Integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets

Project description

The City of Ottawa has initiated the preliminary design, detailed design and tender services for the renewal and replacement of the existing aging combined sewers and the watermains and road infrastructure on Ella Street and a portion of Ralph Street in the Glebe Community.

The aging combined sewers on Ella Street (from Gordon Street to Craig Street) and Ralph Street (from Fifth Avenue to Holmwood Avenue) require replacement due to poor condition. The watermains within the project limits also require replacement due to age, lead services and watermain breaks. On Ella Street, the watermain and sewer systems were installed in 1910. On Ralph Street, the sewers were installed in 1901 and 1949. There are two parallel watermains on Ralph Street, which were installed in 1895 and 1916.

As part of this watermain and sewer replacement project, full road reconstruction including curbs and sidewalks will be required on both streets. Efforts to manage implications to front yard landscaping and existing mature trees will be a project priority. 

Project timing

Design: spring 2024
Construction start: spring 2025
Construction completion: end of 2025

Project budget

Approved project funds to date are $8,550,000. 

Public engagement

A virtual public meeting was held on June 26, 2024 & February 5, 2025, to present the design drawings to the public. At this time attendees were able to review the design, ask questions and provide comment on the proposed works. Other methods to involve community stakeholders will be implemented. 

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, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Should you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact:

City Project Manager
Will Ball, P.Eng.
Infrastructure Services
Design and Construction – Municipal 
100 Constellation Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 26968

In May 2025, the City of Ottawa will start construction for the replacement of underground sewers and watermains, and full road reconstruction in your neighbourhood.

What: The proposed integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets includes:

• Replacement of the gas main on Ella Street by Enbridge. This is anticipated to start in late April 2025.
• Design and construction of a new combined sewer on Ella Street and at the north end of Ralph Street including replacement of all existing services to the property lines.
• A new storm sewer at the south end of Ralph Street towards Holmwood Avenue.
• A new watermain throughout the project limits, including replacement of all existing services to the property lines.
• Full road reconstruction including sidewalks and curbs.
• Raised crosswalks on the east side of Ralph Street at Melgund Avenue, Thornton Avenue and Fifth Avenue.
• The implementation of traffic calming measures including curb extensions, speed humps, and narrowing Ralph Street to 8.5 metres.

Why: The objective of this project is to rehabilitate underground and roadway infrastructure that is nearing the end of its lifespan.

Where: Ella Street from Craig to Gordon streets, and Ralph Street from Fifth to Holmwood avenues. Some works will also extend onto Thornton Avenue and Melgund Avenue to tie into existing systems on these streets. While construction is underway on each road, the road will be closed to through traffic (local residents only).

When: Construction on Ralph Street is expected to begin in May. Enbridge work on Ella Street will begin in April, with City work beginning afterwards in May or June. Most project work will be completed by late fall 2025. Some final landscaping and surficial paving may be completed in spring 2026.

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the contractor, Louis W. Bray Construction Ltd., to complete the 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 undersigned. Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.

Traffic management

To accommodate the proposed construction, street closures will be necessary to all but local traffic while construction is taking place. It is possible that more than one street will be closed at the same time. Access to private properties, in addition to pedestrian and cycling access, will be maintained throughout the construction period. Note that on Ella Street, cyclists may need to dismount in the areas directly adjacent to construction work as there may be insufficient space for riding.  

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, business owners and emergency vehicles. Periodically, vehicular access to your property may be unavailable; 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 listed below.

Impact on the right of way and adjacent private properties

The reconstruction 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 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 move them in preparation for the construction work.

Lawn irrigation systems

If you own a subsurface lawn irrigation system, please notify the City Project Manager identified below.

Pre-construction inspection

The contractor is required to carry out interior and exterior pre-construction inspections of consenting homes. The purpose of the pre-construction survey is to document current building and landscape conditions before construction commences. The pre-construction inspections will be carried out by TBT Engineering Ltd. A representative from TBT Engineering will be contacting you about these inspections. 

It is to your benefit to allow the inspection to be conducted on your property, as it may assist with establishing the impact, if any, that construction has had at your property after work is completed. In addition, you may wish to complete your own survey of pre-construction conditions on your property. Your survey should include photographs.

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. This will ensure prompt notification of appropriate authorities to complete the claim investigations.

Temporary water services

During the replacement of the watermains on Ella Street and Ralph Street (as well as with a few homes on Melgund Avenue and Thornton Avenue) water will be supplied to buildings by temporary water lines. While your property is on this temporary service, your water usage will be estimated as the temporary service is not metered. Your water bill will be based on the past average water usage for your address. If you have any questions regarding your water bill, please contact Revenue at 613-580-2444 or by email at WS-Billing@ottawa.ca.

Municipal fire suppression will continue during the construction period. Please note that private fire suppression systems may be impacted due to temporary water lines. If you have a private fire suppression system, it is recommended that you make arrangements with a fire protection services company in order to determine the extent of any impact. For information on minimizing your fire risk, contact the City’s Fire Services at 613-580-2424, ext. 15371.

We apologize in advance for any disruptions in water service during construction. Any problems with the temporary water services can be directed to the City on-site representative or call the City of Ottawa at 3-1-1 in the evenings or weekends.

Private services

If your house/building was built prior to 1955, there is a possibility that your private water service may have been constructed using lead pipe (modern pipes are copper or HDPE). For those homes with a lead water pipe supplying water to the water meter, there is information regarding the City’s Lead Pipe Replacement Program available on the City’s website, ottawa.ca/leadpipes, or call 3-1-1.

Due to the age of buried infrastructure in this neighbourhood, it is possible that homeowners or the City have already replaced the sewer and water services (or a portion thereof) to certain homes. If all or a portion of the sewer and/or water services to your home have been replaced recently, please notify the City Project Manager identified below.

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).

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, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The City of Ottawa remains committed to keeping the public informed of projects occurring in your neighbourhood and may use a variety of communication methods to update residents including but not limited to, mailed notices, ottawa.ca, in-person and online engagement opportunities.

The integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets project held a virtual public meeting on February 5, 2025, to provide residents with an update on this project. Detailed design drawings were displayed, and staff were online to provide information, receive comments and discuss what residents can expect during construction.

The City of Ottawa invites you to review and provide comments on the detailed design for the integrated renewal project:

Presentation [ 7.29 MB ]

Ella Street - Utilities [ 974.54 KB ]
Ella Street – Conceptual map [ 1.67 MB ]

Ralph Street - Utilities [ 1,018.98 KB ]
Ralph Street - Conceptual map [ 1.57 MB ]

Frequently asked questions [ 205 KB ]

What: The proposed integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets includes:

• Design and construction of a new combined sewer on Ella Street and at the north end of Ralph Street.
• A new storm sewer at the south end of Ralph Street.
• A new watermain throughout including replacement of all existing services to the property lines.
• Full road reconstruction including sidewalks and curbs, raised crosswalks at Melgund Avenue and Thornton Avenue.
• Implementation of traffic calming measures per the City of Ottawa’s 30km/h toolbox, including curb extensions, speed humps, and narrowing Ralph Street to 8.5 metres.

Why: The objective of this project is to rehabilitate underground and roadway infrastructure that is nearing the end of its lifespan.

When: Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2025 and be completed in fall 2025. Notices will be sent prior to the start of construction.

Where: Ella Street from Craig to Gordon streets, and Ralph Street from Fifth to Holmwood avenues.

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the design consulting firm, Parsons Inc, to develop the preliminary and detailed designs for the integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets.

For further information about this project and/or to submit comments on the project, please contact the City project manager:

Will Ball, P.Eng.
Senior Engineer, Infrastructure Projects
Design & Construction – Municipal | City of Ottawa  
100 Constellation Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 26968

The City of Ottawa remains committed to keeping the public informed of projects occurring in your neighbourhood and may use a variety of communication methods to update residents including but not limited to, mailed notices, ottawa.ca, in-person and online engagement opportunities.

The Integrated Renewal of Ella and Ralph Streets project held a virtual public meeting on Wednesday June 26 to provide residents with an update on this project, allow residents to review information about the project, and provide comments. 

The City of Ottawa invites you to review and provide comments on the draft design for the integrated renewal project:

Presentation [ 3.72 MB ]

Ella Street - Utilities [ 1.17 MB ]
Ella Street – Conceptual map [ 1.74 MB ]

Ralph Street - Utilities [ 1.05 MB ]
Ralph Street - Conceptual map [ 1.55 MB ]

Your feedback can be submitted by email or by phone to the contact below, by July 10, 2024.

What: The proposed integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph streets include:

• Design and construction of a new combined sewer on Ella Street and the north end of Ralph Street.
• Design and construction of a new storm sewer on south end of Ralph Street.
• Design and construction of a new watermain on Ella and Ralph streets including replacement of all existing water services to property limits.
• Design and implement full road reconstruction including sidewalks and curbs on Ella and Ralph streets.
• Design and implement raised crosswalks at Melgund Avenue and Thornton Avenue.
• Design and implement of traffic calming measures per the City of Ottawa’s 30km/h toolbox, including curb extensions, speed humps, and narrowing Ralph Street to an 8.5m road width.

Why: To replace infrastructure beyond its service life.

Where: Ella Street from Craig to Gordon streets, and Ralph Street from Fifth to Holmwood avenues.

When: The current project schedule is as follows:

• Design is expected to be completed in fall 2024
• Construction is expected to start in spring 2025

Notices will be sent prior to construction.

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the design consulting firm, Parsons Inc, to develop the preliminary and detailed designs for the Integrated Renewal of Ella and Ralph streets.

For further information about this project and/or to submit comments on the project, please contact the City project manager:

Will Ball, P.Eng.
Infrastructure Services
Design and Construction – Municipal 
100 Constellation Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 26968

The City of Ottawa invites you to review and provide comments on the draft design for the integrated renewal project that is posted here:

Presentation [ 1.36 MB ]

Ella Street - Utilities [ 1.17 MB ]
Ella Street – Conceptual map [ 1.74 MB ]

Ralph Street - Utilities [ 1.05 MB ]
Ralph Street - Conceptual map [ 1.55 MB ]

The online meeting previously planned for Wednesday, November 8, 2023 is being rescheduled. A new date will be shared with residents in the new year. In the meanwhile, you can still review the documents for the Integrated Renewal of Ella and Ralph Streets project on the project webpage and participate in the online engagement opportunity. 

Your feedback can be submitted by email or by phone to the contact below, until November 30, 2023.

The virtual public meeting will be held via Zoom and will be rescheduled to a later date. New notices will be distributed to residents with the updated information.

What: The proposed integrated renewal of Ella and Ralph Streets include:

• Design and construction of a new combined sewer on Ella and Ralph Streets.
• Design and construction of a new watermain on Ella and Ralph Streets including replacement of all existing water services to property limits.
• Design and implement full road reconstruction including sidewalks and curbs on Ella and Ralph Streets.
• Design and implement of traffic calming measures per the City of Ottawa’s 30km/h toolbox, including curb extensions, speed humps, and narrowing Ralph Street to a 8.5m road width.

Why: To replace infrastructure beyond its service life.

Where: Ella Street from Craig to Gordon Streets, and Ralph Street from Fifth to Holmwood Avenues.

When: The current project schedule is as follows:

• Design is expected to be completed in spring 2024
• Construction is expected to start in spring 2025

Notices will be sent prior to construction.

Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the design consulting firm, Parsons Inc, to develop the preliminary and detailed designs for the Integrated Renewal of Ella and Ralph Streets.

For further information about this project and/or to submit comments on the project, please contact the City project manager.

Beginning in late May / early June, the City of Ottawa will undertake a subsurface utility engineering (SUE) mapping, geotechnical, hydrogeological and environmental investigations in your neighbourhood. This work is being completed to determine the underground utility, soil and groundwater conditions to support the design of the road, watermain and sewer replacement on Ella Street (from Gordon Street to Craig Street) and Ralph Street (from Fifth Avenue to Holmwood Avenue).

The purpose of this project is to renew aging underground infrastructure and reconstruct the roads and sidewalks. An invitation to an initial public consultation will be delivered later in 2023. At that meeting, the City will present the draft preliminary design to the community and obtain feedback. The construction of the project is tentatively scheduled for 2024, subject to funding availability.

What: The field investigation work will involve the drilling of boreholes, obtaining soil and water samples for testing, and locating subsurface utilities. 

Why: This work is needed to support the design of the road, watermain and sewer reconstruction.

When: The field investigation work will commence in May/June 2023 and could take up to five (5) weeks. The work will be conducted between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Soil sample containers may remain on-site at some locations for an additional three weeks, pending lab results prior to being removed.

Where: Ella Street (from Gordon Street to Craig Street) and Ralph Street (from Fifth Avenue to Holmwood Avenue)

Who: Parsons Inc. and their sub-consultants, T2 Utility Engineers Inc., and Thurber Engineering Ltd. will coordinate the work for the City of Ottawa.

On-street parking

On street parking will be temporarily removed at each drill site during working hours. A Temporary On-Street Parking Permit (orange form) can be distributed to permit on-street parking within two blocks of your residence in certain instances.