Know Before You Go

Tracking Traffic Data

October 11, 2026

Every Friday, the Mobility Dashboard offers a snapshot of traffic conditions across Ottawa, showing you when rush hour begins, how traffic patterns are changing and the busiest and lightest days for traffic.

This information is brought to you by our Traffic Services team who combine data from multiple tools and sources across Ottawa. Traffic data is gathered from permanent traffic count stations, traffic cameras, traffic signal systems, temporary traffic studies, and other monitoring tools that help staff understand traffic patterns and respond to changing conditions across the road network. More than 350 traffic cameras act as the primary source for staff in the traffic control room to monitor traffic and adjust signal timing.

Mobility Dashboard information is built by drawing data from several sources.

Ottawa currently has eight permanent traffic count stations located across the city with plans to add more. These stations are located in the east, south, west and downtown areas of Ottawa. They count every vehicle that passes by them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This allows the City to better understand how many vehicles are on the roads and when traffic is the busiest.

The City also uses anonymous, aggregated travel time data provided by a third-party supplier. This additional data is valuable because it provides travel time information across 40 key travel corridors. In the short term, this data is a supplemental tool that helps us detect incidents and unexpected congestion. Staff can then investigate what is happening further, determine whether a collision, disabled vehicle or other event has occurred, and make adjustments as needed. Long term, it allows us to better understand changes in travel times and how patterns are changing.

Together, these tools help build a picture of how people are moving around the city and provide the information you see reflected in the Mobility Dashboard each week.

Since Labour Day, the City's traffic count stations have recorded an overall increase in vehicle traffic of approximately six per cent. Mondays and Fridays continue to be the lightest commuter days, while Fridays often experience the busiest midday traffic, particularly in Ottawa's suburban areas. Afternoon traffic is consistently heavier than the morning commute, with traffic volumes typically 10 to 15 per cent higher. Different work schedules, school pick-ups, errands and other daytime activities all contribute to more vehicles being on the road during the afternoon and early evening.

Take OC Transpo’s 400-series to the Canadian Tire Centre

October 4, 2026

The NHL season is underway and the Ottawa Senators are back in town. If a trip to the Canadian Tire Centre is on your calendar, here's a quick refresher on OC Transpo's 400-series event routes and how they can help you break away from traffic and parking. On event nights, OC Transpo’s 400-series routes provide direct trips to the Canadian Tire Centre from transit stations and Park & Ride locations across Ottawa.

  • Travelling from downtown or the west end? Route 404 is a direct connection between Tunney's Pasture Station and the Canadian Tire Centre. It travels via the Transitway between Tunney's Pasture and Terry Fox stations, with return trips extended to Blair Station outside of Line 1 operating hours.

  • Coming from the east end? Route 405 can get you to the game with service from Trim, Place d'Orléans, Jeanne d’Arc and Montréal stations. Includes stops along Catherine Street, Raymond Street and Carling Avenue.

  • Leaving from Riverside South, Barrhaven or Nepean? Route 406 offers service from south-end stations between Limebank and Baseline. Passengers can also board at stations between Queensway and Moodie.

When heading home, return trips leave approximately 15 minutes after the game and serve the same stations as the trip to the game. Service to the Canadian Tire Centre is also provided on regular routes 62 and 162. Visit octranspo.com to plan your next trip to the Canadian Tire Centre.

New parking changes downtown

September 27, 2026

Getting around downtown is different this fall with new parking options and changes to where and when you can stop your car. Several improvements were made in early September as part of the Transportation and Mobility Action Plan to help keep traffic moving.

Here are three things to know when driving downtown:

  • Peak no-stopping periods are 30 minutes longer on strategic downtown streets. No stopping restrictions have increased from 9 to 9:30 am and from 5:30 to 6 pm on select streets to ensure all lanes keep traffic flowing. View the full list of affected streets.
  • New and expanded pick-up and drop-off zones downtown make it easier to stop briefly to drop off and pick up passengers without circling the block or blocking traffic. Each zone has a 15-minute Loading Zone sign. View a list of pick-up and drop-off locations.
  • Paid parking time limits are longer in some areas. On select downtown streets, like Lisgar, Elgin and Queen streets, the maximum paid parking time is now three hours instead of two, giving you more flexibility.

These changes are part of the citywide effort to support increased travel demand this fall and keep traffic flowing. For maps, locations and more details, visit ottawa.ca.

Did you know? Secure bike parking is available downtown

Cycling downtown? The City offers secure public bike parking lockers at several locations across Ottawa’s core. Lockers can be reserved through the Vélo-Transit app and there is no time limit to use them. The first two hours are free and each additional hour is $0.50 per hour.

Each unit has six individual lockers that can each hold 1 bike – you can confirm locker availability and start your rental session before your arrival. Bike lockers are currently available at:

  • 210 Gloucester Street
  • 141 Clarence Street
  • 170 Second Avenue
  • 234-250 Slater Street
For detailed explanation of using the bike lockers watch this video or visit ottawa.ca.

Ride OC Transpo’s new express routes from Park & Rides this fall

September 20, 2026

With more than 9,000 free parking spaces available across Ottawa , OC Transpo’s Park & Ride lots let you park your car and hop on a bus or train to get to your destination. They help you avoid driving in traffic, mileage, and the cost of parking and gas.

Earlier this fall, seven new express routes were introduced to provide faster, more direct service between Park & Ride lots, O-Train stations and major employment areas across the city.

Simply put, these new express routes can help you get where you need to go with direct service during peak periods, fewer stops along the way and the same fare as regular transit service. They're also easy to spot, with route numbers in the 500s and a distinct orange route icon on signs and transit information.

You can use these new express routes to:

Ride directly between Chapel Hill and Blair stations for a quicker trip downtown by taking route 526 .

  • Travel from Millennium, Trim and Place d'Orléans stations to Blair Station with route 539.
  • Get from Terry Fox and Eagleson stations to Tunney's Pasture Station with fewer stops along the way with routes 561 or 562.
  • Travel from Innovation Station and Eagleson Station to Tunney's Pasture Station by taking route 563.
  • Travel directly from Park & Ride lots in Kanata to Terrasses de la Chaudière in Gatineau on Routes 561, 562 and 563, with morning trips continuing from Tunney’s Pasture as Route 13.
  • Get to the DND Carling Campus from Innovation, Terry Fox and Eagleson stations with route 565.
  • Take route 566 and travel directly between Tunney's Pasture Station and DND Carling Campus, with some morning trips continuing to Innovation Station.

Ride OC Transpo for free on September 26 and 27

The last weekend in September is going to be big, especially with the Ottawa 200 Block Party. With so much happening across the city, transit is a great way to get around. It's fast, easy, and completely free all weekend.

Have you tried Rack and Roll?

September 13, 2026

Are you looking for a new and active way to get around Ottawa? Combining cycling and transit may help you travel farther and avoid traffic.

You don’t need to cycle your entire trip to reap the benefits. OC Transpo's Rack and Roll program makes it easy to bring your bike along for the ride. Every OC Transpo bus is equipped with a bike rack, allowing you to cycle to your bus stop, load your bike onto the front rack, and continue your journey by transit. New to Rack and Roll? Learn all the steps by watching this instructional video.

Bikes are welcome on the O-Train year-round. On Line 1, use the first door of the first car and place your bike in the Cooperative Seating area. On Lines 2 and 4, customers can board with their bikes at any door.

Whether you're heading to work, school, appointments, or exploring the city, combining cycling and transit gives you more options for how you travel.

Not sure where to start? Ottawa offers several tools to help you find a route and plan your trip:

  • OC Transpo Travel Planner: Plan trips that combine transit, walking and cycling.
  • Transit app: Access real-time transit information and service updates, and plan trips using transit, walking, and cycling.
  • GeoOttawa: Explore cycling routes and pathways across the city.
  • Official Cycling Map (Ottawa-Gatineau): Find major cycling routes, pathways and cycling facilities.
  • Cycling Guide Mobile App: Plan cycling trips using low-stress, cycling-friendly routes.
  • Ottawa Ride Match: More than just a carpooling service, Ottawa Ride Match can help you find commute partners and plan trips by walking, cycling or transit.

Explore cycling maps, trip-planning tools and travel resources through the Mobility Hub and find the option that works best for your trip.

Want to try before you ride? Find one of the OC Transpo practice racks, with temporary locations across the city so cyclists can practice loading their bike before moving on to the real deal.

Make the most of carpooling

September 6, 2026

Back-to-school season is here and for many people, that means getting back into a regular commuting routine.

Sharing a ride with someone heading your way can help reduce travel costs by splitting expenses such as gas and parking. For some commuters, it can also make it easier to share driving responsibilities during the week. Carpooling can also reduce the number of cars on the road, which helps support a more efficient transportation network.

If you’re ready to give it a try, Ottawa Ride Match is a free service that helps people who live and work in the National Capital Region connect with others who have similar schedules, routes and destinations.

Learn more on Ottawa.ca and find your match at Ottawa Ride Match.

What's new on OC Transpo

August 30, 2026

If you're heading back to the office more often, returning to campus or simply noticing busier roads this fall, you might be exploring different ways to get where you need to go.

Starting this week, OC Transpo service improvements are coming into effect to enhance the customer service experience with new transit options for commuters, as well as stronger service and reliability across the network. This includes more frequent O-Train service, new express bus service, additional bus trips on key routes and improved Park & Ride connections.

A few highlights:

  • O-Train Line 1 trains now arrive every four minutes during peak periods

  • O-Train Line 2 service from the south starts earlier, with first train from Limebank at 6 am

  • New express bus routes serving OC Transpo Park & Ride lots, key employment areas, and O-Train Line 1 stations, providing direct service with limited stops along the way

  • Additional trips added on several busy routes across the city

  • Increasing Para Transpo trip availability and improving customer experience by adding new 6- metre and 7- metre minibuses to the fleet

Explore service updates and trip-planning tools at octranspo.com or through the Mobility Hub.

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