Chapter 7 - Intercity Travel
The transportation linkages between Ottawa and the rest of the world support the city’s economic well-being. This plan discusses the many direct connections to other municipalities, including interprovincial transit services (Section 5.2) and the roads and bridges to neighbouring municipalities (Chapter 6). There are also two privately operated ferries to Gatineau in Ottawa’s west and east ends.
This chapter discusses other important linkages provided by the aviation, rail and intercity bus industries.
7.1 Intercity Passenger Terminals
The air, rail and intercity bus industries are all served by major terminals in Ottawa. The City has a major interest in providing appropriate linkages between these terminals and the local transportation system, and can enhance service or reduce costs by grasping opportunities to introduce joint facilities or services with intercity carriers.
This plan calls for enhancement of the existing high-quality bus rapid transit service to the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, through the extension of a rail rapid transit line to the airport. A new rapid transit line integrated with airport terminal facilities would offer the highest possible level of service to travelers as well as the many employees in the airport area.
The two VIA Rail stations in Ottawa, including the main station on Tremblay Road and the Fallowfield station on Woodroffe Avenue, are successfully integrated with rapid transit stations.
Travelers arriving in Ottawa by intercity bus lines could benefit from better integration of the Catherine Street bus terminal with rapid transit services, and any future opportunity to relocate the existing bus terminal should strive to do so. It should be noted that some intercity bus routes are permitted to travel on the Transitway for part of their journey into or out of Ottawa, and passengers can transfer from one service to the other at Transitway stations.
The City will:
- Support the development of intercity passenger terminals that serve two or more travel modes, such as through the integration of intercity bus and/or rail stations with rapid transit facilities.
- Maintain high-quality roadway connections and rapid transit services to the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
- Support the continued use of the Transitway by intercity buses.