Stop The Kettle Island Bridge

Interprovincial Transit Study – Public Consultation

The recently initiated Interprovincial Transit Study is reaching out for public consultation. Within the initial round of consultation, one event has already occurred, but there is a second event next week in Gatineau:

Tuesday May 19 2009
4:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Gatineau Maison du Citoyen – Agora
25 Laurier Street, Gatineau

Click here for details about the public consultation process.

It is important to note that the Kettle Island crossing is the least effective crossing in terms of public transit usage.

If you are unable to attend these events, click here to submit your comments online.

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New study focusing on transit between Ottawa and Gatineau

Press Release issued by the NCC, City of Ottawa, and STO on May 4th:

PUBLIC LAUNCH OF STUDY ON INTEGRATING TRANSIT BETWEEN OTTAWA AND GATINEAU DOWNTOWN CORES

Canada’s Capital Region ― The National Capital Commission (NCC) and its partners announced today that it is launching the Interprovincial Transit Strategy and looking for public input into ways of better integrating transit between the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau. The consultation’s website, www.Interprovincial-Transit-Strategy.ca, is live and offers the public its first opportunity to have its say.

The Interprovincial Transit Strategy is a collaborative effort funded by the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) and the City of Ottawa, with participation by the Ville de Gatineau.

“Active public engagement in this study will provide a relevant, realistic and efficient regional transit solution that meets the needs of residents living and working on both sides of the Ottawa River, in the core of Canada’s Capital region” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC.

“As we move forward with Ottawa’s Transportation Master Plan it is important that we integrate our plans with the future direction of our neighbours in Gatineau,” added Ottawa Deputy Mayor Diane Deans.

“Our region’s population is growing, and our transportation networks have to grow with it to ensure that users’ needs are met. We must work together and as one to provide a harmonized transportation system,” added Gatineau Mayor Marc Bureau.

The Strategy will take approximately 10 months to complete (with an expected completion date of January 2010), and will deliver short, medium and long term solutions up to the year 2031. It has a budget of $750,000 and it will be shared equally by all three partners.

The Interprovincial Transit Strategy reflects each partners’ commitment to sustainable transportation and is part of a shared goal to make the National Capital Region’s core area a more vibrant, liveable and attractive place, with less reliance on private vehicles.

Patrice Martin, Chairman at the STO stressed the need for an improved and seamless transit service between the city cores: “We know that there is room for innovation and much public interest in the interconnection of the services that are available to the communities of Ottawa and Gatineau – from individuals, commuters, local businesses, homeowners, employers, community groups and other organizations. We look forward to a meaningful dialogue with these groups about what the future of rapid transit might look like in the downtown cores in respect of the two transit systems already in place.”

The NCC has retained the services of McCormick Rankin Corporation, Tecsult AECOM and PACE Public Affairs & Community Engagement to assist it in this process. Several opportunities have been planned for the public and stakeholders to have their say in the Strategy and to provide their ideas for the best solution for the National Capital Region. More information on the Strategy, as well as details on how to become involved can be found at www.Interprovincial-Transit-Strategy.ca.

Media Information:
Jean Wolff
NCC Media Relations
613-239-5703 (office)
613-797-0279 (cellular)
jwolff@ncc-ccn.ca
Céline Gauthier

STO Media Relations
819-770-7900, extension 6937 (office)
819-664-7234 (cellular)
cgauthier@sto.ca
Public Affairs – City of Ottawa
613-580-2450
medias@ottawa.ca

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Kettle Island discourages public transit

Contributed by Judy Lishman:
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The Kettle Island corridor would be the poorest performing corridor for encouraging transit ridership. According to the consultant’s own conclusion in his Transit Report of July, 2008 “The least useful interprovincial crossing for transit is Crossing 5 Kettle Island – there are no benefits for route travel time or ridership criteria”. In fact, a bridge at Kettle Island would discourage transit travel and encourage automobile travel.

Transit ridership only increases if it is convenient and results in a shorter ride time than automobile. The best way to increase transit ridership is to provide dedicated transit facilities on the bridges (either bus lanes or rail) so that transit is separated from car traffic.

The City of Ottawa has just approved a transit plan that incorporates both Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). A major rail/bus transfer station will be located at the Blair Station close to the Greenbelt and Highway 174. The Kettle Island corridor would not directly connect with either rail or bus transit. It would not promote transit ridership and therefore would not increase the modal split (M/S) i.e. the split between transit travel and automobile travel. Corridors east of the Blair Station could enhance transit ridership from Gatineau significantly and thereby increase the M/S and reduce the requirement for future bridge capacity. There is little sense in selecting a bridge corridor that fails to connect to transit.

The NCC has recently commissioned the Interprovincial Rapid Transit Integration Strategic Planning Study. It would seem prudent, if the proponents are serious about promoting public transit, to integrate the transit study with the Interprovincial Crossings Study in order to rationalize the decisions about public transit and a new crossing corridor.

To demonstrate how little value the consultant has placed on the importance of transit in the National Capital Region, the combined weight given to the ability of a corridor to encourage automobile use is 13.4% while the weight given to encourage transit use is 2.3%. This distortion in the weighting has led to the selection of a corridor that, in fact, discourages transit use. For this reason, a bridge at Kettle Island should be rejected.
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