Ottawa Pedestrian Plan

Draft January 2009

The draft Ottawa Pedestrian Plan is posted in PDF format only. If you have difficulty accessing the plan, it will be provided in an alternate format. Please contact Gill Wilson, Planning and Growth Management Branch at 613-580-2424, ext. 13766 or e-mail at gill.wilson@ottawa.ca

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Glossary of Terms

Executive Summary

1.0 Introduction

    • 1.1 About Ottawa
    • 1.2 What is the Ottawa Pedestrian Plan
    • 1.3 Vision, Goal and Objectives
      • The Vision
      • The Goals
      • The Objectives

2.0 Study Process

    • 2.1 Study Design
      • 2.1.1 Part One- Building the Case for Walkability in Ottawa
      • 2.1.2 Part Two-The Strategy for a Pedestrian Plan
      • 2.1.3 Part Three- The Pedestrian Network and Implementation Plan

Part One: Building the Case for Walkability in Ottawa

    • Study Background
    • 3.1 Supporting Documents and Initiatives
      • 3.1.1 Ottawa 20/20 Growth Management Strategy
      • 3.1.2 City of Ottawa Official Plan
      • 3.1.3 City of Ottawa Transportation Master Plan
    • 3.2 Where does the Ottawa Pedestrian Plan Fit?

4.0 Towards a Walkable Ottawa

    • 4.1 The Benefits of Walkable Communities
      • 4.1.1 Improving Citizens’ Health
      • 4.1.2 Improving Pedestrian Safety
      • 4.1.3 Increasing Social Interaction
      • 4.1.4 Conserving Energy and Reducing Environmental Impact
      • 4.1.5 Reducing Infrastructure Needs and Costs
      • 4.1.6 Improving Economic Benefits
    • 4.2 Current Trends, Practices and Initiatives in Pedestrian Planning
      • 4.2.1 The Ontario Professional Planners Institute
      • 4.2.2 The Local Government Commission
      • 4.2.3 Smart Growth
      • 4.2.4 “Complete” Streets
      • 4.2.5 “Shared” Streets
      • 4.2.6 Encouraging More People to Walk More Often
      • 4.2.7 Exemplary Pedestrian Plans
    • 4.3 Challenges to Overcome in Making Ottawa More Walkable

5.0 Public Consultation - Pedestrians Have a Say

    • 5.1 The Consultation Process
      • 5.1.1 The Pedestrian Plan Public Advisory Committee
      • 5.1.2 The Pedestrian Plan Technical Advisory Committee
    • 5.2 Visioning Workshops
      • 5.2.1 Social Marketing
      • 5.2.2 Urban Design and Land Use Management
      • 5.2.3 Network Connectivity
      • 5.2.4 Targeted Implementation
      • 5.2.5 Institutional Strengthening
    • 5.3 Opportunities Workshop
      • 5.3.1 Downtown Development Area
      • 5.3.2 Middle Urban Development Area
      • 5.3.3 Sub Urban Development Area
      • 5.3.4 Rural Centres
    • 5.4 Public Open Houses
      • 5.4.1 Opinion Panels
      • 5.4.2 Comment Sheet Summary
    • 5.5 Pedestrian Plan Survey
    • 5.6 Presentations to Other Stakeholders
      • 5.6.1 Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee
      • 5.6.2 Public Health Branch
    • 5.7 Summary

Part Two: The Strategy and the Network

6.0 The Strategic Concept

    • 6.1 The Tree as a Metaphor for the Pedestrian Plan
      • 6.1.1 The Roots
      • 6.1.2 Water, Soil and Nutrients
      • 6.1.3 Crown, Flowers and Fruit

7.0 The Pedestrian Network

    • 7.1 What is a Pedestrian Network?
    • 7.2 Data Sources and Analysis
      • 7.2.1 The City of Ottawa Database (MAP GIS)
      • 7.2.2 Other GIS Databases
      • 7.2.3 Origin-Destination Survey
      • 7.2.4 New Sidewalk Links Program Candidate Database
      • 7.2.5 Aerial Photography and Field Interpretation
      • 7.2.6 Public Input
    • 7.3 Development Patterns and Walkability
    • 7.4 Developing the Pedestrian Network
      • 7.4.1 Network Objectives
      • 7.4.2 Types of Pedestrian Facilities
    • 7.5 Responsibility for Ottawa’s Sidewalks and Pathways
    • 7.6 Addressing and Prioritizing Missing Links
    • 7.7 Community Pedestrian Improvement Plans
      • 7.7.1 Why Undertake Community Pedestrian Improvement Plans?
      • 7.7.2 Community Pedestrian Improvement Plan Methodology
    • 7.8 The Proposed Pedestrian Network
      • 7.8.1 Recommended Sidewalk and Pathway Links
      • 7.8.1 City-wide Pedestrian Network Strategies
      • 7.8.2 Priority Areas for Community Pedestrian Improvement Plans
    • 7.9 Summary of Recommendations

Part Three: Planning, Design and Supporting Processes

8.0 Planning and Design

    • 8.1 Planning for Pedestrians
      • 8.1.1 A Pedestrian Charter
      • 8.1.2 Community Design Plans
      • 8.1.3 Pedestrian Planning and Design Guidelines
      • 8.1.4 Development Approvals
      • 8.1.5 Streetscapes
    • 8.2 Sidewalk Design
      • 8.2.1 North American Design Guidelines
      • 8.2.2 Ottawa’s Sidewalk Design Guidelines
      • 8.2.3 Ottawa’s Roadway Cross-section Guidelines
      • 8.2.4 Recommended Sidewalk Design Criteria
    • 8.3 Summary of Recommendations

9.0 Safety and Accessibility

    • 9.1 Pedestrian Safety
      • 9.1.1 Safe Places to Walk
      • 9.1.2 Pedestrian Collision Locations in Ottawa
      • 9.1.3 Characteristics of Pedestrian Collisions in Ottawa
    • 9.2 An Accessible Pedestrian System
      • 9.2.1 Sidewalks
      • 9.2.2 Sidewalks
    • 9.3 Pedestrian Street Crossings
      • 9.3.1 Pedestrian Crosswalks
      • 9.3.2 Pedestrian Cross-overs
      • 9.3.3 Intersection Crossings
      • 9.3.4 Crosswalk Markings
      • 9.3.5 Raised Pedestrian Crosswalks
      • 9.3.6 Curb Return Radii
      • 9.3.7 Roadway Narrowings
      • 9.3.8 Channelized Right-turn Lanes (Ottawa’s Urban Smart Channel)
      • 9.3.9 Traffic Signal Phasing
      • 9.3.10 Pedestrian Countdown Signals
      • 9.3.11 Intersection Pedestrian Signals
      • 9.3.12 Pedestrian Refuge Islands
      • 9.3.13 Freeway Ramps
      • 9.3.14 Roundabouts
      • 9.3.15 Grade-separated Crossings
      • 9.3.16 Audible Pedestrian Signals
    • 9.4 Pedestrian Safety in Work Zones
      • 9.4.1 Temporary Sidewalk/Temporary Route Design
      • 9.4.2 Barriers and Barricades
      • 9.4.3 Monitoring
    • 9.5 Using The Pedestrian Planning and Design Tools
    • 9.6 Summary of Recommendations

10.0 Maintenance and Rehabilitation

    • 10.1 Maintenance Quality Standards
      • 10.1.1 Monitoring of Sidewalks and Pathways
    • 10.2 Who Maintains and Rehabilitates Ottawa’s Sidewalks?
    • 10.3 Consideration for Sidewalk Maintenance During Design
    • 10.4 Winter Sidewalk Maintenance
      • 10.4.1 Winter Maintenance Treatment Standards
      • 10.4.2 Sidewalk and Pathway Winter Maintenance Practices in Other Jurisdictions
    • 10.5 Pathway Maintenance and Rehabilitation
      • 10.5.1 Other Jurisdictions
      • 10.5.2 Ottawa
    • 10.6 Summary of Recommendations

11.0 Education and Promotion

    • 11.1 The Role of Education and Promotion
    • 11.2 Examples from Other Jurisdictions
      • 11.2.1 Toronto, Ontario
      • 11.2.2 Calgary, Alberta
      • 11.2.3 Seattle, Washington
      • 11.2.4 Portland, Oregon
      • 11.2.5 Boulder, Colorado and Los Angeles, California
    • 11.3 City of Ottawa Programs
      • 11.3.1 Core City Programs
    • 11.4 The Importance of Partnerships
      • 11.4.1 Raising Awareness with Other Agencies
    • 11.5 Potential Enhancements to Education and Promotion Strategies
      • 11.5.1. External Communications
      • 11.5.2 Internal Communication/Awareness: An Active Transportation Roundtable
      • 11.5.3 Walking Maps
      • 11.5.4 TravelWise
      • 11.5.5 Private Sector Incentive Programs
      • 11.5.6 The City as a Leader
      • 11.5.7 Partnerships
      • 11.6 Summary of Recommendations

12.0 Implementation

    • 12.1 Introduction
    • 12.2 Making the Investment (Water, Soil and Nutrients)
    • 12.3 The Plan Components (The Roots)
      • 12.3.1 The Pedestrian Network
      • 12.3.2 Planning and Design
      • 12.3.3 Safety and Accessibility
      • 12.3.4 Maintenance and Rehabilitation
      • 12.3.5 Education and Promotion
      • 12.3.6 Summary of Recommendations
    • 12.4 Next Steps

List of appendices, figures, tables and schedules
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