East-West Cycling to Get a Boost with Baseline Transitway Labeled as Promising 'Transformer'
Preparing for a sustainable revolution: The vibrant city of Ottawa is poised to revolutionize transportation between Bayshore and Heron stations, with a 14-kilometre rapid bus transit system in the works. This corridor is a part of the Baseline Transitway Project, marking the city's commitment to eco-friendly travel options.
Timeline: Construction on the first phase of this project is slated to start in spring 2025. The initial focus will be on reconstructing crucial intersections, such as the Greenbank Road and Baseline Road intersection, by adding bus lanes, reworking traffic patterns, creating new sidewalks, and building raised bike lanes.
Reasons for this venture: City documents explain that this $18.5-million project intends to boost safety and public transit service. The city is even taking the step of expropriating certain properties, as detailed in a recent staff report presented to the Finance and Corporate Services Committee.
The powerhouseBaseline corridor: The Baseline corridor boasts high transit ridership, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. It serves as a significant east-west link, connecting attractions like Algonquin College and Confederation Heights—a complex of federal government buildings south of Carleton University.
Cycling enhancement: A key component of the first phase promises to provide protected cycling infrastructure, keeping cyclists separate from vehicles using barriers. In fact, the amount of trips where bicycles were used as a primary mode of transportation has more than doubled from 1.9 per cent in 2011 to 3.9 per cent in 2022, according to the city's 2024 Transportation Trends Report.
Community Reaction: Cycling advocates are excited about the planned changes, with Guillaume Gaillard, chair of Bike Ottawa's advocacy working group, stating that commuters and cyclists are eager to see the project take shape. The proposed designs feature 1.8-metre wide cycle tracks, an improvement from earlier plans, according to Gaillard, who hopes the project will create better connections between neighborhoods, encouraging more people outside downtown to feel comfortable cycling.
Prospects: The Baseline Transitway Project holds the potential to be transformative for cycling in Ottawa, with Hans Moor, former president of Bike Ottawa, describing it as "a game changer." Moor also expresses optimism about the inclusion of protected intersections designed to improve safety and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians.
Criticism and Further Needs: While the project is generally well-received, some critics point out that the proposed width for cycle tracks feels insufficient compared to the space allocated for vehicle lanes. These concerns highlight the necessity of prioritizing proper design, particularly at intersections, to ensure cyclist safety.
Looking forward: As William van Geest, executive director at Ecology Ottawa, states, "you build more bike infrastructure, and more people start to bike—and that's really cool to see." Advocates remain hopeful that the Baseline Transitway Project will contribute to a better, greener, and more connected Ottawa.
- By 2025, the Ottawa government plans to kick off the first phase of a $18.5-million Baseline Transitway Project, aiming to revolutionize transportation between Bayshore and Heron stations.
- The project, encompassing the reconfiguration of crucial intersections such as Greenbank Road and Baseline Road, is targeted at boosting safety and public transit service.
- This venture marks the city's commitment to eco-friendly travel options, with AI and space industries potentially benefiting from improved transportation infrastructure in the future.
- In alignment with the city's vision for a sustainable revolution, the Baseline corridor, already boasting high transit ridership rates, connects significant attractions like Algonquin College and federal government buildings.
- Cycling infrastructure is a key component of the first phase, offering protected cycling tracks to keep cyclists separate from vehicles.
- The growing popularity of cycling in Ottawa, with trips using bicycles as a primary mode of transportation more than doubling since 2011, supports the city's emphasis on cycling infrastructure.
- Critics argue that the proposed width for cycle tracks feels insufficient compared to the allocated space for vehicle lanes, calling for prioritizing proper design at intersections to ensure cyclist safety.
- Undeterred by criticism, advocates expect the Baseline Transitway Project to contribute to a better, greener, and more connected Ottawa, possibly influencing lifestyle changes such as more home-and-garden projects, as people spend more time in their homes, and reducing the need for personal vehicles.
