UPDATE: Lane reductions began in the Hartwell Locks area Oct. 30 and are expected Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until the end of November, 2013. Motorists are asked to use the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. The Rideau Canal pathway will remain open, according to a City of Ottawa press release.
A pedestrian refuge is scheduled to be built on Colonel By Drive in front of Hartwell Locks, according to the National Capital Commission (NCC).
The NCC is currently looking for a contractor to begin work, spokesman Cédric Pelletier said, but as long as weather permits the work will be completed by the end of 2013.
Construction will include widening Colonel By Drive to accommodate the installation of the pedestrian refuge island, as well as adding curbs, concrete bullnoses, and granite cobbles, Pelletier said.
The refuge would be a safety measure for pedestrians and cyclists who need a safe place to stop while crossing Colonel By Drive, he said.
Pelletier said it is too early to tell how this project will affect traffic but confirmed that once a contractor is retained, a traffic management plan will be set up to ensure safe construction.
The Hartwell crossing is a popular way for students at Carleton to get to the canal.
“The National Capital Commission is continually examining ways to improve its infrastructures throughout Canada’s Capital Region with the key aim of providing a high level of safety for all users; pedestrians, cyclists and motorists,” Pelletier said via email.
The area was designated as a potential place for improvement during an NCC investigation of 15 high-traffic crossing points.
The 2011 Rideau Canal Corridor Pedestrian Crossing Report involved input from Carleton and the University of Ottawa.
They assessed key crossing points on Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Drive and developed solutions to enhance safety and comfort level of pedestrians and cyclists, alongside community associations and special interest groups.
Three more locations were identified by the study as priority locations for improvements. They are Colonel By Drive at Clegg Street, Queen Elizabeth Drive at Commissioners Park, and Queen Elizabeth Drive at Fifth Avenue.
Colonel By Drive at Hartwell Locks is the first location to have renovations planned.
