What you need to know about the closure of a section of Hwy. 417 in Ottawa this weekend

Motorists will want to give themselves some extra time to get around Ottawa this weekend, as construction closes sections of the Queensway and the O-Train remains out of service.

Highway 417 is closed in both directions between Woodroffe Avenue and Greenbank Road until 5 a.m. on Monday for the installation of a new pedestrian bridge. One of two southbound lanes on Riverside Drive is closed at Terminal Avenue for construction.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the major traffic closures in Ottawa this weekend.

O-Train shutdown

Ottawa's light-rail transit system remains out of service again this weekend, as inspections continue following an axle-bearing issue.

R1 replacement bus service will be running between Blair Road and Tunney's Pasture stations all weekend.

Queensway

Highway 417 is closed in both directions between Woodroffe Avenue and Greenbank Road this weekend for the installation of the O-Train West extension pedestrian bridge.

The highway and select ramps will be closed until Monday, July 31 at 5 a.m.

"The closure is required as part of the Stage 2 West extension to install a pedestrian bridge that will enhance neighbourhood connectivity and provide direct access to the future Queensview Station from Baxter Road," the city said.

The city of Ottawa says two pre-assembled steel spans are being staged at Pinecrest Station, and will be moved into place this weekend.

"The first activity is that we have to get them into place; so we’re going to be rolling them across Pinecrest Road and then through the bus-only on-ramp that will be closed to traffic," Jacelyn Daigle, Stage 2 LRT construction manager, said Thursday.

"So there will be self-propelled trailers for that rolling activity. We’ll have a 500 tonne crane setup in the westbound lanes of the highway; it’ll do the lift of the first span. We’ll do the same activity with the second span; so roll it into the staging area to the north side of the highway and then lift it into place. Once those two steel structures are in place, we’ll be doing deck panel installation again from the highway.”

The following Hwy. 417 ramps will be closed during the installation:

• The eastbound on-ramps from Richmond Road
• The eastbound on-ramps from Pinecrest Road
• The eastbound off-ramp to Woodroffe Avenue
• The westbound on-ramp from Maitland Avenue
• The westbound on-ramp from Woodroffe Avenue
• The westbound off-ramp to Pinecrest Road

Here are the recommended detours:

Westbound detour

• Exit Highway 417 at Woodroffe Avenue
• Turn right on Woodroffe Avenue
• Turn left on Carling Avenue
• Turn left at Richmond Road
• Turn left at Pinecrest Road
• Turn right on to the on-ramp to re-enter Highway 417

Or

• Exit Highway 417 at Woodroffe Avenue
• Turn right on Woodroffe Avenue
• Turn left on Carling Avenue
• Turn left at Richmond Road
• Turn right on to the on-ramp to re-enter Highway 417

Westbound detour on Highway 417 from July 28 to 31. (City of Ottawa/supplied)

Eastbound detour

• Exit Highway 417 at Greenbank Road
• Turn right on Greenbank Road
• Turn left on Baseline Road
• Turn left on Woodroffe Avenue
• Turn right onto the on-ramp to re-enter Highway 417

Eastbound detour on Highway 417 from July 28 to 31. (City of Ottawa/supplied)

Riverside Drive

The city of Ottawa says a series of weekend closures will impact one of two southbound lanes on Riverside Drive at Terminal Avenue.

Traffic from Hwy. 417 heading south on Riverside Drive towards Hurdman Station will experience delay.

The lane closure is necessary to facilitate the decommissioning of the current operating sewers and relocate the City storm and sanitary sewers on 1460 Riverside Drive into the City’s right of way.

The lane reductions will be from 9 a.m. Friday to 3 p.m. on Monday.

Pedestrian and cyclist access through the work zone will be maintained at all times during construction.

There will also be weekend lane closures on Riverside Drive Aug. 18-20 and Aug. 25-27.

Traffic disruptions can be expected over three weekends this summer for sewer work on Riverside Drive.

Other closures to watch out for in Ottawa

• Queen Elizabeth Driveway will be closed to vehicles daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• The Kichi Zibi Mikan will be closed Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• The Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
• Chaudiere Crossing remains closed to motorists for construction
• Lane reductions on Champlain Bridge due to construction