he OSCA Board had a long discussion at its April meeting on long-term traffic management in the neighbourhood, spurred by the current challenges we are all facing with traffic diversions as a result of the Bank Street construction project.
It has been clear for a number of years now that in addition to growing volumes of traffic on Bank Street, Sunnyside and Riverdale are under increasing stress as they are being turned into major collector streets for north and south bound commuter traffic wanting to divert off Bronson and Main Streets. The current construction has only tended to reinforce this problem as they are the major detour routes. Laid out some 80 years ago as residential streets when the only real north-south route was Bank Street, they were never designed to be collector routes, nor is the development on them (which is entirely residential) compatible with this role.
Furthermore, if this trend continues with the increase in north-south traffic as a result of growth in the south of Ottawa, something which is forecast in the City of Ottawa's new Official Plan, the quality of life for residents along these two streets, and indeed elsewhere in the community, will decline significantly.
But the implications of not doing something go beyond the residents living on Riverdale and Sunnyside. As these two streets bi-sect Old Ottawa South they will act as major conduits for "cut through traffic" to spread to other residential streets in the neighbourhood as they reach saturation levels, increasing problems for all residents. What is needed are changes to the design of the streets that will reinforce their residential character and discourage the growth of traffic volumes and unsafe driving practices.
With this in mind the board passed a resolution asking the city to conduct a design study of Riverdale and Sunnyside Avenues to determine what options are available to change their character and reinforce their intended roles as local community streets. This will include the impact of any such changes on other streets in the neighbourhood on the principle that fixing one problem should not create new ones for others. By the time you read this column a formal letter will have been sent to city staff requesting the study and I will be following up with them on how and when this study can proceed. Our councillor, Clive Doucet, participated in our discussion and supports this initiative, so I am hopeful that we will see some results soon.
The next six months are going to be tough times for our local merchants on Bank Street. With the construction going on and the significant reduction in traffic volumes, merchants will face an inevitable decline in business. You can help by continuing to patronize our local stores on Bank Street. After all they are close by and despite the construction, still more accessible than shops elsewhere. Many of our local merchants have been keen supporters of the neighbourhood through their participation in community events and their help with local causes. Now they could use our help. Keep up your patronage, and if you have the option, consider buying locally!
May is OSCA membership month, so sometime over the next few weeks you will probably receive a visit from an OSCA volunteer asking you to renew your annual membership, or take out a new one if you have not joined before.
The membership fee is only $5 per family and entitles you to a discount when enrolling in OSCA programs. The membership revenue also helps to support the many community events OSCA sponsors and the work of its many committees.
But membership in OSCA also provides us with another important benefit. It is a concrete demonstration of the commitment of individuals to their neighbourhood and helps us show city and provincial officials and politicians that the community is united and that OSCA is able to count on the support and commitment of it members - an important consideration when we try and get politicians and officials to deal with our concerns and put resources into our community.
So when that volunteer comes around, take out or renew your membership - it will only take a minute and its money well spent.