he April issue of OSCAR carries a letter to the editor from Arthur McGregor concerning the impact of Bank Street reconstruction on Riverdale Avenue.
Mr. McGregor writes on behalf of the Bank Street Merchants who are concerned that the construction will lead to lost businesses. As he warns, some businesses may have to close before construction is completed.
I am sure everyone in the community shares these concerns. We should help the merchants by buying locally. If enough Old Ottawa South residents make their purchases in the community, hopefully we can help offset the impact of reduced drive-in business.
The residents of the community have other concerns about the flow of traffic, and I hope the residents and the merchants will be able to work together on the traffic issues over the next few months. Together, we can secure some much-needed and long-overdue changes to traffic on Riverdale and Sunnyside.
Riverdale is wider than Bank Street. It is straighter than Bank Street. Drivers are tempted to use it to accelerate and make up for lost time after negotiating the traffic of Bank Street. Or at least, they could use it as a speed ramp before the traffic diversion turned both Riverdale and Sunnyside into a very clogged main thoroughfare.
The heavy traffic on Riverdale and Sunnyside is very dangerous. Already there have been several reports of near accidents, both between vehicles at the Riverdale-Sunnyside intersection, and with pedestrians, particularly at the Cameron Street crosswalk. Heavy traffic is also spilling over into the side streets of Cameron, Belmont and Willard.
We are very concerned that, now that traffic is diverted for the next six months, more drivers will discover Riverdale as a speedy alternative to Bank Street. This would not be good for Bank Street merchants. It puts our families at risk.
Over the past weeks, concerned residents have been meeting with Councillor Clive Doucet, City of Ottawa officials, and with OSCA to discuss the traffic problems. Councillor Doucet hosted public meetings on April 9 and April 28.
As a result, the residents' working group is hoping to accomplish three things:
This third measure is as important to the merchants as it is to the residents. If we can narrow Riverdale and Sunnyside by widening the sidewalks, increasing the number of "bulb-outs," and planting more trees, we can help redirect through traffic onto Bank Street where it belongs - and where it will help local business. And we will also address the traffic safety problems that OOS residents have been trying to deal with for several years.
The traffic problems this summer could become a decisive turning point in the traffic in our community - either for better or for worse. For worse, these streets could become more like Bronson and Main Street - major arterial and connector roads for heavy traffic moving in and out of the city core.
But if we work together, we can affect change for the better: Reduce the danger on our streets, take control of the traffic flowing through our community, and beautify Old Ottawa South.
I hope the Bank Street merchants will join us in our campaign.
Yours sincerely,
Don Cummer
Riverdale