Solutions to Ottawa's (Ontario) Traffic Problems - A Proposal

Oct. 22, 2010 - PRLog -- NEWS RELEASE

(Ottawa, Ontario) As a long-time resident of Ottawa, and being a creative thinker, I am proposing a solution to Ottawa's growing Traffic Problem.

First of all, I have lived in the City of Ottawa for 40 years now, and have driven its many streets and roads over most of that time. For 25 of those 40 years, I had a job that required me to drive across the city nearly every day. Therefore, I have driven across the city many many times on the Queensway. And, subsequent to my retirement from this job, for many years, I lived in a highrise apartment overlooking the Queensway. Consequently, I could continue to observe the increasing traffic problem on the Queensway for about 30 years in total. My observations were that the Queensway traffic has increased dramatically over my years of observation of it.

Since the Queensway is the main East-West route across Ottawa, and when it is jammed with vehicles, mostly cars, it becomes a giant parking lot where hundreds, perhaps thousands of vehicles either just sit there, or worse just sit there with all their gas guzzling motors running -- spewing pollutants into the downtown air. I could smell this pollution, as I lived next to the Queensway for most of this time. There ought to be a by-law in Ottawa against this "idling pollution." Oh, I believe there is, but it doesn't seem to apply to the vehicles parked on the Queensway!

Now, for my solution to this Queensway Traffic Problem is to have a "Queensway By-Pass Road" connecting Hwy 417 with Hwy 416. Surprisingly, this road already exists -- for the most part -- once the last mile (1.6 km) is completed, say by this time next year. This "Queensway By-Pass Road" is Hunt Club Road -- which when completed, would allow traffic to flow more easily from Orleans to Kanata without having to traverse and polute the downtown area. But, I am not proposing this quick fix out of self interest, as I no longer live downtown, but in the Greenboro area -- a stone's throw from Hunt Club Road!  I know that my quick fix "Queensway By-Pass Road" solution would increase the traffic on Hunt Club Road, and consequently the pollution as well. But, this is my quick and dirty/cheap solution to a much debated Queensway Traffic Problem that seems to be going nowhere --slowly. And, my solution to the Queensway Traffic Problem, could likely be up and running within a year while a dedicated "Ring-Road" is being "discussed and planned" in the next few years.

My longer-term solution to the Queensway Traffic Problem is to construct a "Sky Train" track (a la Vancouver) down the centre of Hunt Club Road, so that Orleans and Kanata can be connected by light rail -- or buses until the "Sky Train" track is completed. This "Sky Train" track can then be connected with the "O-Train" at South Keys, after extending the tracks from the Greenboro Station.

There are a number of advantages to my plan, mainly, Ottawa's Traffic Problems can be attacked in stages, with with minimal disruption to the city. While my Queensway By-Pass Road (Hunt Club Road) can likely be up and running within a year, the next stage, a "Sky Train" between Orleans and Kanata could be debated, studied and planned. My alternate route for this "Sky Train" would be down the centre of the Queensway. I believe both of my proposed routes are viable, but again, they could be completed in stages, if desired.

My final comments are that I do not believe that an expensive "downtown tunnel" is necessary if my above-noted solutions are effected by the politicians to be elected this month. If a cross-downtown mode of transportation is still desired, I would suggest a "Sky Train" route above Sparks Street, which is currently an under-utilized street/mall(?) in downtown Ottawa.

Now for my personal disclaimer: my proposed solutions for the Ottawa Traffic Problems noted above, are my own after some discussions with friends. As a non-expert in the area of traffic and city planning, my ideas are not constrained by any political or technical details which I will leave to them to discuss, debate, and plan -- or, not!  My only hope is that my proposal will be of some value and be given some consideration, before, and after this Fall's election.  I would like to say that I take full responsibility for what is proposed here, i.e., the Inventors Association (Ottawa) is not responsible for this proposal.

Has anyone been to Vancouver recently, perhaps during the last Winter Olympics, and used their "Sky Train" system? If so, please comment on your experience with it. If not, it can be viewed on the web. Thanks for reading this proposal!

Respectfully submitted by,

Dr Gene Shershen, President - Contact for further information.
INVENTORS ASSOCIATION (Ottawa)
www.IAottawa.org
IAottawa@gmail.com
613-366-7460
2010/10/21

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About the Inventors Association (Ottawa), it is a member-run, not-for-profit, educational and networking organization for Ottawa area Independent Inventors.