Project overview
Project description
This project has been created to address transit operational challenges for OC Transpo to allow their buses to service the Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station once Stage 2 of the O-Train East extension is put into service. To facilitate southbound bus connections and to improve bus service reliability at the Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station, this project will construct two new permanent facilities:
- A roundabout intersection at Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard and Fortune Drive/ Vineyard Drive for buses and general traffic, to allow buses to turn from northbound Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard to southbound Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard to access the station more directly. The new roundabout will provide improvements to road safety of all users.
- A bus bay on Jeanne D’Arc Boulevard between Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive and the Highway bridge.
The final design is under review and changes may be made based on community feedback. Below, is a draft preliminary image that shows the proposed design. The design incorporates cycling and pedestrian features not shown on the overlay image, including Pedestrian Crossover (PXO) with rapid flashing beacons.
The image above shows the draft preliminary design of the proposed roundabout on Jeanne d’Arc and Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive overlayed over the current intersection.
Project timing
Design: spring 2024
Construction start: summer 2024
Construction completion: summer 2025
Project budget
Total project budget: $8.23 million (subject to 2024/2025 budget approval)
Public engagement
A public information session is expected to be held in the spring of 2024 to present the design drawings to the public. Attendees will be able to review the design, ask questions and provide comment on the proposed works.
Accessibility
Accessibility is an important consideration for the City of Ottawa. The City makes every effort to provide access through and around construction sites. If you require a disability-related accommodation, please contact the project team listed below. Accessible formats(link is external) and communication supports are available, upon request.
Safety
The City of Ottawa is committed to safety in and around project sites. The project team continues to work closely with the industry and to comply with recommendations provided by municipal, provincial and federal health officials, as well as the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
Contact information
Should you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact:
City Project Manager
Kyle Delaney
Project Manager, Infrastructure Services
Design and Construction – Municipal
100 Constellation Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 26856
Public information session (April 29 to May 17, 2024)
OC Transpo is committed to enhancing transit service in the community through the development of the Stage 2 O-Train East extension project and supporting infrastructure. To provide safe bus connections to the new Jeanne d’Arc O-Train Station, the need for a new roundabout at the intersection of Jeanne d’Arc and Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive, as well as a new bus bay further south on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard has been identified.
We are aware the community has many questions about this project. The City of Ottawa held a public information session on April 29 to discuss the project details, explain the necessity for the roundabout, provide an overview of the safety and design features, share an update on any construction timelines, and provide information on the nearby bus bay. The session started at 7 pm with a presentation from city staff, which touched on project elements and addressed many of the questions residents have raised. Following the presentation, staff were available at various stations in the room to answer questions.
The project website will be regularly updated as new information is available, including timelines, design plans, and further details.
As background, the roundabout was found to be a required component for the new Jeanne d’Arc O-Train Station. It will improve bus service reliability and provide direct and safe routes for buses to access the new station, once the O-Train East extension is operational. Alternative locations for this roundabout were explored but would require increased bus traffic in front of Convent Glen Catholic School, as well on residential streets. Further, alternative locations would compromise service reliability due to longer trips and increase traffic congestion throughout the area. The roundabout design plans will include protected dedicated pedestrian crossovers and modernized cycling amenities to increase road safety for all users.
The future bus bay on Jeanne D’Arc Boulevard south of the Fortune Drive /Vineyard Drive intersection near the highway bridge, further supports bus operations in the community. This will improve service reliability by providing a location where buses can adjust to scheduled start times with minimal travel time to the station and improve service for transit customers.
Construction on the new facilities is planned to begin summer 2024 as completion is required for the opening of the Stage 2 O-Train East extension.
Residents can also share their feedback by viewing and commenting on the online document:
Presentation [ 3.58 MB ]
Board 01 [ 686.32 Ko ]
Board 02 [ 4.27 MB ]
Your feedback can be submitted via the online form, by email or by phone to the contacts below by May 17, 2024. The City and OC Transpo would like to thank residents for their ongoing patience as we work to advance the construction of the O-Train East extension project and this supporting infrastructure.
Contact information
For further information about this project or to submit comments on the project, please contact the City project manager:
City of Ottawa Project Manager
Kyle Delaney
Project Manager, Infrastructure Services
Design and Construction – Municipal
100 Constellation Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 26856
Design Consultant Representative
Mario Kotowski, P.Eng.
Manager – Transportation Services
Robinson Consultants
210-350 Palladium Drive, Ottawa ON, K2V 1A8
Tel: 613-592-6060
OC Transpo – Service Planning
Daniel Richardson
Program Manager, Operational Planning,
Service Planning, OC Transpo
1500 St-Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON, K1G 0Z8
Tel: 613-580-2424 ext. 52119
OC Transpo – Service Planning
Sara Akkaoui, P.Eng.
Senior Engineer, Transit Priority,
Service Planning, OC Transpo
1500 St-Laurent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 0Z8
Tel: 613-580-2424 ext. 52952
Frequently asked questions
1. Why is there a roundabout being built? Can buses be rerouted to avoid the need for it?
A new roundabout will be built at the intersection of Jeanne d’Arc and Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive. This is required prior to the opening of the Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station. This is due to buses requiring a safe and efficient way to access the station from both the north and southbound directions along Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard.
Alternative locations and different options for buses to turnaround were considered and examined but it was determined that a roundabout at Jeanne d’Arc and Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive was the best option for reliable transit service and enhanced safety. The current road network and alternatives do not work because it would:
- Result in increased bus traffic in front of Convent Glen Catholic School and in some alternatives that were examined buses would be required to pass in front of Terry Fox Elementary School and Cairine Wilson Secondary School.
- Increase bus traffic through residential areas.
- Buses would be stopping and waiting in residential areas.
- Decrease the transit service reliability and increase operational costs.
- The evaluation criteria that was used to consider a wide range of options will be shared in the coming weeks.
2. Are roundabouts safe?
Yes, roundabouts are safe and are a component of the Ottawa Road Safety Action plan to increase pedestrian safety. They are proven to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions when compared to other types of intersections. Studies have shown that when changing from a signalized intersection to a roundabout there is a 78% reduction in crashes that resulted in fatality or injuries.
Roundabout also have several benefits including:
- Reduced vehicle conflict points: high-severity conflicts such as right-turn and left-turn head-on crashes are greatly reduced with roundabouts.
- Reduced pedestrian crossing distances: The current crosswalk width is 24 meters, the roundabout crosswalk width is approximately 4.5 meters for each lane, totaling 9 meters.
- Lower vehicle speeds: the design of the roundabout promotes the reduction of speed for vehicles.
- Traffic calming: roundabouts require vehicles to reduce speeds when approaching them but generally have lower delays and shorter vehicle queues.
3. Will this roundabout be the same as the roundabout at St-Joseph and Jeanne d'Arc?
No. This roundabout design is a single-lane roundabout with pedestrian crossovers where flashing beacons are in place and pedestrians have the right of way. This is different from the roundabout at St-Joseph which has an outdated design where pedestrians don’t have the right of way. A closer comparison would be the roundabout at Portobello Boulevard/Valin Street, which uses the updated design and includes pedestrian and cycling features.
4. Will this be a single-lane roundabout? Why not a multi-lane roundabout?
Yes, this will be a single-lane roundabout. A single-lane roundabout is the preferred design as compared to a multi-lane roundabout. This is due to:
- Lower speeds: Single-lane roundabouts operate at slower speeds as compared to multi-lane roundabouts.
- Shorter crossing distance: Single-lane roundabouts provide two-stage crossings, where pedestrians and cyclists can cross one lane at a time, with one-way traffic for each stage.
- Increased vehicle yield compliance: Motorists yield to pedestrians more frequently at single-lane roundabouts.
- Surrounding Community: A single lane roundabout conforms with the surrounding Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard community and residential land-use. Multi-lane roundabouts are generally implemented on higher speed arterials.
- Traffic Capacity: A traffic engineering analysis was completed using forecast traffic volumes factoring in future development and population growth in the Convent Glen - Orléans Woods area. The analysis indicates that a single-lane roundabout would be sufficient to meet the community's growing needs into the future.
- Safety Record: Single Lane roundabouts have a stronger safety record as compared to multi-lane roundabouts.
The design for this single-lane roundabout was reviewed by several City of Ottawa teams, including Traffic Services, Planning and Development, and an engineering consultant. No concerns were identified, and the design was deemed to be safe and meet the project requirements.
The design was further validated through an independent Road Safety Audit, and it was found to be safe.
5. How much does this project cost?
The total budget for this project is $8.23 million. This includes the required design and construction of the infrastructure.
6. Can emergency vehicles navigate the proposed roundabout? Was the fire station aware of this roundabout?
Yes. All roundabouts are designed and built to allow the safe operations of all emergency vehicles through a roundabout and roundabouts do not negatively impact any of their operations. As part of the City's standard design process, the Emergency and Protective Service department was consulted, and no concerns were identified.
7. Can buses navigate this roundabout during winter?
Yes, buses can safely navigate the roundabout during winter in all road conditions and do so regularly across the more than 60 roundabouts in Ottawa. The design of roundabouts considers the requirements of all users to ensure their safe operation.
8. Will there be a crossing guard for the students of the school?
Yes. This location will continue to be funded for a crossing guard, and the city’s traffic team will assess if it meets the requirements needed to be eligible for an additional crossing guard. During construction, there will continue to be close coordination with the school to ensure safety is maximized.
9. What cycling and pedestrian features does this roundabout have?
The roundabout has safety features for all users. These include:
- Pedestrian crossovers: Will be at all ends of the roundabout. This provides a safe and easy crossing through a two-stage crossing, with splitter islands allowing pedestrians to cross the road one lanMe at a time. This design means pedestrians will only need to look for vehicles approaching from one direction at a time when crossing instead of two-ways.
- Rapid flashing beacons: This increases safety by providing an obvious visual cue of pedestrians crossing and will flash until pedestrians have finished crossing.
- Shorter crossing distances: The current crosswalk width is 24 meters. The roundabout crosswalk width is approximately 4.5 meters for each lane, totaling 9 meters.
- Cycling ramps: They will be located on Jeanne d’Arc, Fortune Drive, and Vineyard Drive and help cyclists transition from the road to multi-use-pathways before a roundabout. The design feature allows cyclists to bypass the roundabout if desired.
The design is shown in the image below:
10. Why am I hearing about a roundabout now?
With the Stage 2 East extension nearing completion, OC Transpo has been assessing how buses will operate in the area and recently identified the need for improvements to allow buses to service the new Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station. The project team has now concluded the preliminary design phase that included exploring different possible locations and other mitigations strategies to fulfill the project requirements and is now able to present this information to the community and seek feedback.
11. When will construction begin on this project and where can I find updates?
Currently, the project is in the design phase and residents can provide feedback until May 17. Following this a tendering and contract award process will take place with construction projected to start this summer. Construction is expected to be fully completed by summer 2025.
Once the project moves to the construction phase, the website will be updated to share construction information with residents.
12. How many additional buses will use this roundabout? Is this due to increased ridership?
Approximately six to eight additional buses per hour are expected to use the roundabout during the busiest hour of the day. During other times of day, the number of buses per hour could be lower. There are existing bus routes that travel this stretch of road to serve the community and will continue to do so. The additional bus trips, particularly during rush hour, are required to effectively and reliably service the new O-Train station at Jeanne d'Arc. OC Transpo regularly reviews ridership to ensure there is sufficient capacity for customers and adjustments are made when required.
13. How long will buses idle at the bus bay area?
The bus bay area that is being built near the roundabout is for bus operators to adjust their schedules before commencing their next trip. It is expected that idling will be for a short period of time.
14. How will the roundabout be constructed?
There will be close coordination during construction between the Stage 2 LRT contractor and the roundabout project team to minimize additional impacts to the community. The roundabout will be constructed in a staged approach while maintaining one lane in each direction on Jeanne d’Arc, as well as two-way access for both Fortune and Vineyard. Additional short-term closures may be required during off-peak times. Once construction plans are finalized, information on construction process and potential impacts, including traffic, will be communicated to the community before the start of construction.