Otrain bike path approved

the 1963 segment between Young and Carling

Transportation Committee met at City Hall today to plan some significant cycling infrastruction projects.

The DCA wrote to each of the Committee members to draw attention to our strong support for the bike path along the east side of the Otrain corridor. We also asked neighboring associations to support the path, and the CHNA sent in a letter. The DCA president also appeared at the Committee to give the Association opinion:

• we pointed out that there is a gap in north-south cycling infrastructure
• the route is important for commuters as it takes them from various southerly origins to the downtown
• the route is important for recreational and tourist cyclists as it makes a "loop" from the downtown-LeBreton-WarMuseum-Preston-DowsLake-QE Driveway path
• this segment of path connects many other paths and will extend the off-road cycling experience right from the Ottawa River to Hogs Back, with side connections to an extensive set of other path segments, ie it is the "missing piece" in the network
• it completes path work started in 1963 but never finished

We are pleased that the Committee approved $3.2 million for the path. The most expensive bit of construction is the underpass at Somerset Street, which is also being designed to be useful for a future LRT station there. Construction of the path will be in 2011 and 2012. With any luck, we will have a first class cycling infrastructure to use in two years!

an underpass is required at Somerset Street, and connections up to street level

members of the DCA bushwhacking along the proposed route with city planners and consultants