BE PREPARED TO STOP... AND GO

Brace yourself, drivers: Ottawa’s road construction season is about to kick off in earnest, with the city earmarking $240 million for infrastructure work on roads, sidewalks, bridges, culverts and sewers. Matthew Pearson reports.

Ottawa’s road construction season will ramp up soon as the city works toward the completion of the Confederation light-rail line in 2018.

Many of the projects highlighted Thursday at the annual technical briefing for spring and summer construction are intimately connected to the $2.1-billion project, which will bring rail service to transit users between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations.

The city has budgeted $240 million this year for infrastructure work on roads, sidewalks, bridges, culverts and sewers across the city.

It has earmarked another $180 million for new projects to meet demand in the growing city, including 16 kilometres of cycling and multi-use pathways, and six kilometres of sidewalk.

And there’s $25 million for road-resurfacing projects expected to produce 85 kilometres of repaved roadways by the end of this year.

“No matter where we live, we are all feeling the impacts of heightened construction in one way or another,” said Knoxdale Merivale Coun. Keith Egli, who chairs the city’s transportation committee.

“But it is all for a greater purpose, as we hate to say: ‘short term pain for long term gain.’ ”

He then joked that Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais ends that adage with: “long-term train.”

ROADS, ROADS, ROADS

Resurfacing projects are slated for the following: Conroy Road, Kinburn Side Road, King Edward Avenue, Knoxdale Road, Long Island Road, Maitland Avenue, Ogilvie Road, Richardson Side Road, Seyton Drive, Scott Street and Swale Road.

Meanwhile, major road reconstruction projects are expected on: Albert Street, First Avenue, Greenbank Road, Highway 417, Innes Road, Irving Avenue, Laurentian Avenue, Main Street, Queen Street, Rideau Valley Drive South and Sussex Drive.

TUNNEL TALK

The 1.2-kilometre tunnel downtown is more than 50 per cent excavated and work is also proceeding on the caverns at the three downtown stations — Lyon, Parliament and Rideau.

Efforts are now focused on the remaining segment between Parliament and Rideau stations.

Work is also ongoing at the new Belfast Yard administration and maintenance building, where the new Alstom Citadis Spirit trains will be kept at night.

EASTERN PART OF TRANSITWAY TO CLOSE

In order to convert the rapid bus line to rail, transit service along a section of the Transitway between Hurdman and Blair stations will be relocated to new bus lanes on Regional Road 174, Highway 417 and other parallel corridors.

The closure could lengthen some trips by as long as 16 minutes, but OC Transpo will also introduce a new Route 91, which many customers who currently ride Route 95 might find faster.

Route 91 will operate between Trim/Place d’ Orléans and Baseline stations Monday to Friday from about 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The 91 will run every four to five minutes in peak periods and every seven to eight minutes at midday.

The new Route 91 service will skip Train, Hurdman and Lees stations to provide riders with more direct service in and out of the downtown core.

Once the Transitway fully closes next year, it will remain closed until 2018 when the Confederation line opens.

TRAFFIC HOT SPOTS

Although numerous road construction projects will be happening at once across the city, only some are expected to delay drivers by more than 15 minutes. They include:

MacDonald Cartier bridge: lane reductions between April and August; Nicholas utility work and bridge repairs: The street will be reduced to one lane per direction for utilities work in May and June, and bridge repairs in July and August; Main Street reconstruction: tentative start date is in June; street will be closed northbound and reduced to one lane southbound; McIlraith bridge lane reductions: reduced to one lane per direction starting in May; Highway 417 westbound ramp to Ottawa Regional Road 174 eastbound: full ramp closure as of June 28 until light-rail construction is completed in 2018; this will allow OC Transpo buses to remain in a dedicated bus lane, instead of merging with traffic.

It’s expected some drivers may choose Innes Road as an alternative route, so the city will begin widening eastbound lanes in May.