Month: July 2010

Chinatown, chinatown arch, somerset street

No 2 resumes passage, further blockage expected

Westsideaction

On July 29 Somerset Street was reopened under the new Chinatown Royal Arch, after a two month closure to vehicles. The No 2 bus route resumed passage through Chinatown. The sidewalks have been relaid and provide a more comfortable and direct route for pedestrians again. The scaffolding remains around the Arch for the use of the painters coming from China who will apply 17 coats of paint to the make the arch more colourful. Meanwhile, just a few blocks further west on Somerset, construction has started for the new utilities and streetscaping. Major work will be completed this fall, but … Continue reading No 2 resumes passage, further blockage expected

Chinatown, chinatown arch, somerset street

No 2 resumes passage, further blockage expected

Westsideaction

On July 29 Somerset Street was reopened under the new Chinatown Royal Arch, after a two month closure to vehicles. The No 2 bus route resumed passage through Chinatown. The sidewalks have been relaid and provide a more comfortable and direct route for pedestrians again. The scaffolding remains around the Arch for the use of the painters coming from China who will apply 17 coats of paint to the make the arch more colourful. Meanwhile, just a few blocks further west on Somerset, construction has started for the new utilities and streetscaping. Major work will be completed this fall, but … Continue reading No 2 resumes passage, further blockage expected

City Hall, cycling in Ottawa, roads1 Comment

Gov’t Downsizing

Westsideaction

These mini-traffic lights were on a post in Gatineau. I could not determine if they were for cyclists. Or pedestrians. Or if they went off and on with the bigger lights. I recall seeing these everywhere in France, but that is because they skip the big light fixtures on the far side of the intersection in favour of big ones over the stop line only. The plethora of push buttons didn’t make it any clearer. I eventually walked my bike across against a red light (I was on a bike path detour that led me to the intersection and abandonned … Continue reading Gov’t Downsizing

City Hall, cycling in Ottawa, roads

Gov’t Downsizing

Westsideaction

These mini-traffic lights were on a post in Gatineau. I could not determine if they were for cyclists. Or pedestrians. Or if they went off and on with the bigger lights. I recall seeing these everywhere in France, but that is because they skip the big light fixtures on the far side of the intersection in favour of big ones over the stop line only. The plethora of push buttons didn’t make it any clearer. I eventually walked my bike across against a red light (I was on a bike path detour that led me to the intersection and abandonned … Continue reading Gov’t Downsizing

parking3 Comments

Enjoying nature

Westsideaction

I was cycling around the Ottawa West neighborhood the other day: Northwestern, Cowley, Patricia, Carleton. This long lineup of parked cars is on the roadside parking lot where a neighborhood path goes under the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. Once on the path, I looked for all these people, but the area was deserted. Alas, they were just the abandonned bits of personal transporters left behind by cubicle farmers at Tunney’s Pasture. Free parking, no posted time limit. Continue reading Enjoying nature

parking

Enjoying nature

Westsideaction

I was cycling around the Ottawa West neighborhood the other day: Northwestern, Cowley, Patricia, Carleton. This long lineup of parked cars is on the roadside parking lot where a neighborhood path goes under the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. Once on the path, I looked for all these people, but the area was deserted. Alas, they were just the abandonned bits of personal transporters left behind by cubicle farmers at Tunney’s Pasture. Free parking, no posted time limit. Continue reading Enjoying nature

Claridge, condos, LeBreton Flats1 Comment

Animating LeBreton Flats streets

Westsideaction

The picture above is a new condo door installed by Claridge on its ground floor condos on Lett Street (LeBreton Flats, under the yellow tower). It is highly significant. City and NCC plans for the development call for animated streets, full of people walking, playing, shopping … but the first phase building as regular sliding doors on all ground floor units. You know, patio doors. No lock nor key to access them from the outside. No lobby space inside those doors, just step straight into the living room. In short, the developer paid lip service to the notion of animated … Continue reading Animating LeBreton Flats streets

Claridge, condos, LeBreton Flats

Animating LeBreton Flats streets

Westsideaction

The picture above is a new condo door installed by Claridge on its ground floor condos on Lett Street (LeBreton Flats, under the yellow tower). It is highly significant. City and NCC plans for the development call for animated streets, full of people walking, playing, shopping … but the first phase building as regular sliding doors on all ground floor units. You know, patio doors. No lock nor key to access them from the outside. No lobby space inside those doors, just step straight into the living room. In short, the developer paid lip service to the notion of animated … Continue reading Animating LeBreton Flats streets

Bayview, cycling in Ottawa, pedestrians5 Comments

Sidewalk to No-where

Westsideaction

the sidewalk on the west side of Sliddel approaching the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway The sidewalk on the east side of Sliddel Sliddel is a little street that connects the new trafic roundabout at Bayview-Burnside to the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. As shown, it has sidewalk stubs that sort of die as they approach the NCC lands. The City and NCC had no apparent problems with deciding where to put cars, curbs, traffic signals, and sod. They have lots more problems with pedestrians and cyclists. Why dont the sidewalks go right out the traffic lights where people cross? According to … Continue reading Sidewalk to No-where

Bayview, cycling in Ottawa, pedestrians

Sidewalk to No-where

Westsideaction

the sidewalk on the west side of Sliddel approaching the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway The sidewalk on the east side of Sliddel Sliddel is a little street that connects the new trafic roundabout at Bayview-Burnside to the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. As shown, it has sidewalk stubs that sort of die as they approach the NCC lands. The City and NCC had no apparent problems with deciding where to put cars, curbs, traffic signals, and sod. They have lots more problems with pedestrians and cyclists. Why dont the sidewalks go right out the traffic lights where people cross? According to … Continue reading Sidewalk to No-where

chinatown arch

The east is red

Westsideaction

Woodblocks with Chinese wishes on them, to be stamped into the red cement at the Chinatown Royal Arch. Placing the imprint at the corners of red cement inserts beneath the arch. Detail of the roof tiles. The road detour at the Chinatown Arch comes off at the end  of this week. Chinese artisans arrive next weekend for the next phase of the Arch project: installing 17 coats of paint on the arch. For more frequent Arch pictures and news, go to http://www.ottawachinatownroyalarch.blogspot.com/ Continue reading The east is red

chinatown arch

The east is red

Westsideaction

Woodblocks with Chinese wishes on them, to be stamped into the red cement at the Chinatown Royal Arch. Placing the imprint at the corners of red cement inserts beneath the arch. Detail of the roof tiles. The road detour at the Chinatown Arch comes off at the end  of this week. Chinese artisans arrive next weekend for the next phase of the Arch project: installing 17 coats of paint on the arch. For more frequent Arch pictures and news, go to http://www.ottawachinatownroyalarch.blogspot.com/ Continue reading The east is red

bike path, cyclopiste de preston, little Italy3 Comments

Highway to nowhere

Westsideaction

The city’s roads department has its signals branch located on Gladstone on either side of the O-Train cut. The yards are full of signal poles and light fixtures. Mostly these lights are “out” at night; but one recent evening there were multiple heads cycling through red-yellow-green.  Immediately behind them is a dense patch of bush, through which a ped path winds that will someday become the cycling path along the Otrain corridor. Continue reading Highway to nowhere

bike path, cyclopiste de preston, little Italy

Highway to nowhere

Westsideaction

The city’s roads department has its signals branch located on Gladstone on either side of the O-Train cut. The yards are full of signal poles and light fixtures. Mostly these lights are “out” at night; but one recent evening there were multiple heads cycling through red-yellow-green.  Immediately behind them is a dense patch of bush, through which a ped path winds that will someday become the cycling path along the Otrain corridor. Continue reading Highway to nowhere

cycling in Ottawa6 Comments

Metering thoughts

Westsideaction

The City continues — with some delays* — to replace parking meters with pay-and-display kiosks. The old meters are not immediately removed, however, since motorists are used to what they look like and seek them out. Instead, each one is converted for six months or so to signs telling motorists to look for the pay-and-display kiosk. After that breaking in period, the old meters are removed. All of them. A small percentage of them — 12% —  will be retrofited to become bike hitching posts. The city will then go out to find places to locate these new posts. Some … Continue reading Metering thoughts

cycling in Ottawa

Metering thoughts

Westsideaction

The City continues — with some delays* — to replace parking meters with pay-and-display kiosks. The old meters are not immediately removed, however, since motorists are used to what they look like and seek them out. Instead, each one is converted for six months or so to signs telling motorists to look for the pay-and-display kiosk. After that breaking in period, the old meters are removed. All of them. A small percentage of them — 12% —  will be retrofited to become bike hitching posts. The city will then go out to find places to locate these new posts. Some … Continue reading Metering thoughts

Carling Ave, Dows Lake, streetscaping4 Comments

A different climate

Westsideaction

This is the centre boulevard of Carling Avenue. The section from the Otrain to Bronson is to be reconstructed in 2011. This section will NOT be dug up  should the city decide to run an LRT along the Carling median. Also note that the city plows streets to the side only, so the centre boulevard is not used for snow storage. So what is put down in the 2011 reconstruction is what we will see for the next half century or more. At the open house, I suggested the median be landscaped properly. I suggested there be a 18″ setback … Continue reading A different climate

Carling Ave, Dows Lake, streetscaping

A different climate

Westsideaction

This is the centre boulevard of Carling Avenue. The section from the Otrain to Bronson is to be reconstructed in 2011. This section will NOT be dug up  should the city decide to run an LRT along the Carling median. Also note that the city plows streets to the side only, so the centre boulevard is not used for snow storage. So what is put down in the 2011 reconstruction is what we will see for the next half century or more. At the open house, I suggested the median be landscaped properly. I suggested there be a 18″ setback … Continue reading A different climate

Bronson

More on Bronson Road Diet

Westsideaction

This morning the CBC did a follow up interview on the problem with Bronson. They interviewed Dan Burden, who is a leading proponent of road diets. I have used his materials in suggesting to the city that Bronson needs to be put on a diet, and their answer, without any justification, is always … “no”.  You can now listen to this interview at http://www.ericdarwin.ca/downloads/CBC_Bronson_Road_Diet.mp3   He points out that some cities are already up to their thirty-third road being put on a “diet” and dear old Ottawa won’t even consider putting one road on a diet. Sigh. Continue reading More on Bronson Road Diet

Bronson

More on Bronson Road Diet

Westsideaction

This morning the CBC did a follow up interview on the problem with Bronson. They interviewed Dan Burden, who is a leading proponent of road diets. I have used his materials in suggesting to the city that Bronson needs to be put on a diet, and their answer, without any justification, is always … “no”. You can listen to his interview here:  http://www.cbc.ca/ottawamorning/Select the story called “road diet”. He points out that some cities are already up to their thirty-third road being put on a “diet” and dear old Ottawa won’t even consider putting one road on a diet. Sigh. Continue reading More on Bronson Road Diet

Bronson2 Comments

Bronson road diet

Westsideaction

Your blogger was interviewed on CBC radio this morning about the Bronson issues. He was also a news story in the local news lineup. You may be able to hear the interview by going to http://www.ericdarwin.ca/downloads/CBC_Bronson_Fake_Trees.mp3 The story must have gotten some feedback, since they followed up looking for additional people to interview in the coming days on the subject of road diets. Continue reading Bronson road diet

downtown1 Comment

Place de Dominos

Westsideaction

Over the last while, workers have been busy on scaffolding painting the exterior of Place de Ville. The plain square glass box dates back to the late 1960’s. It lacks any sort of top or lid, and was bronze and black. Workers are painting various parts of it with primer, then the final coat of … bronze and black. In its current condition, it reminds me of the new building complex in New York, called the Domino. The building exterior is a box that has been articulated with various coloured squares. The building lots like a colourful domino, and is … Continue reading Place de Dominos