Odd Weather Alters City Spring Operations

This is a release from the City of Ottawa:

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Spring has officially sprung! Following a busy winter season, this memo provides an overview of  the spring and summer operations of the Public Works Department.

This may not be a typical  Spring season with the various weather patterns and conditions so transitioning our operations may also look different this year. Rest assured Public Works’ staff are working together to ensure  a seamless transition. The following highlights some of the key activities taking place, as well as staff’s commitment to keeping Council informed throughout the year. 

Keeping the City Moving 

As the snow began melting, crews were dispatched to fill potholes around the city – averaging  over 250,000 potholes annually. Crews use a cold patch and warm mix asphalt to temporarily  create a smoother and safer driving surface until asphalt plants open and staff can access regular  asphalt. While staff proactively monitor roads to identify major potholes, it is appreciated when  residents support our operations by reporting potholes in their communities. Potholes can be  reported online and will be triaged and addressed on a priority basis.  

Grading of Ottawa’s more than 500 kilometres of gravel roads begins as soon as the weather and  local conditions permit. Crews also mitigate potential flooding by opening ditches, culverts and  catch basins where required.  

Other maintenance operations are also underway, including asphalt, concrete and ironworks  repairs. As soon as the temperature consistently remains above zero, city-wide street sweeping  will be fully deployed – but it’s already gradually being rolled out in neighbourhoods with year round on-street parking. 

Following the completion of road sweeping, the pavement marking program begins. Existing pavement markings are refreshed annually, including intersections, longitudinal roadway lines,  cycling facilities, and traffic calming measures. Crews prioritize various locations with irregularities  and safety concerns, along with cycling facilities and pedestrian crossovers, followed by high volume roads and intersections, then lower-volume streets. 

Keeping the City Clean & Green 

Spring lawn reinstatement focuses on repairing areas confirmed as damaged by winter  operations equipment. Lawns are repaired using topsoil and seed – not sod – and staff leave  behind maintenance instructions for property owners in the form of a door knocker. Residents  aware of locations requiring repair should report them online as soon as possible to be added to  the Spring Maintenance List.  

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Cleaning and litter pick-up has resumed across the city, in parks, Business Improvement Areas  and the ByWard Market. This includes an increase in resources and patrolling of the ByWard  Market and Rideau Street during the spring/summer seasons and peak periods to improve overall  cleanliness. In these areas and across the city, staff are also coordinating the removal of  vandalism, which can be reported online or via 3-1-1.  

As more people get out and get active, staff get busy collecting waste in City parks. Last year,  Solid Waste Services expanded the Waste Diversion in Parks Program to a total of 56 locations  containing 3-stream bins. The seasonal bin sets as well as seasonal bins will be returned to their  respective parks as soon as the weather permits.  

This year the refreshed Tree Dedication and Plant Your Place! programs have launched, and  spring tree planting begins in the last week of April, running until late June, weather permitting.  Stay tuned for information about the new proactive approach to replacing trees in the right of way  which will be rolled out in the coming weeks. Weekly tree watering takes place from May to  September. Other tree maintenance activities continue all year and include tree pruning and the  removal of dead or hazardous trees.  

Tree stumping operations will begin in early May and continue through the fall. Forestry  inspection staff continue to respond to service requests for City trees that include assessing  storm damage, monitoring tree and forest health, and enforcing the Tree Protection By-law. 

The Wild Parsnip Management Strategy includes mapping wild parsnip infestation levels, raising  public awareness, and applying herbicides at select locations. A memo providing an update on  the strategy and a map of the spray areas will be circulated to members of Council in the coming  weeks.  

Keeping the City Active & Safe 

The reinstallation of traffic calming flex stakes typically begins by mid-April and should be  completed by mid-June with installation of new locations to follow. The installation of bicycle lane delineators should be completed by mid-May once pavement markings have been refreshed.  Damaged or missing flex stakes or bicycle lane delineators can be reported online or via 3-1-1.

The City offers several options for parking bicycles, including ring-and-post racks at various  locations throughout the city, seasonal on-street bike corrals, and three public secure bike  lockers. 

As temperatures climb, the number of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle users on Ottawa  roads also rises. Staff continue to implement strategies to reduce fatal and major injuries due to  collisions through education, enforcement and engineering practices, as part of the Road Safety  Action Plan – things like pop-up events; digital ‘Think Safety, Act Safely’ awareness campaigns;  continuation of the cyclist detection bollards pilot at signalized intersections and crossings; and  installation of 24 new automated speed enforcement cameras. 

Additionally, the seasonal traffic signal re-lamping program occurs from April to October. This  program deploys staff to inspect, clean and repair traffic signals at over 1,200 intersections,  flashing beacons, and school zone flashers across the city to maintain reliability.  

Seasonal transition activities also include the preparation of ball diamonds, the installation of  volleyball nets and seasonal docks and the activation of sports field lighting controls to support  outdoor recreation amenities, such as skate parks, tennis and basketball courts.  

Many spring park maintenance activities are already underway and will continue over the coming  months, including the removal of rink boards and temporary lights, playground and park  inspections, litter clean-up in parks and the activation of water services for garden plots,  fountains, spray pads, wading pools and irrigation systems and the grooming of public beaches.  The City offers summer seasonal beach parking passes for Petrie Island Beach (789 Trim Road). 

More communications will be coming throughout the spring and early summer to provide timely details on ongoing summer park maintenance services. 

Supporting Residents’ Spring Cleaning 

Solid Waste Services manages the collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of waste  from both curbside homes and multi-residential properties, including leaf and yard waste. During  peak season, leaf and yard waste collection is extended until 8 p.m. Last year, a significant  amount of this waste was kept separate and converted into potting soil at the Barnsdale Leaf and  Yard Waste Compost Facility near the Trail Waste Facility Landfill.

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For residents who are eager to get back to their gardens, starting in the spring, potting soil is  available for purchase at the Trail Waste Facility Landfill while quantities last. Please visit  Ottawa.ca/Leafandyard for updates on availability. 

The City will host nine Household Hazardous Waste events from April 27 to November 1, which  provide a way for residents to dispose of corrosive, flammable or poisonous materials for free. A  memo was recently shared with Council detailing each event. However, residents don’t have to wait for a Household Hazardous Waste event; the City’s Waste Explorer identifies retailers where  many items can be returned daily. 

As always, residents can receive curbside collection reminders and alerts by e-mail or phone by  signing up at Ottawa.ca/Collectioncalendar. Residents may also download the free Ottawa  Collection Calendar mobile app for Apple and Android devices. 

District Boundaries 

Many of the Public Works Department’s services are delivered through a geographic area model. Attached are the maps showing the district boundaries used for spring and summer operations in  Roads, Parks Maintenance and Forestry, the Managers assigned to each district, and the  operations yards located in each ward. 

For more information, to request services or to report an emergency related to operational  maintenance, the community and Councillors’ offices are encouraged to create a service request  online. 

Keeping Council Informed  

As the season progresses, Public Works is committed to keeping Council informed. Be it through  Spring Freshet monitoring updates, Cleaning the Capital plans, street sweeping updates, or  updates on pothole progress, line painting or grass cutting. Public Works’ focus is ensuring timely  and informative updates to support Council’s own communication and engagement with residents  in their Wards.  

For any questions or additional information on the department’s transition to spring operations,  please reach out to any member of the Public Works Departmental Leadership Team. 

Original signed by, 

Alain Gonthier 

General Manager 

Public Works Department 

CC: Senior Leadership Team  

Public Works Department Leadership Team 

Chief Communications Officer, Public Information and Media Relations

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