Transportation MVCA

Transportation Report

February 2012

Please refer back to this page from time to time as I will be using it to update the community on transportation (and transit) projects and issues affecting the community.

Please write me at transportation@manotickvca.org with your concerns and ideas. And if you wish to contribute, we are currently looking for additional sub-committee members.

Thank-you,

Klaus Beltzner, B.Sc., M.Math., M.B.A.., Sub-committee Chair

Additional Bridge Street Truck Traffic anticipated from Fall 2013 to Winter 2015 despite Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge becoming operational

As we heard, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario will be widening the Queensway to 4 lanes in each direction between Blair and Nicholas with work starting this year. This will disrupt and lengthen daily commutes for many including for residents of Manotick who commute to points north of the Queensway between Nicholas and Blair.

However, the most serious impact on Manotick is an anticipated significant increase in "ring road" bypass traffic starting this Fall (2012) and not subsiding until Winter 2015. Specifically, we can expect additional Queensway by-pass truck traffic coming through Manotick - all day and most significantly, all night due to Queensway lane reductions and closures. The opening of the Strandherd/Armstrong Bridge is not expected to lessen the increased Queensway bypass (Ring Road) truck traffic through Manotick as the new bridge has been designed primarily for Barrhaven-Riverside South community connectivity. The sad reality is that the Standherd-Armstrong route is actually not useful as a Queensway bypass route due to the dozens of traffic lights, significant all day local traffic and low suburban speed limits on Strandherd, and because there is no direct connectivity of this route with Hwy 417 in the east.

Schedule of Work:

Whereas the work on widening the Queensway will start with the least disruptive elements first, there will be significant disruption of Queensway traffic between Blair and Nicholas starting Fall 2012 and continuing to Winter 2015 as well as significant traffic impacts due to lane reductions and road closures on Belfast, St. Laurent and Vanier Parkway/Riverside near the Queensway, and the complete multi-year road closure of Lees Ave and Robinson Avenue.

This Summer (2012) work will start on widening the piers at Hurdman Bridge and work will begin to widen the 417 on the outside. The work will involve night work with temporary lane closures on Highway 417.

Starting in the Fall of 2012 and continuing to Winter 2015, work will begin to replace the various road bridges over the Queensway using rapid overpass replacement techniques. Affected roads/bridges include:
- Lees Avenue bridge (2 overnight closures of 417); however, Lees Ave will need to be closed for a period of 10-12 weeks to accommodate work on the sub-structure
- Belfast Road Bridge (2 overnight closures of 417); and Belfast Road will need to be closed for a 36 hr period to facilitate bridge replacement.
- Vanier Parkway Bridge (2 overnight closures of 417); and Vanier Parkway/Riverside will need to be closed for a 36 hr period to facilitate replacement.

Over this period (Fall 2012 -2015), there will be a need for various road, lane and ramp closures. Here is an overview summary:

1. S-E Lees on-ramp closed to traffic: full long term closure of approx 3 years (Fall 2012 - 2015)
2. N-E Nicholas on-ramp closed to traffic: Multiple Nightly Closures
3. N-E Nicholas off-ramp closed to traffic: Multiple Nightly Closures
4. Lees Avenue and Robinson Avenue closed to traffic: 10-12 week closure of Lees Avenue from the closed S-E Lees on-ramp to Chapel Crescent and 2 overnight closures of Robinson Avenue
5. Eastbound (W-N/S) and Westbound (E-N/S) off ramps at Vanier/Riverside closed to traffic: reduced W-N/S ramp to single lane off ramp, multiple nightly lane reductions and closures
6. S-E Riverside on-ramp closed to traffic: multiple nightly closures
7. N-E, S-W and N-W on-ramps at Vanier/Riverside closed to traffic: 1-4 week closure per ramp, multiple nightly closures, two (1-4 week) of the N-W on-ramp, two (1-4 week) closure of N-E on ramp
8. Vanier Parkway closed to traffic: 1-4 weeks of single lane closure
9. Belfast Road closed to traffic" 36 closure of Belfast Road from Tremblay to Conventry
10. Eastbound (W-N/S) off ramp closed at St. Laurent closed to traffic: multiple nightly closures and nightly Queensway lane reductions
11. Westbound (E-N/S) off ramp and N-E on ramp at St. Laurent closed to traffic: multiple nightly closures
12. S-E on-ramp at St. Laurent closed to all traffic: multiple nightly closures
13. N-W and S-W on ramps at St. Laurent closed to traffic: multiple nightly closures
14. Single lane reductions on St. Laurent Blvd in both directions: Fall 2012 to Fall 2013 approx. (could be longer)
15. Access from 417 WB to St.Laurent eliminated: permanent closure (Fall 2013 onwards)
16. Single lane reductions on Hwy 174 (Blair to the Split): Spring 2013 to Fall 2013
17. Lane reduction on 417 WB and EB between Split and Nicholas: Multiple nightly single lane reductions

In addition: Up to six overnight closures of the Queensway to remove and replace three bridges

For more information, please visit http://queenswayexpansioneast.com/reports/Hwy%20417%20Expansion%20-%20Project%20Overview.pdf

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