time, short crossing time. Pedestrians cross

against the light. (York and Cumberland-

northeast and northwest corner)

Curb high at Cumberland and York. Curved

curb radius or ease o turning or vehicles

but increases pedestrian crossing distance,

dangerous access or wheelchairs

Meters on one side o sidewalks with bike

racks on the other decreases walking space

or pedestrians

Several sandwich boards on the sidewalk ob-

structed passage, ie 153 York and 135-145 York

Increase pedestrian crossing

time and change light cycle to

avour pedestrians rather than

turning vehicles. Make cross-walk automatic in cycle, not

on demand

Redesign curbs at intersec-

tions at 90 degree angles

Move bike racks so both are on

the same side o sidewalk

Ban sandwich boards

York and

Dalhousie

Street

Fence (near stables) blocks access to green

space and gives the impression that this is

private, rather than public, space and it is un-

derused

Blue double bike racks take up unnecessary

space: 4 eet, 10 inches rom edge o blue bike

racks to edge o sidewalk

Bus stop location impedes the passing o pe-

destrians when the door o the bus is open;

bixi bikes and bike racks are also located here

urther limiting space Multiple newspaper boxes are an eyesore

Market stalls used to be in parking lot but are

now on the sidewalk (limiting space or pe-

destrians, especially as smokers also congre-

gate here)

Positives

Bixi bikes; bike racks

Market stalls do make or vibrant space

Remove ence, add benches

and additional ring and post

bike parking

Move the stalls onto the street

parking spots

York between

ByWard Market

and Sussex

Drive

Inecient use o space with too much on-

street parking, with no trees or benches Remove and bury on-street

parking

Widen sidewalks

Create public space with

benches, ountains, trees, pub-

lic art, additional bike parking


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William Street Dead tree, not enough trees and vegetation

No water ountain Pedestrian mall quickly transitions into a

crowded roadway or cars, with on-street

parking

Very narrow sidewalk on one side

One group was honked at as it conducted au-

dit o this area

Sandwich boards on sidewalk

No garbage bins around benches

Not enough bike racks

No accessible public washrooms in area

Crosswalk at William and George is conusing

No public art

Positives

Pedestrian mall at York and rom George to

Rideau

Benches

Bike racks well placed

Benches Pedestrian lights

People eel sae while walking in this area

Buskers provide entertainment

Wait at pedestrian lights are reasonably short

Mall rom George to Rideau is wide, with good

placement o bike racks, well used, good

oundation to use as Gateway to the Market

when LRT station opens.

Replace dead trees, add veg-

etation and ensure health o

trees or shade

Add water ountain Reduce on-street parking be-

tween York and George

Extend pedestrian mall to

Rideau

Ban sandwich boards

Add benches and garbage bins

Add bike racks at intersections

Provide accessible washrooms

Add way-nding signage or

o-street parking

Add public art, including mu-

ral on parking garage on Wil-

liam or Clarence


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Clarence Street Cars exiting the garage at Parent and Clarence

turn and the crossing Clarence/Parent/Byward

Market is conusing. STOP sign at Clarence and

Parent does not line up with other STOP signs:dicult to see who has right o way

Bikes locked to signage poles

Patios and sandwich boards encroach onto

the sidewalk in ront o patios. Some examples

o encroachment on a 2 m walking distanced

noted during the audit include:

Stella, 81 Clarence: 1.3m between patio and

bicycles parked on the parking sign

Irish Village, 93 Clarence: 1.3m between pa-

tio and taxi parking sign

Senate, 33 Clarence: 1.4m between sand-

wich board and curb

Black Thorn Ca, 15 Clarence: 1.2m be-

tween patio and curb

Heart and Crown and Empire Grill: sand-

wich boards in the way

Positives

Metal bike racks that hang rom wall on the

parking garage are good or saving space (but

dicult to know how to use)

Additional bike parking recently installed, in-

cluding on west side o Market building

Improve signage or cars to yield

to pedestrians. Reduce the curb

radii at Parent and Clarence and

locate the pedestrian crossingat the corner and paint it

Add ring and post bicycle

parking that does not block

sidewalk passage, on both

sides o the street. Add how-

to sign next to hanging bike

racks on parking garage

Ensure a 2m minimum clear

walking width to allow or the

simultaneous passage o a

wheelchair and a pedestrian.

Ban sandwich boards on side-

walks throughout the Market

and enorce through regular

patrols o By-law ocers and

not just on a complaint basis.

Encourage hanging signs (ie

on side o patios)


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Byward Market Cars over butting the curb on York, and parking

spots are not the most eective use o space

Not well lighted at night or pedestrians

Farmers market, stores and sandwich boardsencroach on sidewalk

No shade, lack o tree cover

Scarce artwork

Insucient garbage cans

Positives

Bike racks have replaced old parking spots

Wide sidewalks

Buskers

Public benches have been added on George

and Market

Plant mature trees outside o the

Byward Market to provide shade

Improve street light lighting at

night. Mural program to paintByWard business gates

Remove on-street parking

spaces on side o Market. Make

pedestrian crossings wider at

main crosswalks

Add bicycle parking like that

on west side o Market building

on east side

Add additional benches such

as those recently installed on

George

Rideau Street

(did not walk

but discussed

at corner

William and

Rideau)

Transit station makes the street very congested

Dangerous corner: Rideau/Wellington/Sussex

in ront o Chateau Laurier

Widen sidewalk

Repaint crosswalk and bike

lane more requently. Place

cars stop here sign in ront

o Chateau Laurier

Rideau and

Nicholas Street

Huge puddles when rains or snows

Crossing Nicholas is dangerous, no crosswalk

Fix depression and drainage

Paint crosswalk. Place turning

vehicles yield to pedestrians

sign

Clarendon

Lanes

Courtyard

One dark and narrow alley exit at back o

courtyard, on the western side in building on

York, near Sussex which eels unsae

Tables blocking ramp or wheelchairs

Trail o grease rom wheeling garbage can

through courtyard to pick up at entrance on

York. Garbage and delivery vehicles oten

block access

Exiting courtyard on York, cross trac, no

connection to Jeanne dArc Courtyard. Court-yards do not connect

Positives

Lively with outdoor patios and shops

Trees and benches, public art

Increase lighting

Ask businesses to move tables

blocking ramp

Prohibit vehicles rom parking

at entrance, improve signage

and enorce


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Jeanne dArc

Courtyard

and Tin House

Courtyard

Many loose cobblestones in courtyards

Some tree beds missing cobblestones

Construction in Tin House Courtyard, encing

takes up much space leaving narrow passageway Not connected

Positives

Cooling eect o trees

Many benches, public art,

Well lit

Surrounded by businesses and apartments,

lie, elt sae

Jeanne dArc is one o gems o the market

Enhance pedestrian court-

yards through better signage,

prohibiting vehicles rom

parking at entrances, blockingaccess to them. Improve en-

orcement

Expand connections and link-

ages or improved walkability

Increase trees, public benches,

ountains, artwork

Produce a map or improve

highlights in existing maps

Sussex Drive Speed limit too high

Trac noise

Construction

Designated truck route

Trees are only present on one side o the route

Dangerous intersection or cyclists and pedes-

trians at St Patrick and Murray and Sussex and

Mackenzie

Positives

Benches Bike lane

Flowers/benches

Wide sidewalk

Footpaths are ree rom obstruction such as

overgrown vegetation

There are points o interest along walk (mint,

US embassy)

Area is ree rom litter and broken glass

Area is maintained well

Paths are easy to walk on, consistent suraces

People do eel the area is sae

Reduce speed limit ater rede-

sign o Sussex, and enorce it

Plant trees on other side

Add bicycle lane on Macken-

zie.


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Dalhousie

Street High curb at several intersections rom York

to Guigues

Sandwich boards oten placed beside meters

Lights at Dalhousie and Clarence not working Edge o sidewalk at Dalhousie and Clarence

high or wheelchairs

Edge o side walk at Murray and Dalhousie

high or wheelchairs

Cracks in sidewalk on Dalhousie between St

Patrick and Guigues (east side) by deteriorat-

ing parking lot

Limited tree cover, no adequate seats to stop

and rest, no drinking ountains, no public toi-

lets, no areas that shelter rain

Positives

People eel sae here

Crossing points are ree rom obstructions

Repair curb

Repair lights

Repair cracks

Plant trees, install benches


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17

For More Information

Strengthening the Future o the ByWard Market, Project or Public Spaces (PPS) Report, May 23, 2013, Sub-

mitted to City o Ottawa Planning and Growth Management department. Includes Lowertown Community

Association survey and October 2012 community workshop resultshttp://ottawa.ca/sites/ottawa.ca/les/attachments/ottpage/byward_market_en.pd

Building a Liveable Ottawa 2031: City o Ottawa strategic documents under review in 2013 include: Ocial

Plan; Transportation Master Plan; Inrastructure Master Plan; Cycling Plan; and Pedestrian Plan.

http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/ocial-and-master-plans

King Edward Avenue Fact Sheet and various documents, King Edward Avenue Task Force

http://kingedwardavenue.com/

Complete Streets Policy Resources, Toronto Centre or Active Transportation

http://completestreetsorcanada.ca/policy-resources

Pedestrian Death Review, Oce o Chie Coroner or Ontario, September 19, 2012

http://news.ontario.ca/mcscs/en/2012/09/chie-coroner-releases-pedestrian-death-review.html

Cycling Death Review, Oce o Chie Coroner or Ontario, June 2012

http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/DeathInvestigations/oce_coroner/PublicationsandReports/Cy-

clingDeathReview/DI_Cycling_Death_Review.html

ByWard Market Local Area Parking Study (LAPS) Summary Report, 2011. City o Ottawa Parking Operations,

Maintenance, & Development

http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/trc/2011/06-29/06%20-%20ByWard%20Market%20LAPS.pd

Ottawa Neighbourhood Study: http://neighbourhoodstudy.ca/

Health, well-being and built environment checklists, a series o tools intended to help community members

assess the health impacts rom planned developments in their neighbourhoods. Centretown Community

Health Centre

http://www.centretownchc.org/en/what%E2%80%99s-happening-at-the-centre/news/health,-well-

being,-and-the-built-environment.aspx


21/21

Resources

Built Environment & Active Transportation (B.E.A.T.) Neighbourhood Assessment, British Columbia Recre-

ation & Parks Association, BC Healthy Living Alliance

http://www.physicalactivitystrategy.ca/pds/BEAT/B.E.A.T.Neighbourhood_Assessment.pd

Neighbourhood Walkability Checklist, National Heart Foundation o Australia, 2011.http://www.heartoundation.org.au/active-living/Documents/Neighbourhood-walkability-checklist.pd

Appendix

A. Map o Lowertown Active Transportation Audit Route

Lowertown Active Transportation Audit

Documents

Transcript of Lowertown Active Transportation Audit