Distance-conscious walkers get space
The number of pedestrians on a pathway between Byron Avenue and Richmond Road has been growing as the temperature rises and people escape for a bit of fresh air during the COVID-19 clampdown, prompting the local councillor to make more space for them on the road.
Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said he has received the city’s blessing to restrict cars on Byron Avenue between Redwood and Golden avenues to local traffic starting Thursday.
That means people who live on that 1.2-kilometre stretch of Byron Avenue can still leave with their cars and drive them home, but cutthrough vehicular traffic won’t be tolerated. The city has been cold to the idea of closing roads or narrowing the car space in favour of a wider walking and cycling space at a time of physical distancing, but Leiper has come up with an alternative.
Leiper said he wants people using the pathway to have another option to maintain the physical distancing recommendations emphasized by public health officials. People are supposed to keep two metres apart.
Reducing the volume of cars on that section of Byron Avenue will make the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists to use as another option, Leiper said, calling the move a “small intervention” that he hopes to replicate in other parts of the central-west ward.
There isn’t a lot of car traffic on
Byron Avenue, especially in the novel coronavirus era, so the impact to motorists won’t be significant.
Mayor Jim Watson and city staff have been unenthusiastic about the idea of completely closing roads in favour of making additional walking and cycling space.
During a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday, the city’s head of emergency and protective services, Anthony Di Monte, said municipal resources are focused on supporting the health unit’s fight against the spread of COVID-19.
Di Monte said if the city wanted to close a road, staff would be required to complete an analysis of the impact and, if approved, deliver barricades to the site.
The city needs to consider complications for public transit and emergency services when talking about road restrictions, Di Monte said.
“I think there’s other solutions in the community to allow people to walk around and get some fresh air and not necessarily need the intense work to be able to close off streets,” Di Monte said.
The National Capital Commission, too, is concerned about protecting access for transit and emergency vehicles on its roads.
The NCC has declined requests to close parkways to allow for more walking and cycling space.
“At this time, roadway closures to vehicle traffic will not be possible due to logistical challenges, staffing requirements and the need to ensure continued access for transit and emergency services,” spokesperson Corey Larocque said in an emailed statement. "More information will be made available in due course”
Leiper said councillors will need to be creative if they want to increase walking space for residents in their communities, which is why he’s trying out the traffic restriction on Byron Avenue. If it works well, he’ll consider similar treatments in other areas of his ward.
Because city staff last month accepted direction from Watson that any costs for coronavirus-related street restrictions need to come out of councillor ward budgets, Leiper will have to pay for barricades with city funds set aside for traffic-calming activities in Kitchissippi ward.
“Obviously I’m not thrilled with that,” Leiper said.
“I’m working within the reality of the mayor’s direction.”
Leiper said he has to rent 44 barricades, each costing $3 per day, plus there’s a couple hundred bucks for the delivery and pickup of the barricades.
Replicating the car restrictions in other parts of the ward might depend on affordability, Leiper said.
Councillors each have a $50,000 annual budget for traffic-calming measures in their wards, on top of their roughly $270,000 annual office budgets.
For now, Leiper just wants to see how it works on Byron Avenue.
He said his biggest concern is people driving to the area for a stroll.
“I don’t anticipate it’s going to have a huge negative outcome,” Leiper said, predicting residents in other parts of the ward will be asking for a similar local traffic restriction.
“I absolutely anticipate we’re going to get more requests.”