New NCC Head Needs To Build Bridges

07/04/2023

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“I am aware of what the integrated interprovincial crossing is all about. But we have to realize that it’s a government decision, not the NCC’s. We support the federal government, and the City of Ottawa and the City of Gatineau, but it’s not our decision. We are working with them. We had a public consultation in 2021 and 3,000 people participated. It’s a very important decision. It’s a lot of money and the government will take its time.”
National Capital Commission chairwoman Maryse Gaudrealt

Had trouble deciding whether or not this was a Whopper Watch or a Quotable. Maybe it’s a Quotable now and a Whopper Watch later if area residents are still waiting on a bridge or two.

Which brings us to the bridges. Let’s see. The NCC closed the Champlain Bridge to at times one lane in the spring as it conducted repairs. Now the Crown corporation promised earlier it would be two lanes but you know promises can be so fluid. That sent traffic jams back as far as Woodroffe Avenue and slowed it to a crawl … it took about an hour to get to the bridge let alone cross it.

The Chaudiere Bridge has been closed this spring and for some time so that’s put more pressure on the other bridges such as, for example, the above partially closed Champlain Bridge.

NCC Stops Traffic During Champlain Bridge Rush Hour

The Alexandra Bridge is slated to be torn down.

So what we have here brand new NCC chairwoman is a crisis in cross-border traffic. Perhaps Gaudrealt could get the ball moving on getting much-needed light rail across the Ottawa River using the former Prince of Wales Bridge. The current plan solves nothing but keep the cycling lobby happy. One more thing … putting rail across that bridge is cheap as borscht.

Above and beyond building a replacement built for the Alexandra, perhaps Gaudrealt could use her influence to get an east-end bridge under way. That would get dangerous trucks out of downtown and avert a tragedy. It would also provide a good connection across the Ottawa. Perhaps the residents of Rockcliffe and Manor Park could acquiesce to what’s best for the community. Other neighbourhoods have.

And rather than placing the Ottawa Senators at LeBreton Flats, thus putting the club and its fans at the whim of a poorly planned and unreliable light-rail line, rather find a way to bridge Kanata to Aylmer. That way hockey fans and shoppers aren’t forced to drive all the way to the partially closed Champlain Bridge to get to a game. A Kanata bridge will need to be built sometime. Why not now?

You can’t have a national capital region that’s divided by one of the world’s greatest rivers. The area needs to build bridges in so many ways.

Ken Gray

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Tags: bridges Maryse Gaudrealt NCC

Ron Benn says:
07/04/2023 at 8:58 AM
To tie together Chairwoman’s remarks and Ken’s observations: the NCC acknowledges that it can do nothing substantive to make traffic flow more smoothly, but has within its powers the ability to obstruct traffic flow, and does so on a regular basis. Not just on the bridges across the river. Also into the Gatineau Park, which has significant portions of its parkways closed to vehicle traffic, to allow only the most avid of cyclists the opportunity to ride at high speeds down the hills without fear of encountering a motorist.
Anything approximating a headcount on the number of cyclists using the parkways during those days when the NCC has decided that pandering to the few matters, Madame Chairwoman? No need for an accurate number, just the order of magnitude. One, ten, a hundred, a thousand? Just asking on behalf of the people who want to, but cannot show their visitors (also referred to as tourists) the views from the vistas. Think of it as a variant of meeting the needs of the many over the wants of the few. Toss in a few thoughts on optimizing the cost:benefit ratio. You know, some of the key elements of a business case.
John says:
07/04/2023 at 9:08 AM
Something to bear in mind is that our interprovincial bridges do a lousy job of feeding and taking away traffic to and from them on the Ottawa side. The bridges have capacity for traffic generally well in excess of what can be fed and taken away. The bottleneck due to lack of capacity on the Ottawa side, generally on NCC managed roads, makes one wonder about system planning. An exception to NCC managed roads is King Edward, with a 30 km/hr speed limit on the Ottawa side of the bridge just to keep traffic moving. The Kettle Island proposal may well be no improvement. The NCC increased lanes (capacity) on the Champlain Bridge a few years ago with access on a reduced speed limit on Island Park on the Ontario side. What if the same thing happens on the Aviation Parkway for a Kettle Island bridge. The same mess?