Ahearn Avenue sidewalk

Project description

The City of Ottawa is undertaking the design work for a new sidewalk facility along Ahearn Avenue.

The work involves installing a 1.8m wide sidewalk on the south side of Ahearn Avenue from Ritchie Street to Croft Street, and a 2.4m wide multi-use pathway from Croft Street to Farrow Street. A pedestrian crossover (PXO) type D will be installed on Ahearn Avenue, just west of Croft Street. There will also be bulb-outs installed at Ritchie Street. There will be some road widening to facilitate drainage as part of the new sidewalk installation. Some driveways and catch basins will be impacted as part of the work.

The new sidewalk will facilitate access between the neighbourhood institutions, residences and transit stops on Greenview Avenue and Carling Avenue. It will fill a gap in the sidewalk network for those walking within the neighbourhood including but not limited to park users, school children and transit users. It will also promote safety for students and all road users.

Residents will be notified prior to construction commencement.  

Project timing

An online public consultation was held on December 11, 2023, where two new sidewalk options were presented. Following the consultation, the City selected the preferred method (option 1). Construction is anticipated to start summer 2024.

Project budget

The estimated total project budget is $1.3 million.
Approved funds to date are $1.088 million to facilitate project design and preparatory works and the additional funds will be available for tender.

Public engagement

A virtual public open house was hosted by the Ward Councillor on November 26, 2020. The display boards from this open house are provided below:

Display boards [ PDF 8.422 MB ]

In November-December 2020, an online consultation was held to gather feedback on the proposed Ahearn Avenue sidewalk functional design. This As We Heard It Report includes the results from the online consultation and survey, comments provided during a Councillor-hosted virtual meeting and summaries of individual comments received by email.

Impact on the right of way and adjacent private properties

The planned construction is within the City’s right of way but may result in some disruption to part of the private property directly adjacent to the work. The City will reinstate all sections of landscaping, driveways and walkways that are disturbed by construction. However, if you have plants or any other assets located within the City’s right of way that you want to preserve, we suggest that you may want to move them in preparation for the construction work.

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 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.

For any emergency outside normal working hours, please call the City at 3-1-1.  
For general project information, please contact the City’s Project Manager. 
For construction related questions or concerns, please contact the Contractor Representative.

City Project Manager
Mike Sexton
Senior Project Manager
Infrastructure Services Projects
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 26157

Contract Administrator
Stephen Arends
Contract Administrator
Jp2g Consultants Inc.
Tel:  613-868-1350

City On-Site Representative
Andrew Iamello
Senior Site Inspector
Jp2g Consultants Inc.
Tel: 613-795-3740

Contractor Representative
Justin Woodward
Project Manager
D-Squared Construction 
Tel: 613-914-1431

In early July 2024, the City of Ottawa will begin installation of a sidewalk in your neighborhood.

What:

Sidewalk and mixed-use path (MUP) on Ahearn Avenue: the work includes the installation of a new 1.8m wide concrete sidewalk along the south-east side of Ahearn Avenue from Ritchie Street to Croft Street and a 2.4m wide asphalt MUP along the south-east side of Ahearn Avenue from Croft Street to Farrow Street. The total length of the new sidewalk and MUP is approximately 320 metres.

Pedestrian crossing (PXO) on Ahearn Avenue: A new PXO will be installed at the intersection of Ahearn Avenue and Croft Street.

Why: This work is required to improve mobility and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

When: This work is scheduled to begin in July 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in September 2024.

Where: Ahearn Avenue between Ritchie Street and Farrow Street.

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the contractor, D-Squared Construction, to complete the work.

Traffic management

To accommodate the proposed construction, a temporary road closure of Ahearn Avenue from Ritchie Street and Farrow Street is expected between July 2 to August 30, 2024. A 3.5m wide lane of access for local traffic will be in place at the end of each working day. Access to private properties including pedestrian access, will be maintained throughout the construction period unless otherwise communicated.

Recommended detour

During the closure of Ahearn Avenue from Ritchie Street and Farrow Street the recommended detour route for non-local traffic is Scrivens Street to Haughton Avenue to Farrow Street.

On-street parking and local access

As the various road reconstruction activities are in progress, on-street parking will be restricted. Local access will be maintained to residents, schools, parks and emergency vehicles. 

The contractor is required to provide 24-hour notification of temporary loss of vehicular access/egress to your property. A temporary On-Street Parking Permit will be made available to allow on-street parking within two blocks of your residence when these disruptions occur. Residents with electric vehicles will need to find alternative charging arrangements when access is restricted. The use of extension cords within the public right of way is not permitted.

Should you have additional concerns about reduced access, such as business deliveries or accessibility requirements, please contact the project manager.

Contractor responsibility

As part of this contract, the contractor is assuming full responsibility for the construction work until it is entirely complete as well as any damages to private property resulting from these construction activities. In the event of such occurrences, all claims for damages should be immediately reported both verbally and in writing to the contractor and to the City on-site Representative. This will ensure prompt notification of appropriate authorities to complete the claim investigations.

Construction disruptions

The contractor will take every precaution to minimize interruptions to the everyday life of your family and/or operation of your business, but, as you can appreciate, there may be some inconvenience during the course of the work, such as traffic delays, noise and dust. You may also feel vibrations due to heavy equipment operations. Vibrations from construction activities are quite common and rarely cause any problems. We would like to thank you for your patience and co-operation. For construction activity hours of work, the City of Ottawa follows provincial requirements and the City’s Noise By-law (2017-255).

The City of Ottawa held a virtual public meeting regarding a proposed sidewalk on Ahearn Avenue from Ritchie Street to Farrow Street. At this event, the City presented a revised plan for the sidewalk.

Presentation [ 1.46 MB ]

For further information, please contact:
Mazen Shuhaibar, RPP Project Manager, Active Transportation Planning
City of Ottawa

Online engagement and notices have been previously issued regarding the planned construction of new sidewalk work along Ahearn Avenue in your neighbourhood. Please note that this project is delayed due to design challenges.

What: The work involved installing a 2.0m wide sidewalk on the south side of Ahearn Avenue from Scrivens Street to Farrow Street, approximately 460m long. Due to design challenges including conflict with existing underground infrastructure, the sidewalk placement needs to be revisited, or other options be assessed to proceed.

Why: Existing underground infrastructure conflicting with the proposed sidewalk.

Where: Ahearn Avenue from Scrivens Street to Farrow Street.

When: We are reviewing alternative pedestrian facilities and facility location. Once alternative options are found feasible, we will share them with you and then undertake Public Consultation. Consultation is anticipated for fall 2023.

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the consulting firm, Jp2g Consultants, to undertake the design of this project.

The City of Ottawa will be undertaking new sidewalk work along Ahearn Avenue in your neighbourhood. 

What: The work involves installing a 2.0m wide sidewalk on the south side of Ahearn Avenue from Scrivens Street to Farrow Street, approximately 460m long. A Pedestrian Crossover (PXO) type D will be installed on Ahearn Avenue, just west of Croft Street. There will also be bulb-outs installed at Scrivens, Doane and Ritchie Streets. New drainage features such as catch basins and landscape drains will also be installed as part of the work. 

Why: The new sidewalk will facilitate access between the neighbourhood institutions, residences and transit stops on Greenview Avenue and Carling Avenue. It will fill a gap in the sidewalk network for those walking within the neighbourhood including but not limited to park users, school children and transit users. It will also promote safety for students and all road users.

Where: Ahearn Avenue from Scrivens Street to Farrow Street.

When: Design is underway and is expected to be completed by spring 2023. Construction is planned for the summer to early fall 2023. Residents will be notified prior to construction commencement.  

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained Jp2g Consultants to undertake the design of this project.  

Impact on the right of way and adjacent private properties

The planned construction is within the City’s right of way but may result in some disruption to part of the private property directly adjacent to the work. The City will reinstate all sections of landscaping, driveways and walkways that are disturbed by construction. However, if you have plants or any other assets located within the City’s right of way that you want to preserve, we suggest that you may want to move them in preparation for the construction work.