Project Status: consultation underway – public open house on July 3rd from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Katimavik Leisure Centre (70 Aird Place)

Policy Context

The City of Ottawa's 2013 Pedestrian Plan developed a list of projects based on public consultation, Councillor input and a city-wide network review. A sidewalk along Chimo Drive from Anik Way to Katimavik Road was approved as a priority project in the plan.

The provision of a sidewalk and streetlighting on Chimo Drive aligns with the City’s transportation goals to maximize walkability and to create safe, inviting pedestrian environments for all ages and abilities.

Local Context

Chimo Drive is a collector road that leads to Katimavik Elementary School, and multiple parks. It serves local residents and students as well as people accessing transit services located along Katimavik Road.

There are pathways in the green corridors between the back yards. While the pathways serve a valuable function, the City’s best practices on accessibility and pedestrian connectivity have evolved since the construction of the neighbourhood. As pedestrians travel slowly and are very sensitive to travel time/distance, they require the most fine-grained transportation network. From an accessibility perspective, best practice is to provide a dedicated pedestrian facility to every residence.

Project History

Initial planning and public consultation occurred in 2016. Project was subsequently put on hold while a small segment from Katimavik to Amundsen was constructed in 2017. The project has been redesigned considering feedback received in the last public consultation. Impacts on driveways have been reduced, streetlighting is being upgraded to City standards and improvements to pedestrian safety and vehicle circulation are proposed for the school drop off area.

Project Details

The following roadway modifications are proposed as part of this project:

• New sidewalk along the north side of Chimo Drive from Anik Way to Amunsden Crescent (sidewalk width of approximately 1.80 m). To minimize impacts to driveway length, the design includes minor road modifications including shifting the road centreline, alternating on-street parking locations, and strategic road widenings.
• Upgrade existing streetlighting with standard light poles on the north side of the road to illuminate the new sidewalk and the road.
• Reconfigure the streetscape in front of Katimavik Elementary School to improve student safety and reduce congestion.

School Drop-off Area

The existing school drop-off area experiences several operational issues:

• Competition for the 10 minute angled parking spaces immediately outside the school during drop off and pick up periods results in vehicle queues.
• Stopping or parking in prohibited spaces on the south side of Chimo Dr.
• Queuing vehicles and stopped vehicles block school buses from entering the student drop off area.

To address these issues, the City is proposing two options.

Option 1 designates a short length of the new sidewalk just east of the school as the drop off area. The angled parking is removed to discourage queues of vehicles which block the entrance to the school's driveway and drop off area. This is expected to reduce vehicular congestion outside the school, improve student safety and improve school bus and vehicular access to the existing drop off loops on school property. The angled parking immediately in front of the school would be replaced with trees.

Option 2 continues to allow parking immediately in front of the school. However, the angled parking would be replaced with parallel parking. The new sidewalk east of the school can also be used for drop offs.

Project Timelines

After the public consultation has concluded, the functional design will be refined and the project will be transferred to the City’s design and construction group for the detailed design phase. Specifics of the plan may change slightly during detailed design as the drawings are further refined to a higher level of precision. Timelines for construction are variable, and a project may be delayed to align with other project schedules for coordination.

Public Consultation

Public feedback is a key component to finalize the City’s plans. A public open house is scheduled for July 3rd from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Katimavik Leisure Centre (70 Aird Place). The public open house is drop-in style; display boards with project information will be available and City staff will be present to answer questions.

A survey is also available on this website. It will be open until July 12, 2024.

We encourage interested residents to attend the public open house and complete the survey.

Accessibility is an important consideration for the City of Ottawa. If you require special accommodation, please contact the Project Manager to provide your feedback.

Contact

Mazen Shuhaibar, RPP
Project Manager, Active Transportation Planning
City of Ottawa
mazen.shuhaibar@ottawa.ca (link sends e-mail)