Category: streetscaping

Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping, west wellington

On Streetscaping (iii) Street Lighting

Westsideaction

The street lighting problem … Currently streets are uniformly lit for the benefit of vehicles in the centre of the road. Lighting intensity may increase at certain intersections. Sidewalks and pedestrians may be in the shadow of vehicles and trees. They do not have lighting levels set to meet their needs or to establish a pleasant urban walking environment. Too much lighting is just as bad as too little lighting if it creates a harsh and unwelcoming environment. Street lights are usually located at a regular distance apart and uniformly set back behind the sidewalk or along the curb. For … Continue reading On Streetscaping (iii) Street Lighting

somerset street, streetscaping

On Streetscaping (ii) the Bulb Out solution

Westsideaction

 The uniformly wide-street problem… Most city streets are of uniform width for blocks: there are vehicle movement lanes and curb side parking. Sometimes the curbside parking is restricted, catering to more moving vehicles. Streets are the same width even when there is no need, for example, parking is illegal at corners and in front of hydrants or wide driveways, but even where parking is prohibited the street remains the same width. Motorists perceive the street as wide and straight, encouraging faster movement. At its worst, this encourages aggressive drivers to “pass on the right” where there are no parked vehicles. For … Continue reading On Streetscaping (ii) the Bulb Out solution

somerset street, streetscaping

On Streetscaping (i)

Westsideaction

 The planning process for the reconstruction of Somerset Street is underway. It is an accelerated process, since the streetscaping component is getting underway now, for construction this year from West Wellington over the Otrain to Preston, and construction in 2010 from Preston to Booth. Presumably the style of streetscaping selected for these segments will be later extended from Booth further east through Chinatown. Purpose of streetscaping: an improved pedestrian and cyclist environment, minimized through traffic, with reasonable accommodation for parked vehicles. Somerset looking west from Preston; Plant Rec Ctr to the left Part (i): Wider Sidewalks The problem … Historically, … Continue reading On Streetscaping (i)

pedestrians, streetscaping

Dipsy Doo for Cars

Westsideaction

All pedestrians complain at the roller coaster sidewalks Ottawa inflicts on pedestrians. No driveway is too small or too seldom used that it can’t have a dip in the sidewalk. I had hoped that with the reconstruction of West Wellington, Somerset, Preston, and other streets with new wider sidewalks that maybe, just maybe, pedestrians could come first. But alas, no, the old patterns reappear even when there is no functional reason. Look at the sidewalk in the picture above. It is set back about 10 feet from the curb, but it still slopes down to a dip. Why can’t a … Continue reading Dipsy Doo for Cars

Preston street, streetscaping

Find the Sidewalk

Westsideaction

As any repeat readers of this blog know by know, I am a big fan of streetscaping. Nonetheless, as a dedicated pedestrian and cyclist (never owned a car)(dont have  TV either !) some of the ways sidewalks get installed drives me nuts. Consistency may be the hobgobblin of little minds, but lets have some sympathy for the sidewalk plow crews and pedestrians at some of these intersections where the the sidewalk contorts itself to follow the curb line (of a bulbout) rather than the desire line of the walker. In the top picture, the sidewalk does not squeeze between the … Continue reading Find the Sidewalk

somerset street, streetscaping, west wellington

The Pattern Under Foot

Westsideaction

Picture 1 shows sidewalk pavers laid on West Wellington in 2009. The pattern repeats often, with the joint lines lining up in long straight lines. The manufacturer’s instructions caution against this pattern, as the eye sees the long lines. Almost the same pattern, laid along West Wellington in 2008 contracts. The pattern is very similar to the top picture, but there are no long lines. Every few meters, the blocks jog a bit to break up the distracting line pattern. I find this a much more pleasing pattern. Does anyone think this matters? Continue reading The Pattern Under Foot

bike path, bikewest, cycling in Ottawa, somerset street, streetscaping

Boring Job

Westsideaction

Whilst walking along Somerset Street just west of the OTrain track, at Breezehill, I came across these gents taking bore-hole samples from the street. Little painted notations every few meters along the street indicate that they will be doing this for weeks. I will nag the Somerset street planners for one bore hole result in particular. It will be the hole bored just a few meters east of the OTrain underpass. Eventually, a segregated bike route (CycloPiste de Preston?)  will be finished along the OTrain corridor, and to be useful it will likely have to pass under Somerset Street. Will it be … Continue reading Boring Job

sewage and drains, streetscaping

Sewer lids, access hatches, etc

Westsideaction

It probably reflects some deep psychological disturbance in my early childhood potty training … but I find I notice sewer lids, (wo)manhole lids, catch basins, access hatches, etc on our streets and sidewalks. They do add interest to our quotidian walkabouts … at least to those who notice them. The photo above is of a new fancy sidewalk made of interlocks. The stones are cut in an even square around the access hatch, and the perimeter filled in with cement. There may well be practical reasons for this, but it does somewhat spoil the look. I notice that on Wellington … Continue reading Sewer lids, access hatches, etc

Preston street, streetscaping

Casulties of the reno

Westsideaction

When reconstructing Preston, some of the dead-end side streets (and there are many) were temporarily opened up to resident access by removing street closures or temporary easements over private properties. The above posts are on the street closure on Elm Street. All the posts were damaged removing them from the ground in the spring. Crews reinserted the posts this fall. Neighbors will be watching to ensure they are replaced with unbroken ones in spring 2010. Continue reading Casulties of the reno

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Corso Italia

Westsideaction

One of the delights of the Preston Street rehabilitation has been the Preston BIA’s remaking of the Queensway underpass into an interesting highlight of the street. Instead of the former dark and dreary underpass, the framed murals and background murals are great eye candy. The west side is Preston Street yesterday and today; the east side is the immigration story. In the spring, the east side sidewalk will be further developed into a place to linger, with special sidewalk light fixtures and paving. The north end of this zone opens onto the parking lot at 301 Preston, which is converted into … Continue reading Corso Italia

streetscaping

Yucca Yuk

Westsideaction

This picture is taken along the city parking structure on Laurier Avenue. Along the south-facing side is a pleasant-but-thin garden. The perennials have been cut back flush to the earth. Notice the hole in the centre. There was a matching hole at the other end of the garden. These were homes to spectacular Yucca plants. Looking straight out of the Arizona & New Mexico deserts, these exotic looking perennials are hardy in Ottawa and send out tall bloom spires. Alas, the mature plants are gone — victims of city maintenance crews or theft? I collected some seeds off this plant in … Continue reading Yucca Yuk

Chinatown, cycling in Ottawa, Plouffe Park, Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping

West Siders can get involved to get the city they want …

Westsideaction

The first meeting of the Bayview-Carling CDP group will be this week…while intended primarily for those who were in the prior process to reacquaint themselves and review the previously identified issues and recommendations, I would think anyone else keen to get involved should contact randolph.wang@ottawa.ca .  The study area is from Bayview along the Otrain track to Carling, and includes the undeveloped/underdeveloped/industrial lands along the route. The initial Public Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, December 10th, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at Room 4102E/4103E, City Hall. The rooms are located on the fourth floor at City Hall. A public advisory group … Continue reading West Siders can get involved to get the city they want …

Bayview, cycling in Ottawa, hintonburg, streetscaping, Trees

Potted Tree Planting

Westsideaction

Tom Brown arena got new front entry paving and landscaping courtesy of the water main installation along Bayview Road. The old front entry had a large concrete planter with low walls. Trees in it rooted right into the underlying soil. A sign on it indicated Tom Brown’s ghost or a concerned neighbor maintained the planting bed. The new entry treatment has lots and lots of trees. I love this aggressive tree planting. One tree philosophy, I’m told, is to plant too many trees in the expectation that some will die. Rather than come back and replace them (which is expensive), they just … Continue reading Potted Tree Planting

Bayview, pedestrians, streetscaping

Pedestrian desires ignored

Westsideaction

The City is pretty much finished its reconstruction, streetscaping, and traffic calming work along Bayview Avenue near Scott. The picture above is of the recently sodded field between Tom Brown arena and the Bayview/Scott/Albert intersection. The dividing line between the old field (left) and new sod (centre) is obvious. Notice how pedestrians cut across the field starting right at the end of the steel crash barrier along the road. The barrier effectively discourages many pedestrians from taking even shorter short cuts; as soon as the barrier ends, a few paths appear immediately. There is a city sidewalk, but it goes … Continue reading Pedestrian desires ignored

streetscaping

Tree will thrive …

Westsideaction

One of the noticeable aspects of the Preston street landscaping project is how aggressive the landscape architect was in sticking in trees and shrubs (she was responding to some pretty intense lobbying by the BIA and residents for more greenery). There are a number of tiny planters like this in the area. Barely four feet square, I wondered how well a tree would thrive in such a small well of space. It should thrive, though, due to the protection of the curb from foot traffic that pounds down the earth, and protection from snow plow damage. But mostly its success … Continue reading Tree will thrive …

Preston street, streetscaping

Structural Earth

Westsideaction

I have dismayed to see the material trees and shrubs are planted in during the reconstruction of Wellington and Preston Streets. How do they expect trees to grow in paving base? I looked closer, and noticed that the gravel is actually very “dirty”. It is a scientific mixture of gravel, clay, and water-holding chemical ‘modules’. Here is a close up of the material, called structural earth: Below is a picture of a bus stop bulb out on Preston Street into which a tree or shrubs will be planted. It is excavated 3.5 ft down and lined in landscaping fabric to … Continue reading Structural Earth

cycling in Ottawa, hintonburg, somerset street, streetscaping

Garland Bike Lane

Westsideaction

West Wellington, like Preston, has been reconstructed to be two lanes of traffic, plus parking bays. There is no marked bike path but the traffic lane is supposed to be so wide it can accomodate cyclists and motorists compatibly. The lane width is rather cosy for cyclists and the No 2 OC Transpo bus or the many trucks in the area. And there are door prizes to be won. Cyclists are also being directed to marked bike routes parallel to West Wellington along two-way Armstrong street. It remains to be seen what amenities cyclists will get along Armstrong (other than … Continue reading Garland Bike Lane

chinatown arch, somerset street, streetscaping

Mini Garden in Chinatown

Westsideaction

This brick planter replaces a rickety wooden one at the corner of Upper Lorne Place and Somerset Street in Chinatown. It is simple, inexpensive, attractive. The Chinatown / Somerset landscape could use more such pocket gardens to soften the landscape and generally improve the look of the area, which tends to look a bit bedraggled, especially with the number of vacant storefronts. Continue reading Mini Garden in Chinatown

Bayview, Plouffe Park, Preston street, streetscaping

Paying for Water Etc.

Westsideaction

Ken Gray over at The Bulldog blog cites the following from a Conference Board study:  “Water charges based on the value of property-or any other fixed measure that is not directly related to water consumption-cannot provide consumers with clear price signals,” said Len Coad, Director, Environment, Energy and Technology. “A cultural shift is required in how we manage our water system. Instead of relying on the tax base and allowing users to pay a below-cost price, those who use the service should pay the full cost of water, including capital expenditures.” I agree fully. The genius of our society is … Continue reading Paying for Water Etc.

Albert St, City Living, streetscaping

The City taketh away …

Westsideaction

Just a block down Albert Street from the new tree planting at the parking lots, the City has removed a dozen trees from their City Living housing projects. These trees were in front of the project at the corner of Albert and Booth, and Albert and Rochester (the trees were removed on the Rochester street side) and the corner of Albert and Preston. As shown in the pictures, these were mature trees, planted about 25 years ago when the housing projects were built. The housing is now undergoing “renewal” by recladding the stucco with artificial wood; and removing the brick sound … Continue reading The City taketh away …

Albert St, streetscaping

The city giveth …

Westsideaction

I rejoice when the City provides some nice landscaping in Dalhousie neighborhood. The City owns some temporary parking lots along Albert Street, between Bronson and the transitway turnoff at the Good Companions centre. They spent some time last month rigorously pruning and thinning the existing tree and shrub growth around the lots, possibly to improve the social safety of the parking lots by making them more open and exposed. Then they added some topsoil, mulch, and planted a dozen trees at the entrance of the lot, which faces Brickhill Street (a tiny street that services the parking lots and connects … Continue reading The city giveth …

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Landscaping takes root on Preston

Westsideaction

One of the true joys of the new streetscaping on Preston street in Little Italy is the abundance of landscaping. The architect has done a marvellous job of squeezing in hundreds of trees (many of small mature size, to fit into small pockets of space) and generous shrub beds. This bed was installed in the spring 09 on part of the street already rebuilt. The rich green shrubs in the foreground are backed up by bright red taller shrubs in the back. This is a pattern repeated in a number of blocks along the street, and is rich in colour … Continue reading Landscaping takes root on Preston