Ottawa, the Amsterdam of Canada?

Canals… Protected bike lanes… ok, it still has a ways to go, but spending a week in Ottawa, and for the first time, having my bike with me, I was able to explore a lot more than many previous trips, and there’s a lot of good things happening. Here’s what I came across…

Amsterdam or Ottawa?

A problem that occurred to me on this trip, is that when you go to specifically ride all the good bike infrastructure in a city, is that maybe you never see the bad, or experience the challenge of getting from A to B where there is none. I’m sure there are parts of the City that aren’t great for cycling, but I covered a fair bit of ground and did so feeling pretty safe.

That’s a good thing as I didn’t bring a helmet. Trying to travel somewhat light, a helmet is a bit of an awkward additional piece of luggage. I looked up Ontario’s helmet laws, and it turns out helmets are optional for adults. I rode everywhere without a helmet, and felt quite safe doing so. There’s definitely some truth about feeling less a “cyclist” and more a “human” when not wearing a helmet. Maybe that is perceived by drivers too. It’s definitely necessary if we’re to normalize riding a bicycle for transportation. Other provinces take note.

I was in Ottawa for the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) committee meetings and presenting the work of the Active Transportation Integrated Committee (ATIC) on Continuous Sidewalks and Bike Paths that i’ve been leading as we try to integrate such designs into TAC guidance, but also simply inspire more cities to consider them. Something that is happening very quickly in many cities. Unfortunately work commitments would mean I didn’t see too much of the conference, but there were a lot of active modes presentations which I plan to catch up on when the recordings are made available.

After some changes to my flight times, I arrived in Ottawa on Friday night about an hour before sunset. I brought my folding Brompton bicycle with me, and I had debated unpacking the bike and riding from the airport when I arrived, but without my bearings and little daylight left, I passed this time. I would however ride back to the airport at the end of the trip which is always a cool experience assuming it’s safe.

Committee Meetings

Saturday would be a long day with meetings from 9am to 9pm. I had a break from 12pm to 3pm and planned to go out for a ride around the City. However, I had a train trip to Montreal planned for the free day I had on Sunday, and while the Via Rail train regulations do allow folding bicycles, they have to be covered up, so I had to find a cover for the bike that would fold up small enough to not get in the way when riding around Montreal. I took a short bike ride primarily along one of the canals to the one Brompton dealer in Ottawa, but they had no stock of the official Brompton bike cover.

TD Place Football Stadium on route to Brompton dealer

My next option was an Ikea Dimpa storage bag which is well known in Brompton circles as an alternate flight bag, albeit a very flimsy one. However, it would certainly do for taking my bike on the train and fold up small when I got to Montreal. With 2.5 hours left now until the next meeting and google suggesting a 45 minute trip time one-way. I headed west towards the Ottawa Ikea along the Experimental Farm Pathway which proved to be an interesting experience with some pretty good bike infrastructure almost the entire way that I otherwise would never have taken. I found my way through the University, onto closed farm roads and then multi-use pathways most of the way, had signalized crossings at many places, and then at the end, a somewhat debatable neighbourhood bikeway all the way to Ikea.

Seems Like a Good Option

I wasn’t aware of this pathway, just heading towards a green line on google maps. This gate and signage was a pleasant surprise.

Experimental Pathway

Unfortunately there wasn’t too much experimental bike infrastructure along this route. Turns out the Central Experimental Farm was established in 1886 as the central research station for the federal Department of Agriculture. The Farm continues that scientific focus today as the location for laboratories and research plots for the Ottawa Research and Development Centre.

Fields of Flowers

Not sure if this is still experimental, but the MUP continues through various environments on route to Ikea.

Farm Roads

In some places, the route uses farms roads that have barriers preventing car access.

Ikea Dimpa Bag Procured

That’s it stuffed in the front pass through pocket on my bike bag. This is what I’d use to take the bike on the train to Montreal the next day.

Canal Lock Crossing

Wouldn’t fancy it with a cargo bike… It is a barrier for some, and they would need to find another way across the canal.

I made it back to present the Synthesis of Emerging Practice to the Road Safety Committee with 15 minutes to spare. I still needed lunch, but that would have to wait. We had our spring Active Transportation Integrated Committee meeting in the evening and building on the great response to continuous sidewalks, I started the process to form a working to explore other Dutch design elements that I wrote about in my book Fietspad. Fietspad wasn’t just to document my travels, it was a starting point to change things in Canada. We have a good working group of interested professionals from across the country and will soon begin the process of at least discussing these elements and how they might fit in a Canadian context.

The next day I would head to Montreal on the train to check out the good work they’ve been doing, but more on that in a separate blog post. During my time in Ottawa, I was pleasantly surprised by the extent of bicycle infrastructure. ok, it’s not Amsterdam, but it was better than I expected. Having the bike with me allowed me to explore far more of the City than I had been able to on my many previous trips for TAC meetings. Below are a few photos grouped into various categories of things I came across, and in some cases searched out.

Residential Woonerf’s

I wrote a recent blog post on residential woonerfs, or real woonerfs as I called them after my most recent trip to the Netherlands, and this is one of the few examples that I’m aware of in North America that uses the main techniques of narrowing the roadway to one lane and adding lateral shifts. We should do more!

This one is an odd little configuration, located in the middle of a block. If I had to guess, the residents had a hand in its design as it would be odd to put so much infrastructure in front of just a few homes. It’s a combination of quick build elements and some more permanent features, and is one way for vehicles, albeit there’s no except bicycles sign in this direction either…

Maybe the closest thing we have to a real woonerf in North America

I didn’t take much video on this trip, but I did ride through this in both directions with the phone filming…

Active Modes Bridges

The City has been working hard to make active transportation easier than driving with several active modes only bridges across canals, that help to make walking, biking and rolling more competitive with the car. These vary in design and width, but all provide a more direct route for some trips than taking the car, depending on where your trip starts and finishes of course.

Corktown Footbridge

This bridge connects directly to the new O-Train station and the University of Ottawa, making it easier to get to transit and school for many residents. It opened in September 2006.

Adàwe Crossing

the Adàwe Crossing was opened in December 2015 and connects the University of Ottawa to neighbourhoods to the east of the river.

Adàwe Crossing

The most interesting thing about it are the orb’s on either side.

Flora Footbridge

This bridge connects Old Ottawa East neighbourhood with the Glebe neighbourhood. It was opened in 2019.

Flora Footbridge

Its elevated nature requires ramps at each end.

Flora Footbridge

Stairs provide a shortcut for able bodied pedestrians.

Flora Footbridge

It features a wide deck that reduces conflicts between active modes.

Rideau River Footbridge

I couldn’t find any information on this one, but it’s an old rail bridge converted for active modes use.

Protected Bike Lanes

the City features quite a variety of protected bike lanes, both bi-directional and uni-directional, on the street and behind the curb, with and without buffer space. At intersections, bike signals are used frequently, possibly exclusively, but I did see some locations where separate right turn lanes would allow turning traffic to be separated from through bike movements and it wasn’t. On the whole, the bike network is really expanding, and while not close to Dutch levels yet, it’s better than many places.

Laurier and Nicholas

The first protected intersection I came across, note there is no grade change between sidewalk and bike path. I suspect this might be to make snow clearing easier in winter. Note the bike crossing has no green surface treatment, but the next photo looking to the left does. Also note the no right turn on red signs, something that needs more use to improve safety for people crossing on bike or by foot.

Laurier and Nicholas

This one looks across to the left compared with the previous photo. Other things to note are the use of bicycle signals, where in BC we often rely on the vehicle or pedestrian signals. I prefer this approach.

Bronson Avenue, Sunnyside Avenue and University Drive

What’s going on here, bike crossings on the outside of the pedestrian crossings. It’s a usual approach, and i’m curious about the rationale. Always nice to see something different.

Bronson Avenue, Sunnyside Avenue and University Drive

It does create a large bend out creating greater sight lines between people on bicycles and those driving.

Bronson Avenue, Sunnyside Avenue and University Drive

Bike detection loops are always nice to see. We need more of them, but also a signal to confirm detection, and even advance loops to switch the light to green. Albeit here, loops in advance could be falsely triggered by right turning cyclists.

Bronson Avenue, Sunnyside Avenue and University Drive

Woah! What’s going on here? The channelized turn has been retained, and we have two bike crossings on it, one for people on bikes going in each direction. Interesting…

University Drive Roundabout

A protected bi-directional bike lane around a roundabout. Haven’t seen that in Canada. It yields to the vehicle traffic.

University of Ottawa O-Train Bike Path

This bike path connects to the canal bike path and the Corktown Footbridge. It winds people up or down a gentle grade through a comfortable hairpin under the O-Train tracks where there is an entrance to the station.

Montreal Road from Vanier Parkway

This is a new bike facility opened in 2022 (I think). The interesting thing for me was, despite being a new facility and having this right turn lane approaching, the vehicle right turns and bike through movement occurred in the same phase. Anywhere we have right turn lanes, we should consider separating bike and right turning traffic.

Montreal Road

Turning the corner onto Montreal Road, the bike lane is very narrow to accommodate the bus lane/bus stop. It’s for a short distance, and i’m not opposed to narrowing such as this. It still felt safer than being on-street. Note the interesting tactile separation between bike path and sidewalk.

Montreal Road

A little further along and further examples of constrains with the street tree grates extending into the sidewalk and bike path. I think I would have just made the bike lane narrower here.

Montreal Road

A little further along, and i’m a little confused by the design here. The TWSI’s could have ended at the bike lane and the asphalt bike lane aligned with the bottom of the curb ramp.

Approaching Laurier Avenue from University of Ottawa

I’m also confused here, I thought this was a good example of a no right turn on red with a bi-directional bike lane, yet there is also a yield to bikes sign sending mixed messages. My preference wherever there is a bi-directional cross ride is to have no conflicting phases.

Parliament

Last time I was here there were just vehicle lanes. Now there are buffered bike (or micormobility or whatever name you can dream up for them) lanes with flex post. I wonder if the PM ever scoots to work?

Still Parliament

Sun going down, people getting around by bike.

The Most Protected Bike Lane in the World

I guess the US Embassy is worth more than the lives of people riding bikes… At least the bollards are on both sides of the bike lane.

Further Along from the US Embassy

The protection reduces, but still nice and comfortable for most.

More Super Sharrows

A new section of protected bike lane just opened across the other side after I left, better connecting to the Canal pathway

Switching Sides

Interesting to see a protected bike lane make its way to this main shopping street and switching sides part way down no less. I do wonder about the rationale for switching.

State of the Roads

Riding a Brompton around requires great care to avoid the cracks and pot holes. I guess that’s the reality of a winter city.

Laurier

Nice to see a raised crossing on the ramp. This picture would suggest the hatched paint should be the other side of the bike lane.

Laurier

It’s often said that bend in is better than a half way house between bend-out, but this is a good example showing that that can be just as easily blocked by traffic. A large bend-out is the only thing that works reasonably well. Everything else is a compromise.

Laurier

Another example where facility width has been favoured over a buffer from the curb. It’s perfectly comfortable to ride along, much more so than the sharrows that were previously there.

Laurier

Driver using the painted bike lane to drop off, then just sitting there for a bit making life harder for others.

Laurier

This section needs a redesign. This is never comfortable.

Continuous Sidewalks and Bike Paths

A new addition to the Ottawa streetscape are continuous sidewalks and bike paths. You’ll find these ones on Rue O’Connor, a retrofit design to slow down turning traffic and improve safety. It’s early days, but my limited observations would suggest they’re working well. The design varies slightly from current examples, in that there is a slight dip intended to be detectable by those with sight loss, albeit the conclusion seems to be it is not. I did share some thoughts on updated TWSI use for continuous sidewalks in my presentation, more on that another time. I did like the use of yellow bollards, the really force drivers to make a tight and slow turn.

Rue O'Connor and Cooper Street

I’m pretty sure this guy is checking out the continuous sidewalk and thinking wow! if only every local street intersection was designed like this, our streets would be a safer place…

Rue O'Connor and Cooper Street

Walking across like the intersection is barely there. It’s a very different experience walking along a street with continuous sidewalks.

Rue O'Connor and Cooper Street

I think the bollards do a great job here of enforcing the small effective turning radius. In the few times I stopped and watched, the continuous sidewalk and bike path were effective and assigning priority.

Tactile Wayfinding

The development around the TD Place football stadium in one of those top photos is interesting in that the sidewalks all feature tactile wayfinding for those with sight loss, albeit quite low contrast. In a world trying to be more inclusive, it’s probably time we provided tactile wayfinding throughout the pedestrian realm.

Transit

Just a few notes on transit things that caught my interest. First, a raised crosswalk on a major transit route was interesting as we often shy away from vertical deflection on bus routes, but it’s clearly possible.

Another weird one appeared as I round a corner while biking back to the airport and come across a “Transitway” that seems like it dropped out of the 80’s, with a remote and quite dark waiting area, I’m curious about this service and the facility, it sounds like BRT, but i’m not sure…

I also rode the O-Train, Ottawa’s LRT service. It felt much like SkyTrain in Vancouver but with a driver. I was able to tap in and out with my credit card which while relatively standard these days was still nice and convienient.

Vertical Deflection on Bus Routes

We often shy away from adding raised elements on bus routes, but buses are still running on this busy bus street.

Transitway

I thought i’d entered the 80’s when seeing this, but turns out that it is indeed BRT. According to wiki, the Transitway opened in 1983 with five stations. The network expanded greatly to include over fifty stations at its peak. Beginning in 2015, segments of the Transitway were closed to be converted to light rail. Ottawa's Stage 2 and 3 O-Train expansions will see additional segments of the Transitway converted.

A Bit Dark

The waiting area could use a bit of brightening up and maybe even modernizing to make it more attractive.

Randoms

These are just some other random and slightly interesting photos from my week in Ottawa.

Reflections

That’s all…

What do you think this sign means?

Answer later on… but I think some comprehension testing is necessary…

Tut Tut Canada Post

These traffic calming flex posts are used quite a lot throughout Ottawa. I generally felt they helped, but the mail must get there on time!

Ogilvy Square

Interesting pavement art

Byward Market Square

Closed street (to cars), open street for people.

A Cargo Bike

It took a while to come across a cargo bike, to the point I wondered if they had made their way east. But rest assured they are Canada wide.

Riding to the Airport

I’ve ridden the Brompton to or from the airport a few times now, but it still amazes me each time that I can ride my bike with everything I need to travel with it, and just pack it all up (or unpack it) at the airport. Anyway, with an 11am checkout and 6pm flight, I took the scenic route to the airport. Here are a few photos along the way…

The Locks

On my way to follow the river pathway, only to find the pathway is closed. Would have been nice to see the detour at the top to save me carrying the bike down and then back up the many steps. Nice photo anyway…

Detouring

I’ve seen these called super sharrows, about as effective as regular sharrows.

Concrete Barrier PBL

Finding my way back to the river pathway, I found this concrete barrier protected bike lane.

Running Low

Looking up the sides, I’m guessing they can open the dam to fill this channel a lot higher.

Discarded Bike

If you’re bike is missing, maybe check here…

Chaudière Dam

The power from the water coming through this hydro electric dam is quite impressive.

Chief William Commanda Bridge

This is quite a new AT crossing between Quebec and Ontario.

Chief William Commanda Bridge

Looking down the bridge

Brompton in Airport Mode

From the Chief William Commanda Bridge looking back towards Parliament in Ottawa.

MUP Through the Fletcher Wildlife Garden

Just another of the many pathways along a river or canal, certainly made way finding back to the airport easy when I could just follow the canal.

Hog's Back Falls

An unexpected cool waterfall.

Slow Roll Zone

I like this type of signage, rather than telling people to get off and walk your bike.

Juno Beach Memorial Pedestrian Bridge

The bridge was opened in 2014, and more recently renamed to honours the landing beach for Canadian troops on D-Day . This was the point where I crossed from the pathway system onto local streets which were pretty comfortable also.

I killed a bit more time at the airport taking a few photos of the packing up process to show how it all goes from on the bike to on the plane…

If you were wondering about the comprehension testing question. The sign means there is a bike rental ahead. I honestly wondered if there was a fine for riding either inside or outside the hours shown. Now you know…

Finally, keep an eye out for the Montreal blog which should be up a few weeks after this.