Wilkie Drive Sidewalk

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Final Update – September 2024

As a result of concerns raised by the public during public engagement, the City will not be proceeding with the segment of new sidewalk along Wilkie Drive between Carrigan Drive and the mid-block pathway to Bottriell Way. The City heard a variety of concerns from the public during the two rounds of public consultation including the reduction of the effective length of driveways, impacts to on-street parking, safety, and speeding.

The consultations revealed public support for installing the sidewalk along the eastern half of the project limits, which abut Des Pionnieres Park and Pioneers Catholic Elementary School. As a result, a sidewalk will be installed along the east side of Wilkie Drive between Carrigan Drive and Merkley Drive (east) to enhance pedestrian access to these local destinations and transit services along Merkley Drive. Please refer to the link at the right entitled ‘Detailed Information and Plans’ to view the functional plan which will be carried forward to design and construction (coming soon).

See the links at the right side of the webpage for information about the various stages of public consultation. The As-We-Heard-It report describes and summarises all public feedback received during the planning process.

Update February 2024 – please see below

The City of Ottawa invites you to provide your comments on the proposed construction of a new 2.0 metre wide concrete sidewalk behind the existing curb along the east/south side of Wilkie Drive between the pathway just west of Chenier Way and Merkley Drive East intersection, approximately 710 metres in length.

This project is identified as a Phase 3 project in the 2013 Ottawa Pedestrian Plan and will complete a missing link in the pedestrian network providing improved connectivity to schools, parks and transit along Bottriell Way and Merkley Drive. As a local road that leads directly to a school, Wilkie Drive should have a pedestrian facility, according to current City policy. The provision of a sidewalk aligns with the City’s transportation goals and objectives to maximize walkability and create safe pedestrian environments.

The proposed Wilkie Drive sidewalk will connect to the existing pathway west of Chenier Way that connects to Bottriell Way, and to the existing sidewalk on Merkley Drive. It will provide a direct connection to the elementary school Des Pionniers located on the east side of Wilkie Drive.

The sidewalk will support pedestrians, including more vulnerable users such as children, seniors, wheelchair users and persons with vision impairment. Pedestrian crossing improvements will be included at two side roads intersecting with Wilkie Drive at Chenier Way and Carrigan Drive. Tactile walking surface indicators will be installed at pedestrian crossings along the new sidewalk. Stop signs and crosswalk markings will be added to the local streets that the new sidewalk crosses to enhance pedestrian safety. In addition, corner radii will be tightened at intersections to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and to slow turning vehicles.

Wilkie Drive will be narrowed to 7.5 metres (about 1 metre less than existing width) at 608 Wilkie Drive and south of the school entrance on Wilkie Drive. These narrowings will reduce the impacts to trees while still maintaining on-street parking on one side of the street. To further reduce the impact to the tree at 608 Wilkie Drive, the sidewalk will also be narrowed from 2 metres to 1.5 metres. Landscaping and other features within the right-of-way may be impacted during construction. Please see the drawing for the extent of the study area.

A virtual public meeting was held at 7:30 pm on Wednesday June 7 with Councillor Luloff in attendance. Residents were also invited to participate in an online survey to provide their thoughts on the project until June 14. Feedback about the project was provided to the Councillor and city Project Manager by email and telephone. Results of the public consultation are summarised in the 'As-We-Heard-It Report' which can be accessed by the link on the right side of the screen.

A decision about the proposed sidewalk and pedestrian enhancements is forthcoming and will be added to this webpage when a decision has been reached.

Update: Revised Plan for Wilkie Drive Sidewalk

After public consultations were held for the proposed Wilkie Drive Sidewalk between May 24 and June 22, 2023, the City of Ottawa has revised the plan. The updates include:

  • Narrowing the road to 7.5 metres between the pathway west of Chenier Way and Merkley Drive East by installing sidewalks in front of the existing south/east curb, rather than behind the curb.
  • By installing the sidewalks partially on the street, the driveway lengths on Wilkie Drive will be reduced by 0.8 metres rather than by 2.0 metres and the sidewalk will have a reduced impact on mature trees along the drive.
  • On-street parking would be restricted to the same side of the street as the new sidewalk
  • The planned sidewalk width between the pathway and Carrigan Drive will be reduced from 2.0 metres to 1.8 metres and the sidewalk width between Carrigan Drive and Merkley Drive will remain at 2.0 metres.

The new road design can be viewed by clicking the link to the right ‘Detailed Information and Plans’.

We encourage you to take the one-minute survey that can be accessed by clicking the link to the right to share your thoughts on the revised plan. Comments and thoughts may also be directed to Robin Bennett until February 29, 2024.

Final Update – September 2024

As a result of concerns raised by the public during public engagement, the City will not be proceeding with the segment of new sidewalk along Wilkie Drive between Carrigan Drive and the mid-block pathway to Bottriell Way. The City heard a variety of concerns from the public during the two rounds of public consultation including the reduction of the effective length of driveways, impacts to on-street parking, safety, and speeding.

The consultations revealed public support for installing the sidewalk along the eastern half of the project limits, which abut Des Pionnieres Park and Pioneers Catholic Elementary School. As a result, a sidewalk will be installed along the east side of Wilkie Drive between Carrigan Drive and Merkley Drive (east) to enhance pedestrian access to these local destinations and transit services along Merkley Drive. Please refer to the link at the right entitled ‘Detailed Information and Plans’ to view the functional plan which will be carried forward to design and construction (coming soon).

See the links at the right side of the webpage for information about the various stages of public consultation. The As-We-Heard-It report describes and summarises all public feedback received during the planning process.

Update February 2024 – please see below

The City of Ottawa invites you to provide your comments on the proposed construction of a new 2.0 metre wide concrete sidewalk behind the existing curb along the east/south side of Wilkie Drive between the pathway just west of Chenier Way and Merkley Drive East intersection, approximately 710 metres in length.

This project is identified as a Phase 3 project in the 2013 Ottawa Pedestrian Plan and will complete a missing link in the pedestrian network providing improved connectivity to schools, parks and transit along Bottriell Way and Merkley Drive. As a local road that leads directly to a school, Wilkie Drive should have a pedestrian facility, according to current City policy. The provision of a sidewalk aligns with the City’s transportation goals and objectives to maximize walkability and create safe pedestrian environments.

The proposed Wilkie Drive sidewalk will connect to the existing pathway west of Chenier Way that connects to Bottriell Way, and to the existing sidewalk on Merkley Drive. It will provide a direct connection to the elementary school Des Pionniers located on the east side of Wilkie Drive.

The sidewalk will support pedestrians, including more vulnerable users such as children, seniors, wheelchair users and persons with vision impairment. Pedestrian crossing improvements will be included at two side roads intersecting with Wilkie Drive at Chenier Way and Carrigan Drive. Tactile walking surface indicators will be installed at pedestrian crossings along the new sidewalk. Stop signs and crosswalk markings will be added to the local streets that the new sidewalk crosses to enhance pedestrian safety. In addition, corner radii will be tightened at intersections to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and to slow turning vehicles.

Wilkie Drive will be narrowed to 7.5 metres (about 1 metre less than existing width) at 608 Wilkie Drive and south of the school entrance on Wilkie Drive. These narrowings will reduce the impacts to trees while still maintaining on-street parking on one side of the street. To further reduce the impact to the tree at 608 Wilkie Drive, the sidewalk will also be narrowed from 2 metres to 1.5 metres. Landscaping and other features within the right-of-way may be impacted during construction. Please see the drawing for the extent of the study area.

A virtual public meeting was held at 7:30 pm on Wednesday June 7 with Councillor Luloff in attendance. Residents were also invited to participate in an online survey to provide their thoughts on the project until June 14. Feedback about the project was provided to the Councillor and city Project Manager by email and telephone. Results of the public consultation are summarised in the 'As-We-Heard-It Report' which can be accessed by the link on the right side of the screen.

A decision about the proposed sidewalk and pedestrian enhancements is forthcoming and will be added to this webpage when a decision has been reached.

Update: Revised Plan for Wilkie Drive Sidewalk

After public consultations were held for the proposed Wilkie Drive Sidewalk between May 24 and June 22, 2023, the City of Ottawa has revised the plan. The updates include:

  • Narrowing the road to 7.5 metres between the pathway west of Chenier Way and Merkley Drive East by installing sidewalks in front of the existing south/east curb, rather than behind the curb.
  • By installing the sidewalks partially on the street, the driveway lengths on Wilkie Drive will be reduced by 0.8 metres rather than by 2.0 metres and the sidewalk will have a reduced impact on mature trees along the drive.
  • On-street parking would be restricted to the same side of the street as the new sidewalk
  • The planned sidewalk width between the pathway and Carrigan Drive will be reduced from 2.0 metres to 1.8 metres and the sidewalk width between Carrigan Drive and Merkley Drive will remain at 2.0 metres.

The new road design can be viewed by clicking the link to the right ‘Detailed Information and Plans’.

We encourage you to take the one-minute survey that can be accessed by clicking the link to the right to share your thoughts on the revised plan. Comments and thoughts may also be directed to Robin Bennett until February 29, 2024.

Page last updated: 17 Oct 2024, 03:17 PM