Queensway (417) Study and Assessment Plan

 

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO), in partnership with Totten Sims Hubicki (TSH) Associates Limited and in consultation with the City of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission, has completed a Preliminary Design Study and Class Environmental Assessment of the Ottawa Queensway (Highway 417) from Highway 416 easterly to Anderson Road.

 

The public is invited to review this plan. For more information about the process, click here.

 

Note: Funding for the plan has not been approved nor has a project timetable. The plan could take many years to implement and it is not certain how the City’s Transportation Master Plan including light right could impact the schedule. This plan does not cover the Queensway from Highway 416 westerly to Kanata which was part of a different assessment and has already received provincial approval.

Local changes

The study included input from a Public Advisory Committee (PAC) comprised of representatives of Community Associations and other groups representing broader transportation interests. Leo Paoletti (president@qualicum.org) represented QGPCA at the meetings. At the Community Association’s annual general meetings (2004 and 2005), Leo provided an overview of the potential local impact to the Richmond Road interchange and Holly Acres Road (formerly Acres Road). The following summarizes the potential impact:

  • Widening to 4 basic lanes per direction from Highway 416 interchange to Carling Avenue.
  • The South-East onramp on Richmond Road will be closed. This is the onramp to the Eastbound QW used when traveling North on Richmond Rd. By closing this onramp, an extra lane (the new fourth lane) can be added to the Eastbound QW without impacting residents who back onto the QW (Mohawk and Queensline). The new onramp will be located at the northern end of Holly Acres.
  • The South-West onramp will be closed. This is the onramp to the Westbound QW used when traveling North on Richmond Rd. This had already been approved in the 1990s as part of the Transitway planning process and the ramp will be closed only when the Transitway is built. If the Queensway is widened before the Transitway is built then the ramp will be left in operation. The new onramp will be located at the northern end of Holly Acres.
  • The Westbound QW exit at Richmond will have its curve smoothed out. This should improve safety and make it more obvious how to enter the Bayshore Shopping Centre.
  • The North-West onramp will be not be closed. This is the onramp to the Westbound QW used when traveling South on Richmond Road.
  • The North-East onramp will be closed. This is the onramp to the Eastbound QW used when traveling South on Richmond Rd. By closing this onramp, an extra lane (the new fourth lane) can be added to the Eastbound QW. The new onramp will be located at the northern end of Holly Acres.

 

Click here for a drawing of the proposed Richmond Road changes. Click here for a drawing of the proposed interchange on Holly Acres (north of the Queensway). Please note that the 416/417 interchange will be modified to prevent vehicles from accessing Moodie Drive after getting on the 417 (Queensway) from the 416. These vehicles will now be using the Holly Acres interchange (and this was approved in Highway 416 westerly to Kanata assessment).

Local impact of changes

In July 2004, Leo sent a letter to MTO and the TSH (the consultant company) outlining the community’s concerns. Click here to see the letter. Click here to see the response from the letter.

 

The main source of concern is the potential for increased through traffic in the community to avoid the new interchange (and access the Queensway at Pinecrest). This might be similar to what occurred when Holly Acres and the Queensway were changed during the construction of the Highway 416 interchange. Click here to see the proposed new intersection at Nanaimo/Richmond/Holly Acres. If the proposal is implemented the sound levels (concerns for Mohawk and Queensline residents) will not increase or decrease significantly. As well, the drawings show some new noise barriers behind Queensline. In all likelihood, by the time this project is completed, new noise barriers will be required for the entire area that backs onto Mohawk and Queensline).

What can you do?

After reviewing the plans, you can provide comments and questions to MTO and TSH (the consulting company). For more information about the process, click here. You can also send comments to Leo Paoletti (president@qualicum.org) who will be restating concerns in another letter.

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