Council made two decisions today relating to travelling around Kanata.

One: Staff were directed to sign an agreement with the province to build a ramp between Scotiabank Place and the eastbound lanes of Hwy. 417. It will help buses access the highway after Sens games and other major events at the arena.

The other: Council signed off on the zoning changes necessary to build a massive outlet mall on Huntmar Dr., near Scotiabank Place.

(The details on both are in this synopsis from the council meeting.)

That outlet mall is going to be a shopping destination, so you can imagine what Hwy. 417 is going to be like in December when it opens. We’ll have Sens games combined with the Christmas shopping traffic.

It’s already brutal trying to get out of the SBP parking lot on game nights and the highway is often jammed going east.

I asked Mayor Jim Watson if the city can do anything more to relieve the traffic congestion in the area, here’s what he had to say…

I’ll tell you what I told Lynn Southam after today’s transportation committee meeting: I didn’t expect the committee to spend much time over residents’ curb complaint on Steamer Lane in Orléans.

But councillors actually had some follow-up questions for staff on the issue after Southam’s presentation. Osgoode Coun. Doug Thompson especially took interest in Southam’s case, noting that he has streets in his ward that have elevated curbs at driveway entrances.

“It is quite a jolt. I don’t have to visit Steamer Lane to know what it’s like,” Thompson said.

“It is a problem the municipality has a responsibility to correct.”

I don’t know if it was thanks to Southam offering councillors some “cool bubblies” if they come out to Steamer Lane to see the problem, but they heard him out and followed up with staff.

Staff couldn’t really guarantee any fixes, but Thompson’s comments are on the record, and Orléans Coun. Bob Monette asked staff to make sure Steamer Lane is on the queue for roadwork.

Heck, the committee spent more time on Steamer Lane than a lot of major issues at City Hall.

So there you go.

You, too, can make politicians listen to your own community’s Steamer Lane.

—–
Follow City Hall reporter Jon Willing on Twitter at @JonathanWilling and at ottawasun.com.

I was always under the impression the cost of the pedestrian bridge being built on the Airport Pkwy. was $5 million, but apparently it’s more.

I found this out today while asking the city about a spending item in the third-quarter contracts awarded by management under delegated authority. The spending line describes $65,954.60 paid to Genivar Consultants for construction engineering on the bridge. I was curious because it was expected taxpayers wouldn’t cover overruns linked to the faulty concrete on the first try and wanted to make sure this expense wasn’t above and beyond.

The city responded this afternoon saying the spending is within the approved budget.

But, it added this:

“To clarify, the total approved budget of the project is $6.9 million which includes the cost of the pedestrian cycling bridge, pathway connections, the O-Train underpass structure and transit station tie-ins.”

Just so you know.

When you build a bridge, you need connections. And it costs money.

Ever wonder which intersections with red light cameras net the most fines in Ottawa? Here’s your answer:

Location of Red Light Cameras and Fines

As reported in June, the total number of crashes at these intersections have decreased, but the number of rear-end crashes have actually gone up. For cameras in use for 10 years, rear-end crashes increased 20% at those intersections. Angle collisions (T-bone crashes) decreased 29% over that same time.

The rear-end crashes are often a result of people tailgating and trying to burn through intersections.

It’s something for all of us to keep in mind as more kids cross these intersections at the start of a new school year.

—–
Follow City Hall reporter Jon Willing on Twitter at @JonathanWilling and at ottawasun.com.

The city is proposing changing a street name in Orléans to honour fallen Ottawa police officer Eric Czapnik.

The road is currently called Brisebois Cres. and it runs beside the east-end police detachment on St. Joseph Blvd., near Tenth Line.

According to the city notice below, the Brisebois name will be assigned to a new street.

Czapnik was on duty when he was murdered Dec. 29, 2009 at the Ottawa Hospital’s Civic campus. He was stabbed while completing paperwork in his cruiser. Kevin Gregson is serving a life sentence.

Proposed Street Name Change

Notice is being provided to the public of the proposed change to the name of the existing street “Brisebois Crescent”, located in Orléans, to “Eric Czapnik Way”. The existing roadway is northeast of the intersection of St. Joseph Boulevard and Tenth Line Road, just beside the Ottawa police station. There are no properties that currently have a Brisebois Crescent address. 

The Brisebois street name will be used for a new street located off Centrum Boulevard. 

Should you wish to provide input on the above change, comments may be forwarded to the contact person indicated below by Monday July 2, 2012.

Paul Blanchett

Project Coordinator

Building Code Services

101 Centrepointe Drive

Nepean ON K2G 5K7

Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 41421