Airport Parkway Widening – Environmental Assessment Open House #3

01 Mar Airport Parkway Widening – Environmental Assessment Open House #3

Airport Parkway Widening

Environmental Assessment Open House #3

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Jim Durrell Recreation Centre – Ellwood Hall (1265 Walkley Road)
6 to 8:30 p.m. with presentation at 7 p.m.

Dear Neighbours in Riverside Park and Hunt Club,

The City of Ottawa is undertaking the Airport Parkway and Lester Road Widening Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to determine the most appropriate means to accommodate the widening of both the Airport Parkway and Lester Road.

The third public meeting as part of the Environmental Assessment will be held on March 10, 2016 at the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre, 1265 Walkley Road starting at 6:00pm, with a presentation at 7pm. At this meeting, City of Ottawa staff will present their recommendations for the Airport Parkway widening, which could include a southbound off-ramp at Walkley Road.

I highly encourage all residents and local community groups to attend this important meeting. I will be in attendance as well to listen to the staff presentation and discuss the final recommendations with residents.

On November 26, 2013, City Council unanimously approved the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The TMP identifies the transportation facilities, services and policies that the City of Ottawa will implement to serve a projected population of 1.14 million people by 2031. It sets direction for the City’s day-to-day transportation programs and provides a basis for budget planning that is consistent with the growth management policies of the City’s Official Plan.

The Airport Parkway and Lester Road widening projects are to be funded by development charges collected by the City, not by property taxes. As the pace of development has slowed in Ottawa, the forecasted revenues from development charges have also decreased, and as such, the first phase of the Airport Parkway widening from Brookfield to Hunt Club has been postponed. The remaining phases of the project including the parkway widening from Hunt Club to the Airport and the widening of Lester Road have been forecasted further into future years.  

Following the open house, City staff will prepare the final report of the Environmental Assessment which is expected to be presented to the Transportation Committee in June or July (2016). 

City Staff Rationale for Widening the Airport Parkway and Lester Road

The Airport Parkway is a major north-south arterial road in the city. The corridor connects with the neighbourhoods of Riverside Park, Hunt Club, Ellwood, South Keys, Greenboro, Gloucester South and Blossom Park at the Brookfield, Walkley, Hunt Club and Lester interchanges.

Rapid growth in the communities south of Hunt Club Road, including Leitrim, Riverside South and Findlay Creek has increased traffic volumes on the Airport Parkway. As well, continued passenger demand at the Ottawa International Airport and the new EY Convention Centre on Uplands Drive has led to congestion during peak commuting periods. Future commercial development on the airport lands, including an airport expansion, will add to pressures along the corridor.

O-Train Extension (south)

I am a strong proponent of Phase 2 LRT, that will extend the current O-Train Trillium Line south of Greenboro Station all the way to Bowesville Road. This will also include a new station at Walkley Road. I have advocated for the LRT Phase 2 to be completed as soon as possible, in order to ensure public transit is a viable option for those south of Hunt Club Road and to reduce congestion on the Parkway.   

Get involved!

You are encouraged to participate in the study by attending the March 10 Open House prior to the completion of the Environmental Assessment report. For more information, please visit the following website: www.ottawa.ca/airportparkway.

To submit comments or questions, please contact:

Frank McKinney
Program Manager, Transportation Planning-Environmental Assessments
110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Tel: 613-580-2424 ext. 28540
Fax: 613-580-2578
E-mail: frank.mckinney@ottawa.ca

For a printable version of my recent flyer on this project, please click HERE.