Old Railway Rideau River Pedestrian Bridge Renewal Environmental Assessment (EA) Study

The City of Ottawa has initiated the Old Railway Rideau River Pedestrian Bridge Renewal Environmental Assessment (EA) Study. The purpose of this Notice of Project Initiation is to notify stakeholders and the public that the project will be undertaken, provide some key information, and provide the opportunity to be involved in the EA process.

The Old Railway Rideau River Pedestrian Bridge (SN018600), built in 1898, is 160 m in length, crossing the Rideau River just south of Highway 417. The bridge provides an important multi-use active transportation link between the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) Rideau River Eastern Pathway and the City of Ottawa’s (City) Rideau River Nature Trail. In 2018, a Detailed Condition Assessment was completed and concluded that the structure was in overall poor condition. The purpose of the EA will be to identify and evaluate options for bridge renewal or replacement considering different alignment possibilities in accordance with the EA planning process. The general project area is shown below.

Public and Stakeholder Consultation and Study Timeline

Consultation with the public and key stakeholders is an important requirement of the EA process and will take place throughout the project and includes several stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, federal and provincial agencies, institutions, and the general public. A key milestone in the public consultation process will be the on-line public information session, anticipated to take place in Spring 2024.

Study Process and Timeline

The objectives and scope of the project will be to complete a Schedule ‘B’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) in accordance with Phases 1 and 2 of the approved and amended 2023 Municipal Engineers Association MCEA document to identify, evaluate and select a preferred alternative solution for the renewal or replacement of the existing bridge considering the various existing social, natural heritage, physical and technical conditions. The Schedule ‘B’ planning process will be documented in a Project File Report (PFR). The project is anticipated to be complete in the Summer 2024.

If you have any questions or comments, or would like to be included on the project’s notification list, please respond to the email address shown below.

Thank You

Kosta Karadakis, M.A.Sc., P.Eng.
Infrastructure Assessment Engineer – Structures
City of Ottawa
Infrastructure and Water Services Department
Asset Management Services
100 Constellation Drive, 6th Floor East
Ottawa, Ontario K2G 6J8