Last week we published a list of ten spots in Stittsville in need of sidewalk or pedestrian upgrades. We asked readers for your suggestions and heard from a lot of you. Here’s a sampling:
“I live in Traditions area. Why is there not a sidewalk from Fernbank to Elm Street along Stittsville Main Street? Where the church is. Children who want to walk from Traditions to where the gas station is, have to cross at Fernbank, go across a busy street, then go past the library, and cross at the light there. We need a sidewalk on the west side of the road there.” -Lori Claringbold
“I would recommend the entrance to Crossing Bridge. Hobin Street this end is very dark at night and it’s hard to see groups of people walking on the road with the curves and parked cars. very dangerous without a sidewalk.”–Kate Tomaszewski
“The walking paths that go along the storm water management ponds (at Coyote Park). North of Bell St. is maintained; the one on the south is not maintained for its full length. The south path is used by quite a few people, and becomes very dangerous when packed snow and ice build up.” –Gerry Kroll
“The sidewalk on Johnwoods is horrible too.”–Mandy Janman
“Fernbank Road, from Westridge to Stittsville Main St. The only park available to children East of Westridge to Main is Coyote park. Families from Etta St and Fernbank must walk along the pitched to the ditch gravel shoulder to get to Westridge.” –Sandie Hewson
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Unfortunately getting new sidewalks built is expensive and can be complicated. Councillor Shad Qadri weighed in on the issue this week in his email newsletter. Some updates and highlights:
Upgrading Stittsville’s older neighbourhood roads with ditches is pricey: “For sidewalks to be provided on rural cross-section roads the roads would require a complete upgrade to urban standards which means the stormwater ditches would have to be converted to a storm sewer system and then sidewalks could be installed… City staff advised that to change a one kilometer section of rural road to an urban cross-section with sidewalks on each side, in a typical 20 meter right of way (ROW) is in the order of $5 million (not including property acquisition if required). Sidewalks on one side would marginally reduce the cost (by some $300,000) but the bulk of the effort is in providing the platform, drainage and corridor necessarily to accommodate the pedestrian facility. The rural cross-section residential streets in Stittsville are not planned to be upgraded to urban standards. However, were possible I am working with the City to reviews areas in Stittsville that may be considered for an asphalt pathway instead of a concrete sidewalk as an asphalt pathway can be accommodated on rural cross-section roads and is a much more economical option as well.”
Hazeldean Road, west of Carp: “There are some missing links of sidewalks in the community that I do feel are significant concern and I am working with the City to provide a safer connection for pedestrians. One of the areas with a safety concern that I am working on is the section of Hazeldean Road from Carp to West Ridge/Kittiwake as I see this as a major concern and there is potential working with the developer constructing the townhouse development north of Hazeldean Road off Kittiwake.”
What happened to the Huntmar sidewalk? “In Fairwinds there was an interesting mystery of a sidewalk that disappeared on the west side of Huntmar Drive north of Hazeldean Road along the undeveloped commercial lot. Staff in the Planning Department did review this situation and advised that this stretch of sidewalk was completed by the developer in the area although they were not required to install it by the City as it did not abut their development property. However, following the installation of the sidewalk it was then required to be removed in order to install utilities. The Planning Department is still reviewing why the sidewalk was not re-installed however it is likely due to the fact that the developer was not required to install it in the first place and that there was an expectation that the commercial property along this section was anticipated to be developed shortly after the utilities were extended. When this commercial development does go forward the City is planned to request the developer install the sidewalk. If the developer does phase the development of the commercial property the sidewalk may also be completed in phases, but at this time the construction timeline of this site is unknown.”
Planned upgrades: “The main upgrades we will see in Stittsville for roads planned for urban upgrades at some point in the future will be arterial and collector roads such as the rest of Stittsville Main Street, Carp Road, Huntmar Road, Maple Grove Road and Fernbank Road. The Environmental Assessment Study for widening of Carp Road (Highway 417 to Hazeldean Road) has been completed and the next step is to complete the detail design phase of the project based on the recommended plan established by the EA study. City’s Transportation Master Plan identifies widening of Carp Road as a Phase 2 project and is slated for implementation during 2020-2025.”
There are several city programs that can be used to fill the gaps for missing sidewalks: “At this time in Stittsville unfortunately a number of the missing links that have been raised by the community have not been identified among the priority sidewalk projects in the “Project Prioritization List” found in Annex E of the OPP (Ottawa Pedestrian Plan).” The plan includes a prioritization of projects across the city, and includes a “financial affordability analysis considering annual capital funding forecasted up to the year 2031.”
“I was advised by staff that in the future it might be to have new sidewalks implemented as part of the Development Sidewalk Missing Links program or through road renewal reconstruction. I will be further reviewing this with City staff to ensure where possible that we have missing sidewalk links completed in part of the Development Sidewalk Missing Link program,” wrote Qadri.