Coun. Tim Tierney, Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure committee, is welcoming new developments towards his goal of creating a ring road around the city of Ottawa.
On Tuesday morning, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe met with Ontario’s Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria in city hall as part of Sutcliffe’s Mayor’s Breakfast conversations. The two discussed issues surrounding transportation and public transit in Ottawa.
During the meeting, Sarkaria expressed that he believed there was a “good case” for a ring road in Ottawa, and that the province was open to examining the possibility further. Sarkaria said that the conversations being had on the possibility are “very preliminary.”
The OC Transpo LRT and provincial ownership of Highway 174 were the central topics discussed during Tuesday’s meeting at city hall.
Sarkaria reiterated a promise made by Doug Ford during his visit to Ottawa on Monday, that the province will upload the cost of Ottawa’s LRT system. Ford met with Sutcliffe on the sidelines of a summit hosted by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, where he said he made a commitment that Queen’s Park would take over the O-Train system.
Sutcliffe confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday that the province had also committed to taking ownership of Highway 174, which runs in the city’s east end. Shifting ownership of the highway will be a multi-step process, Sutcliffe said.
Last summer, the city approved a plan for the next 20 years of transportation in Ottawa, dubbed the 2046 Transportation Master Plan. During the debates over what to include in the plan, Tierney advocated for the inclusion of a ring road.
Plans for a ring road were not included in the plan which was released in July. Tierney welcomes the newfound openness from the province and the mayor towards a ring road as a turning point for the project.
Tierney’s outlook on the future of such a project has changed like “night and day,” the Ward 11 councillor said.
“I’m glad everyone’s seeing the light,” Tierney said. “I think we heard the public outcry, and now things are changing,” he added.
Constituents have come to Tierney with concerns over traffic congestion in the city, which Tierney said has reached a boiling point. Beyond that, implementing a ring road in the city would help to reduce pollution, he said.
“If we can remove traffic from the 417, the 416, and move it around, it will make it much easier for everyone, cut down on pollution, and allow for people to spend more time at home,” Tierney said.
The province has been receptive to concerns from Ottawa residents, which has led to the potential project being considered more seriously than it has been previously, by both the city and Queen’s Park.
“I’m happy to hear it’s back on the radar,” Tierney said, “the province has certainly heard from residents in Ottawa.” The existence of a ring road comes hand in hand with an improved LRT system, the councillor added.
The O-Train, which has suffered significant technical and financial issues over the past year, being under provincial ownership is compatible with provincial assistance for a ring road project in the city, he said.
Conversations between city officials and the province have picked up steam in recent months, Tierney said, bringing greater attention to the prospective project.
“We’re definitely moving ahead… now things are changing,” Tierney said, expressing optimism as he described “talking quite a bit” with Minister Sarkaria.
