Vehicle traffic down, bicycle traffic up on Wellington Street following reopening

Four months after the city of Ottawa reopened Wellington Street to vehicles, new statistics show vehicle traffic is 35 per cent below pre-pandemic levels on the road in front of Parliament Hill.

The debate on the future of Wellington Street continues, with the federal government saying it is still interested in buying a section of the road in the Parliamentary Precinct.

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Wellington Street reopened to vehicles between Elgin and Bank streets on April 28, 455 days after it was closed to vehicles at the start of the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration.

The newly reopened Wellington Street includes a segregated bicycle lane with flex posts separating the bike lane and the single traffic lane.

Statistics provided to CTV News Ottawa show that during a 12-hour period in July, there were 7,992 light vehicles and motorcyclists using Wellington Street between Metcalfe and O'Connor streets, compared to 12,362 during a 12-hour period in July 2018.

The number of heavy vehicles on Wellington Street was down 85 per cent in 2023 compared to 2018.

Meantime, the city of Ottawa is reporting a 758 per cent increase in the number of cyclists using Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill. Statistics show 849 cyclists on Wellington Street during a 12-hour period in July 2023, compared to 99 in 2018.  The National Capital Commission's Ottawa River Pathway behind Parliament Hill is closed this summer due to construction, with cyclists being detoured from the pathway to Wellington Street.

In April, the federal government offered the buy the section of Wellington Street from the city with the goal of keeping it permanently closed to vehicles. A letter from the former Public Works and Procurement Minister asked Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to explore the possibility of establishing an "interim care and control agreement" to keep the road closed.

Chair of the city's transportation committee Tim Tierney defends the city's decision.

"It has been terrific. Looking at the pre-pandemic levels we are at about 65 per cent of what that is, which is good. We see a lot less people travelling through Quebec to get to the other side of the city which reduces greenhouse gases, gets people home to their families much quicker," Tierney says.

Tierney says fewer vehicles are using the road than pre-pandemic, but points to hybrid work and a recovering downtown economy. He adds more cyclists are using the road than ever before after flexi-posts and bike lanes were painted along the street.

"It has been used very well and we are going to continue to monitor it. The other big news is a massive reduction of heavy vehicles, leaving us with beautiful parliamentary scenario in the background for residential vehicles, cyclists and walkers," he says.

"It has been a total success, working collectively as a council, and the local councillor Ariel Troster, we have made this successful. You see the cycling increasing, it is massive, cars and bicycles can work together. It is not a binary decision, you can actually make things work together if you actually put the effort into it."

But the federal government says the debate isn't over. The federal government is still interested in buying the section of Wellington Street from the city of Ottawa. A spokesperson from the Minister of Public Services and Procurement's office says the Minister is looking forward to speaking with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe on this issue.

"Wellington Street is crucial to our parliamentary precinct, and at the centre of Canada’s democratic life," said a statement from the Office of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement to CTV News Ottawa on Wednesday. "Our government continues to work constructively with the city of Ottawa to find the best long-term solution for this emblematic road. The safety and security of everyone visiting and working in the parliamentary precinct is a top priority that will be taken into consideration in the future plan."

Tierney says he has had no conversations with the federal government since the road reopened.

"(The federal government) was pretty anxious when we said we were going to open the street but it has been crickets since. I don't know where the federal government's heads are at this point," he says. "My phone is available anytime … and that goes to the National Capital Commission too."

Yasir Naqvi, the Member of Parliament for the area, says the data highlights the fact that Wellington Street has become a popular street for cyclists.

"I believe this underscores the potential of transforming Wellington Street into an active transportation corridor and national pedestrian mall that is open for residents and visitors for generations to come," Naqvi says.

"Wellington Street is not just a regular city road, as demonstrated by last year's illegal occupation. I remain committed to advocating for the reimagining of Wellington Street for the better — an active transportation corridor for people to walk, run, bike, or roll. I envision a future where Wellington is a meeting place for Canadians to celebrate their democracy as well as a place to safely and peacefully protest their government."  

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Leah Larocque and Hannah Berge