Albert St, Booth St

Boxing Day

Westsideaction

Familiar pale green utility boxes like this occupy many city boulevards. This one belongs to Rogers. Note the clever use of all-canadian duct tape to hold the box together. Inside the box appear to car-like batteries. Lead? Acid? Looks perfectly safe to me. The box in question is on the left, in the snow. The sidewalk squeezes between the post and the box because … the city widened the road in the early 1980s but declined to relocate the utility pole. The sidewalk used to run unobstructed on the right side of the pole. The resultant squeeze play pinches the … Continue reading Boxing Day

streetscaping

Improved …

Westsideaction

Until last year, this house dripped water all winter onto the centre of the pedestrian sidewalk. By mid January, a six to ten inch mound of ice, like a long glacier tongue, stretched the length of the building on the centre of the sidewalk. The city sidewalk plows were unable to stay on the walk, so the situation got worse and worse through the winter. In 2009, as part of a streetscaping project, the sidewalk was widened and moved out further into the city right of way. Now this house, and its neighbours up and down the street, drips largely … Continue reading Improved …

Preston street

When Fire Strikes

Westsideaction

There was a fire last week at the Little Italy Florist. The front facade was not badly damaged. Most of the fire seemed to have been in the rear part of the building. The “baloon frame” construction popular around 1910, when many of the houses of the area were built, is readily visible. Long studs — 16′ — stretched from the foundation up two floors, without any fire stops or sills at the second floor. Today a two storey house is more likely to built with 8-10′ studs on a platform (floor level) then a sill and platform built for … Continue reading When Fire Strikes

Chinatown, little Italy, pedestrians, Plouffe Park, Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping

Somerset Streetscaping – can it get back on the road?

Westsideaction

The first meeting of stakeholders got together on Tuesday evening to discuss the streetscaping project on Somerset Street. The 2010 portion is from Preston to West Wellie. The portion shown above is in the Preston BIA catchment area. The portion beyond the bridge is in Hintonburg (Kitchissipi ward) and the Hintonburg BIA. In 2011 the section from Preston to Booth will be done. That is the area behind the viewer in the above picture. It falls in the Chinatown BIA. Yup, in a territory walkable in barely five minutes, there are two wards, 3 BIAs, 2 community associations, and other stakeholders. A nice streetscaping project might be do-able … Continue reading Somerset Streetscaping – can it get back on the road?

little Italy, Preston street

Corso Italia meets Via Marconi

Westsideaction

As part of the Preston streetscaping project, major changes will be coming to the intersection of Preston/Gladstone. The pavement pattern has been approved. It will be installed and maintained by the Preston BIA. The planned use of brick pavers has run into technical snags, however, and alternative paving materials are being examined. The BIA is also planning a celebratory sculpture arrangement at the corner. The draft concept sketch shown above is of 24′ high soccer players  made of concrete, metal,  and stained glass.  There would be benches along their feet. Continue reading Corso Italia meets Via Marconi

somerset street, streetscaping, Trees

On streetscaping (vi) Trees

Westsideaction

The urban tree problem … Trees in the built-up city face difficult conditions. Among these are tiny porous surfaces around the bases (the city minimum porous surface was 4’x4’ and this became the maximum space, even when room was available); packed earth or paving base as “growing media”; pollution; car damage; snow removal damage from city crews or contractors; hostile property owners who remove street trees; cultural hostility from groups that feel trees are invasive or unlucky; sidewalk repairs that reduce tree wells; overhead wiring and over-zealous “pruning” and trimming by utilities, etc. City standards are sometimes unhelpful. The city may require … Continue reading On streetscaping (vi) Trees

somerset street, streetscaping

On streetscaping (v) a question of style

Westsideaction

Streetscaping usually involves the reconstruction of sidewalks and adjacent spaces with new concrete and other paving materials. Decorative lighting and other elements may be employed. If a single style of paving and lighting is employed along the entire street a sense of cohesiveness and integration results. If overdone, this can become boring. On very long streets, or streets where there are several distinct “zones” (such as a high rise zone, a residential zone, and a commercial zone) it might be appropriate to vary the streetscaping style from zone to zone to best achieve the desired effect. Generally, in Dalhousie ward, … Continue reading On streetscaping (v) a question of style

somerset street, streetscaping

On Streetscaping (iv) Drainage

Westsideaction

The drainage problem … The current geometry of streets has the highest point along the centre line of the street. Water drains to the curb, adjacent the sidewalk. Catch basins are located along the curb. Where vehicles drive adjacent the curb, they trail a cloud of dirty airborne water and splash water and slush onto the sidewalk. Where parking is permitted along the curb, vehicles block the snow from melting and pack it down into ice. Salt creates puddles of slush and ice at every driveway dip in the sidewalk, creating a hazardous and unpleasant pedestrian environment. When bulb outs … Continue reading On Streetscaping (iv) Drainage

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)

bike path, bikewest, cycling in Ottawa, LRT

More Detroit can do it … can Ottawa?

Westsideaction

http://www.metropolismag.com/ Shown is the Dequindre Cut, a former sunken rail line running through downtown Detroit. The St Clair River is in the background, with Windsor on the far (south!) side. Detroit is reserving some of the cut for a future LRT line, but first it has built a bi-directional bike route and accompanying pedestrian path, with landscaping. Because the path is grade-separated from the street grid it is fast, direct, intersection-free, and has freeway-style on and off ramps that take cyclists in and out of the cut. Detroit feels it is lucky to have a straight-line bike path going directly through … Continue reading More Detroit can do it … can Ottawa?

DOTT, LRT, oc Transpo

More Turkey Talk on Tunnel

Westsideaction

In a previous post on the downtown Ottawa transit tunnel (DOTT) I mentioned a presentation I saw at Transit Committee on Dec 16th comparing the surface and tunnel options. The Committee has provided me with a copy of the powerpoint presentation by the Downtown Coalition. Here are the key slides, including the $100 million dollar saving figure. This figure might mean the tunnel saves $100m over a surface rail option, or that the tunnel saves $100m over the current BRT operation, its unclear to me. Their conclusion however remains that the tunnel has a reasonably quick payback period. Double click pictures … Continue reading More Turkey Talk on Tunnel

Bayview Otrain, DOTT, LRT, Transit

Transit Stations … What will we get? …

Westsideaction

Detroit’s downtown city bus station This photo is of a new centre-island transit station in Detroit. Detroit is not the most viable city in the USA. We’re not Flint … nor Detroit. Will Ottawa’s LRT system get anything as nice? It has a tensile fabric outdoor shelter at the bus loading platforms and there is also a elevated people-mover station platform. The air conditioned and heated glass waiting room building is 25,000 sq ft, includes washrooms, ticketing, and shops. The whole thing cost $22 million dollars, and opened in June 09. And here’s the kicker: the entire terminal complex serves about 12,000 passengers … Continue reading Transit Stations … What will we get? …

bikewest, cycling in Ottawa

On-Road Cycling Hazardous to cyclists?

Westsideaction

click on table to enlarge – you should see 4 columns In 2008 there were 292 collisions involving cyclists. My wife almost became one of the fatalities when she was doored two years ago on Bank Street in the Glebe. I have some interest in cycling safety. The above table is from a city report to transportation committee this Wed. Jan 6th. Please notice that it covers a three year time period and only records the most hazardous zones, ie where there are repeat cycling collisions that result in injury or damages over $1000 (it covers 84 of an estimated 876 … Continue reading On-Road Cycling Hazardous to cyclists?

pedestrians

Good news for pedestrians

Westsideaction

Oh my, I do rant and rave sometimes about sidewalks and the indignities the City inflicts on us pedestrians and cyclists. Yet modern society does have its benefits. Consider the horse souvenirs in the photo above. In my father’s day, the kids on Christie Street used these renewable recyclable resources for street hockey. Fortunately, modern city pedestrians seldom experience these equine memorabilia. The photo above was taken at Upper Canada Village. Readers with memories may recall the nice Xmas pictures posted on this blog on the 24th and 25th of December of the village Alight at Night. While my companions … Continue reading Good news for pedestrians

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

pedestrians, Primrose

Windsor should be happy

Westsideaction

From time to time we pedestrians find mysterious heaps of salt on the sidewalk. The little Everest shown is on Primrose Street in front of the park. Presumably, a sidwalk plow was re-loaded with salt at that point, and a little spilled over. Oops. I wonder how many street trees are mysteriously dead in the spring, or concrete surfaces pitted from unknown causes … when the spring comes, the evidence of the salt dump cause disappears. Windsor, or the Magdalene Islands, or where-ever it is that our fair city buys its salt from, should be happy at our generous distribution … Continue reading Windsor should be happy

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

Albert St, bike path, bikewest, cycling in Ottawa

Winter Cycling Path Maintenance

Westsideaction

Alright, I admit that the multipurpose path on the north side of Albert between Bronson and Bayview is not really an official cycling path. If it were, it wouldn’t be plowed in the winter, because the City and NCC do not maintain cycle paths in the winter. But since this is officially a sidewalk  … it just happens to look like and function like and get used like a bike path … it gets plowed and winter maintained. I thought this path provided some insight into the feasibility of winter cycling in Ottawa. Continue reading Winter Cycling Path Maintenance

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

DOTT, downtown, LRT, Transit

Transit Tunnel is no Turkey

Westsideaction

The usual suspects are carping about the transit tunnel, again. Did the province provide funding? Apparently no good news is good enough — they didn’t provide 15-25% more than was asked for … so it’s disaster time. Ring-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. It’s disaster time in the city … So what might happen if the tunnel portion was cancelled? Critics are quick to attach huge price tags to the tunnel portion. But these won’t disappear if the tunnel is cancelled. After all the tunnel includes tracks (won’t these be needed for the surface rail?); it includes stations and platforms (which will be needed … Continue reading Transit Tunnel is no Turkey

bike path, bikewest, cycling in Ottawa

CBC Interview on BikeWest

Westsideaction

Last Monday, CBC afternoon show interviewed Eric Darwin about progress BikeWest apparently made at transit committee. You can hear the short interview by clicking here: http://www.ericdarwin.ca/CBC_Interview_2.mp3. The text of the BikeWest proposal (downloadable) can be found at this coordinate: http://www.ericdarwin.ca/BikeWestReport.doc. However, note that I do intend to update this document in the next two weeks to reflect newer information. The report is rather fat, because it has a lot of pictures in it. Continue reading CBC Interview on BikeWest