Following a heated debate last year, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has announced it’s again closing several roads to vehicle traffic this year to make way for active transportation such as walking, cycling and in-line skating.
Starting May 11 and until Oct. 14, the NCC will close a portion of Queen Elizabeth Driveway to vehicle traffic on weekends and holiday Mondays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The driveway between Somerset Street W. and Fifth Avenue will be car-free during those times, according to a news release Tuesday.
Kichi Zībī Mīkan, formerly the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, will close between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., from Vimy Place to Carling Avenue, during the same period.
Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway will close to traffic between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., from Aviation Parkway to St. Joseph Boulevard in Orléans.
The NCC, which manages the scenic parkways, began reserving a portion of Queen Elizabeth Driveway for pedestrians and cyclists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was responding to calls for more public space for people to exercise while remaining physically distanced, and the popularity of the initiative inspired its expansion, the Crown corporation said.
Extended closures this summer
Through July and August, Queen Elizabeth Driveway from Somerset Street to Pretoria Avenue will remain closed 24/7.
“NCC Weekend Bikedays transforms our scenic parkways and shorelines into destinations in themselves,” said NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum in the news release.
“We look forward to continuing to collaborate with our partners and stakeholders to create spaces and experiences that make our region a wonderful place to live and visit.”
The NCC said according to its recent online survey, both tourists and residents are “highly satisfied” with the active-use parkways during warmer months.
Electronic counters captured more than 240,000 visits to these three parkways last season, according to the commission.
But the program became a point of contention last year when Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Nussbaum sparred publicly over the initiative. City councillors have also waded into the debate.
Sutcliffe argued last year that the closures at some parts of Queen Elizabeth Driveawy creates “traffic pressure” for residents in the Glebe, limits accessibility to Lansdowne Park during major events and creates barriers for emergency vehicles attempting to service the area.