There is much to see looking into the transitway trench near Holland Avenue. The track is being laid for the Confederation Line LRT. In this picture (below) you can see the concrete overlay over the big concrete box-shaped storm sewer … Continue reading Under the Transitway Big Tent
This house on Elm has a front tree bearing bright shovels and rakes. The presence of possibly traumatic (fake?) stuffed birdies means it is not there to amuse the younger set of pedestrians. Art materials can be found anywhere, even at … Continue reading Plastic Art that Amuses
There is always something attractive about the sterotypical mouse hole in the wall. Little arch, small scale, friendly mouse. Then there is this house, where the wood panel separating two front porches was jigsawed out to make this very large … Continue reading Mouse Hole for Posties
An amazing number of infills, new apartments, and other buildings in Ottawa have been using limestone. The modern era version of this popularity seems to date to the last 15 years. I wonder if it is orchestrated (by who?) or … Continue reading Throwing Limestones
On a small lot at the end of the stub end street, up against a small cliff or escarpment, a developer has fitted in a small 18 unit apartment building. IMO, it looks great, superior to many of the … Continue reading Interesting Intensification
Traditional Main Streets were formed in the past. With lot sizes and building sizes to match. That of course is what makes them “traditional” and of a scale many people like. But since their heyday in the 20’s, or 40’s … Continue reading Merivale CDP: Expanding the Traditional Main Street lots
Having yesterday dispatched the “transit priority” concept for Merivale, as being just a tarted up “do nothing” same old – same old option, lipstick on the proverbial pig, what about the other options? They definitely offer something to the adjacent … Continue reading Road diet, complete street options for Merivale
The city is offering four options, or concepts, for improving Merivale in the traditional main street area between the Farm and Carling Avenue. Three of the options involve a road diet, ie right-sizing the road for the amount of traffic … Continue reading Does transit priority really mean … do nothing?
In honour of the No 2 Bus, here is a WSA story from 2012: It was a hot and sunny four o’clock as I left Loblaws in Westboro. My two cloth bags didn’t seem to have much in the line … Continue reading Spaggetti Dinner on the No 2 Bus
Merivale Road is a curious creature. It is a place, a destination, thus functioning as a street. It accesses adjacent land, giving it value. And it also has a somewhat conflicting role as a through road to get from one area … Continue reading The three ages of Merivale
Yesterday we looked at how the western side corners of the ‘abutments’ at the new Bayview LRT Bridge were done. On the west side, the corners were constructed using corner pieces, with a nicely beveled corner: I was curious about how well … Continue reading Retaining walls at Bayview Station, ii
The new Bayview Station site is always interesting to watch. Remember what the old western abutment looked like?: The old abutment was removed, new pillars were constructed, and a new wall is being built to conceal the supporting bridge pillars: … Continue reading Retaining walls at Bayview Station
It is hard to persuade some parts of the city bureaucracy that there are people other than motorists, and that non-automobile transportation is real. I’ve ranted here before that people on cycle paths or multi-user paths (MUPs) are expected to … Continue reading Almost knowing where we are
OK, here’s the hole? Recognize it? Ok, here’s a better shot. Recognize why that hole is there? Behind the rocks? Here’s a clue. Those cyclists needn’t wear a helmet anymore for fear of getting their noggin knocked off by the … Continue reading Tale of a Hole in the Ground
So a few days ago I aired some folk’s grievances about “illegal crossings” and “suicidal” pedestrians. Such behaviour is only irrational when viewed from a motorists perspective. So turn about is fair play. Just like pedestrians and cyclists, motorists seek … Continue reading Unconscious drivers
The nice weather brings out new views of the city. This ByWard Market building has a pleasing red brick colour, and a decorative clock tower. But maybe that clock tower has another function. I was surprised each morning I noticed … Continue reading Out and About in Spring
Safer Roads Ottawa has used city collision data and Bikemaps.org collision and near miss reports for a multi-year period to identify the bike incident hotspots. At first, I was surprised how many of them are clustered along Somerset Street. Recall … Continue reading Ottawa’s top bike incident hotspots
Ottawa is having some success in protecting walkable urban neighbourhoods. Othertimes planning seems designed to ruin the very things that make successful neighbourhoods. The latest threat comes from an unusual source: the fire department. And the target … is safe cycling. The most popular areas in Ottawa are often the older neighbourhoods. They are usually characterized by walkable main streets. The adjacent housing is usually on smaller lots. There are mixed land uses, with a sprinkling of apartments. Curbside parking buffers peds from through traffic. Most things are with an easy cycling distance. When we try to mimic this in … Continue reading Destroying livable Ottawa to save it
As more and more people live in apartment buildings, the role of the balcony needs more scrutiny. Many Ottawa builders, including luxury brands like Charlesfort, aim for the smallest sellable bit of concrete. Others, like Brocolinni, aim to provide exactly … Continue reading Extending the balcony season
Ottawa does have a outdoor wall mural art process. Some pieces are decidedly engaging or attractive. Here, for your Friday viewing pleasure, are some wall murals from other cities, with after and before pictures, courtesy of Bored Panda, via WIMP, via Price … Continue reading Friday Traveller, Urban Wall Art
The story here earlier this week on the the next phase of the Trillium MUP got 1732 views, which indicates to me a keen public interest in expanded cycling and walking infrastructure. ** My colleague Richard Eade has some more … Continue reading More on Trillium MUP, phase 3
Vancouver gasoline prices hit $1.429 per litre on Sunday. What is happening here? Richard Eade has some commentary. (above: photo in Vancouver Sun a few days ago) http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/gasoline-shortage-fuels-price-hike-in-lower-mainland Two days ago I filled our car at $1.009 per litre. When I … Continue reading On Gasoline Prices
As part of the conversion of our transit system from all-bus to a bus-train combination, OC Transpo is changing a lot of routes to become feeders to the new stations. Some of these routes will be in effect in fall … Continue reading New OC Transpo bus branding rolls out
The recently constructed paved Trillium Pathway currently terminates as it crosses Carling Avenue, in the top left corner of the above aerial view. Those who persevere can follow the worn out remainders of the NCC’s 1963 stonedust pathway along the … Continue reading Trillium MUP Phase 3, aka OTrain path extension
Trinity Developments is proposing a large development at 900 Albert, by Bayview Station. While the actually project isn’t yet approved, and certainly requires much improvement before it can be approved, given that it is currently an ungainly awkward blob of … Continue reading 900 Albert, site clearance at Bayview Station
