Wellington Street closure hasn't caused 'total failure' for Ottawa's transportation network, report says

A 500-metre stretch of Wellington Street, which fronts Parliament Hill, remains closed after February’s truck convoy occupation. Ottawa, Ont.. May 31, 2022. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News).

A new city of Ottawa report says the closure of Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill has "not caused a total failure of the transportation network" in the downtown core.

However, a report for the transportation committee warns an increase in traffic as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions being lifted, a return of federal office workers and construction this year could negatively impact traffic in the area.

The report could be another step toward permanently closing the street to traffic, something a Parliamentary committee recommended last month.

Director of Traffic Services Phil Landry says the city is launching the "Wellington Street Transportation Study" to examine the traffic impacts and mitigation strategies associated with the potential changes to the major road in downtown Ottawa.

Wellington Street has remained closed between Elgin Street and Bank Street since the end of the 'Freedom Convoy' occupation last February. Only eastbound authorized vehicles such as the House of Commons and Senate Shuttle buses, Parliamentary Protective Services and city of Ottawa and NCC vehicles are permitted to access the eastbound lanes of Wellington.

In December, a House of Commons committee recommended keeping Wellington Street closed permanently to vehicles, and extending the vehicle exclusion zone from Bank Street to Kent Street.

"Overall, the closure of Wellington Street has not caused a total failure of the Transportation Network in the area mainly due to the lower traffic and pedestrian volumes," the report said.

However, traffic services says staff have observed impacts from the road closure, particular over the past six months as COVID-19 restrictions eased and more visitors and workers returned to the downtown core.

"While this increase in traffic to the area can currently be managed through signal timing adjustments and other measures, it has the potential to cause congestion and delay for all roadway users in the future as workers continue to return to the downtown core," Landry writes.

"As a result of increased traffic volumes on alternate routes, unplanned incidents, such as fire, police or ambulance vehicles blocking lanes along the detour roads to attend calls, have caused increased congestion and delay in these areas, especially during peak periods."

Landry said Queen Street has become the "de facto detour" for traffic that normally used the westbound lanes of Wellington Street, while Slater Street carries the traffic that would have used the eastbound lanes of Wellington in front of Parliament Hill.

"In order to alleviate congestion and optimize traffic flow along detour routes, various adjustments to traffic signal timings were implemented at key intersections in the area," Landry said.

The report says the city of Ottawa, the National Capital Commission and Public Services and Procurement Canada have established a "Transportation Working Group" to study the traffic impacts and mitigation strategies associated with potential changes to Wellington Street.

"As part of the study, travel forecasts will be developed and an analysis of traffic operations will be undertaken to assess the implications of any potential permanent closure of Wellington Street to general traffic," the report says.

"The analysis will consider how traffic will divert under this possible scenario and the corresponding safety and operational impacts to other streets and intersections within the downtown area.

"The study will also consider the impacts to active transportation, transit, goods movement, emergency services, and on-street parking / loading zones. In developing the travel forecasts, the effects of changing work patterns and other planned infrastructure projects will be considered."

The first phase of the study will look at the closure of Wellington Street between Bank Street and Elgin Street, with the second phase looking at extending the closure limits. Results of the study and recommendations on the future of Wellington Street will be presented to the transportation committee in late 2023 or early 2024.

The city has spent approximately $55,000 on the closure of Wellington Street, including implementing the "Authorized Vehicles Only Lane", establishing a cycle lane on Wellington Street and removing the traffic signals at Metcalfe and Wellington streets.