How are we updating the Transportation Master Plan?
The Transportation Master Plan, together with the accompanying Ottawa Cycling Plan and Ottawa Pedestrian Plan, is the City’s blueprint for transportation growth management policies, and the planning, funding and implementation of its walking, cycling, transit and road networks over the next several decades.The update is being undertaken now for two primary reasons:
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The Transportation Master Plan is critical to support the review of the new Official
Plan, which is currently underway and has a goal to make Ottawa the most
liveable mid-sized city in North America.
- An update is needed given changes to travel trends in Ottawa since 2013. A new Origin-Destination Survey will capture any changes in travel behaviour following significant investments in active transportation, the opening of O-Train Line 1 and the arrival of new travel options (e.g., car sharing).
The process to update the Transportation Master Plan, which will include many opportunities for in-person and online public input, will occur in four phases over the next two-and-a-half years, with the full Transportation Master Plan update planned for Council approval by April 2022.
This timeline is necessary to coordinate with the Official Plan review, and to conduct a new regional travel survey (also known as the Origin-Destination survey) that will be used to identify trends, develop forecasts, and set targets and priorities to serve Ottawa’s future population and employment for the next 20 years. The plan will aim to recognize and address specific groups of people who are typically at risk of exclusion in transportation planning.
In addition, emerging issues for the future of transportation in Ottawa will be considered, such as new technologies (e.g., autonomous vehicles), shared mobility (e.g., bicycles, cars and scooters), and potential regional bus and rail service.
