(Press release from the Ottawa Senators.)
Canadian Tire Centre (@CdnTireCtr) and the Ottawa Senators (@Senators) announced today that their traffic management efforts, made in partnership with the City of Ottawa and Vinci Park, have significantly improved the egress times for vehicles leaving the arena following hockey games.
Working with Senators’ parking provider Vinci Park, traffic monitoring statistics have reported that since the implementation of these traffic upgrades, which include traffic flow changes both northbound and southbound on Huntmar Drive and the expansion of Highway 417, egress of the entire network has improved by more than 14 per cent, with certain lots experiencing exit time improvements in excess of 30 per cent.
“We’re excited by the results of the measures we have put in place to increase the speed of egress from the building following hockey games,” said Senators president Cyril Leeder. “The feedback from our fans and season-seat members has been overwhelmingly positive and it is clear to us that faster egress has improved the entire Senators’ game experience. We are encouraged by the progress that these changes have created and we will continue to work hard to make the entire driving, parking and game experience better for our fans going forward.”
In addition to the traffic flow changes, the Senators continue to make a number of enhancements to the game experience as part of the #SensVision25 initiative. Last fall, the organization began a repaving program that will see all of the parking lots outside of Canadian Tire Centre resurfaced. The work began late in 2014 and will continue into the summer of 2015. In addition to the repaving, new digital payment technology has been installed in all parking lots, which has enabled fans the added convenience to pay by cash, debit or major credit card.
All Canadian Tire Centre infrastructure changes specific to parking and traffic flow are geared to help improve fan ingress and egress as well as the overall parking experience for patrons coming to Canadian Tire Centre for Senators games and other events.
Not sure if it makes a difference to the timing of the egress, but that’s not my concern. My concern is what it does to the neighbourhood.
Why not have a direct entry and exit to the 417? It is right there…
They could have direct exits from several locations in the parking area that go to small collector lanes, which eventually merge with the 417.
Put them right where that dangerous LED sign is – you know the one that distracts and blinds you while driving down the 417 at night. Not sure why something that dangerous is legal. Not to mention ugly.
I guess as long as hockey fans are happy.