Summer closure for U of O tunnel

Construction project set for station

A key east-west cycling and pedestrian connection at the University of Ottawa will be closed for the summer to undergo a major facelift as part of light rail construction.

The tunnel underneath Nicholas Street and the Transitway, which is used heavily in travel between the campus, Sandy Hill and the west side of the Rideau Canal, will close from May 2 to Aug. 22 as crews tear down the Transitway bridge and reconfigure an adjacent plaza as part of construction of the new uOttawa LRT station.

The Nicholas overpass won’t be replaced, partly because Nicholas will be used by some OC Transpo buses that would normally travel along the Transitway.

The spot is a linchpin for east-west travellers as it connects a cycling spine that includes the Corktown Footbridge over the canal and the new Adàwe crossing over the Rideau River.

The city says the 16-week closure is needed to “permit the safe demolition and reconstruction of the transit station at uOttawa.”

Directional signs and detour maps will soon be installed on both sides of the tunnel, on the university campus, at both the Corktown and Adàwe bridges, and on Elgin and Somerset streets, the city says.

Pedestrians and cyclists will be directed to use pathways on either side of Colonel By Drive to connect with Laurier.

Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney said last week the detour might not be too arduous for cyclists, but something must be done for pedestrians, especially Golden Triangle residents who use Campus station.

She called for a shuttle service to run during morning and afternoon peak periods down Elgin and Laurier to deliver people to the nearest Transitway stop.

During the tunnel closure, OC Transpo will add extra rush-hour buses on routes 5 and 14, which operate along Elgin and connect with near Transitway stops on Slater and Albert.

When the underpass reopens in August, the city says construction hoarding will still be evident but the passageway will be safe for users.