MacFarlane Road traffic calming study

Over the month of August 2022, an online survey was conducted to gather feedback about the recommended traffic calming plans along MacFarlane Road. Since then, the results from the survey have been reviewed and analyzed. Taking the collected feedback into account, the recommended traffic calming plan for MacFarlane Road has been finalized.

This December 2022 update includes the final recommended traffic calming plan for MacFarlane Road, the results from the second online survey which are provided in an As We Heard It report below and the next steps.

The City of Ottawa developed a recommended plan in response to residents' traffic concerns. The study examined the road conditions from the perspective of all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and adjacent residential property owners. The recommended plan was developed in consideration of effectiveness, cost, and the feedback received from the first survey. The following is a summary of the recommended plan:

• Six bus platforms are recommended to provide a space separate from traffic to improve safety and comfort of transit users, and also provide improved pedestrian connections to nearby local streets.
• Five speed cushions, which are a type of vertical deflection measuresOpens in a new tab or window similar to speed humps, are recommended to reduce speeds along MacFarlane Road. They are designed to allow large vehicles (such as emergency response vehicles) to “straddle” the cushions while smaller passenger vehicles are vertically deflected. Speed cushions are effective in speed reduction, but they may impact emergency response vehicles and response times. Concrete barriers will be installed adjacent to the speed cushions to prevent traffic from veering onto the shoulders.
• At the intersection of Merivale Road and MacFarlane Road, a traffic island is recommended to guide traffic to desirable paths. On the southeast corner of the intersection, a pathway connection to the existing pathway on the east of MacFarlane Road is recommended to reduce exposure of pedestrians to right turning traffic. Two parallel dashed lines are recommended on the east side of Merivale Road to guide cyclists through the intersection and make drivers aware of potential crossing cyclists.
• At the intersection of MacFarlane Road and Deakin Street, a median is recommended on the eastbound Deakin Street to guide traffic to desirable paths.

 Recommended Plan 1/2 [ PDF 3.605 MB ] 

Recommended Plan 2/2 [ PDF 5.452 MB ]

Next Steps

The recommended plan was approved for implementation as presented to residents in the second online survey in November 2022.

This project will be funded through the Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Program.  The next step in the process is to undertake the detailed design (which typically requires one year) with the construction typically following the year after.