Ottawa banning transport trucks from section of Main Street in village of Manotick

Approximately 800 trucks cross the intersection at Manotick Main Street and Bridge Street each weekday, roads which are lined with senior residences, a school, businesses and homes. Aug. 27, 2024. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News Ottawa).

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says the City of Ottawa is taking a "couple of important steps" to reduce heavy truck traffic in the village of Manotick, including banning transport trucks on a section of Manotick Main Street immediately.

Residents have raised safety concerns for years about the stream of trucks passing through their community on Main Street and Rideau Valley Drive.

The main roads in the village in Ottawa's south end are part of the city's designated truck route, with approximately 800 trucks a day crossing the intersection of Manotick Main Street and Bridge Street.

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Sutcliffe announced two solutions for slowing down truck traffic in Manotick on Monday.

"First, we are going to reduce heavy truck traffic on Main Street and Rideau Valley Drive," Sutcliffe said.

"Except for a short period every spring, non-local heavy vehicles will not be allowed on these roads and they're going to have to use other routes."

According to Coun. David Brown, Manotick Main Street, between Bridge Street and Century Road, will be removed from the city's truck route network starting this week.  Signage will be added at the intersections of Bridge and Main and Century and Main/Rideau Valley Drive advising drivers of the new restrictions.

Trucks will be permitted on Manotick Main Street between March 1 and May 15 each year.

The second step will be a "comprehensive truck route study" in Manotick early next year, with the city looking at options to remove Bridge Street from the truck route network.

"It's going to be the first thorough examination of truck traffic in this area for nearly 20 years," Sutcliffe said.

"We're going to gather data; data on truck volumes and origins. We're going to engage with the community, with truck associations, with other stakeholders and we're going to make informed recommendations about future truck routes."

Brown says some trucks will be permitted on Manotick Main Street when they are leaving from their point of origin or arriving at their final destination, but for "most of the year, it will be very limited compared to the kinds of traffic volumes that we have observed in recent years."

With files with CTV News Ottawa's Tyler Fleming