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: $5.54 million (reduced from planning estimate of $8.23 million)
Public engagement
A public information session was held in the spring of 2024 to present the design drawings to the public. Attendees were 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. 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.
Contact information
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
Kyle Delaney
Project Manager, Infrastructure Services
100 Constellation Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8
Tel.: 613-580-2424, ext. 26856
Contract Administrator
Kelsey Lloyd, P.Eng.
Project Engineer
Novatech
Tel.: 613-254-9643, ext. 287
Contractor Representative
Warren Isiash Cunningham
Senior Project Manager
R.W. Tomlinson Limited
Tel.: 613-690-3074
Site Inspector
Mason Fisher
Construction Technician
City of Ottawa
Road closure notice (November 2024)
To accommodate paving operations as part of this project, a road closure will be required with local access maintained. The paving will significantly improve the intersection operations and maintenance over the winter.
What: A road closure of Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard from the intersection of Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive to Highway 174.
Why: As construction continues to advance, we are now able to pave the first lift of asphalt throughout the project limits. As there is insufficient area to perform this work while safely maintaining traffic, the road must be closed.
When: The closure will begin at 5 am on Saturday, November 23 and will reopen by 5 am on Monday, November 25.
Where: The closure will be located on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard in the intersection of Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive to Highway 174.
Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the contractor, R.W. Tomlinson Limited, to complete the work.
Traffic impacts
During the closure Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, in the intersection of Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive to Highway 174, will be closed to vehicular traffic. A detour will be signed on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, redirecting road users to use Orleans Boulevard and St. Joseph Boulevard. Pedestrian access will be accommodated throughout the construction zone. Cyclists will be required to take the detour or dismount and walk along the sidewalks.
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’s 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 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 are rarely a cause for concern. We would like to thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Virtual public information session (October 9, 2024)
The City of Ottawa remains committed to keeping the public informed of our ongoing project in your neighbourhood and we do so by using a variety of communication methods to update residents including but not limited to, mailed notices, ottawa.ca, in-person and online engagement opportunities.
The ongoing Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard Transit Measures project held a virtual public information session over Zoom on Wednesday, October 9, to provide residents with additional information of the construction operations.
What: This project has been implemented 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 with pedestrian crossovers on all approaches. The roundabout will allow northbound Jeanne d’Arc buses to turnaround at the roundabout and proceed south to the O-Train station without the need to travel through residential neighbourhoods. The new roundabout will also provide traffic calming along Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, overall safety improvements for all users as compared to a signalized intersection and prioritize pedestrians crossing the road.
- A bus bay on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard between Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive and the highway bridge overpass.
Why: The proposed works will allow OC Transpo buses to better service the Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station once Stage 2 of the O-Train East extension is put into service, as well as improve safety for all road users and pedestrians.
When: Construction started in August 2024 and is expected to be completed by summer 2025. This will include a winter shutdown, where construction activities will be closed up and the road left in an accessible nature.
Where: Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard from Fortune Drive/ Vineyard Drive to OR174.
Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the contractor, R.W. Tomlinson Limited, to complete the work.
Safety
The safety of all road users continues to be our main focus on this project and construction personnel will be reviewing the project site daily to ensure this remains the case.
Frequently asked questions – project construction
1. When did construction start on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard?
Construction on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard started August 19, 2024.
2. When will construction be completed on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard?
Construction will be completed by summer 2025.
3. When will the winter shutdown occur in 2024?
Our 2024 winter shutdown is very weather dependent. If the weather stays warm enough, we will keep working as long as possible into the fall. Once the weather is too cold or wet for us to be able to pour concrete or asphalt, then we will begin to close up the project for the winter shutdown. We anticipate winter shutdown to occur between early and mid-December.
4. When will construction start back up in the spring of 2025?
Similar to our winter shutdown, this is very weather dependent. If the spring is warm and dry, our works will be able to restart more quickly. We anticipate our spring startup to occur sometime between the middle and end of April, if the weather cooperates.
5. What will Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard look like when the project is shut down for the winter?
Ahead of our winter shutdown, we will ensure that no excavations are left open and the site is fully accessible for users and accommodates winter maintenance operations.
6. When will the road closures occur on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive?
The road closures will likely occur in the spring of 2025 when we are completing our concrete and top lift asphalt works. These are planned to be weekend closures to minimize impacts to the community.
7. When will the roundabout go into operation?
Once the new curbs are in place for the roundabout and the pedestrian crossovers are operational, we will be able to convert the intersection to a roundabout with barrels and signs and turn off the traffic signals. This is dependent on how much work we can complete this fall before the winter shutdown.
8. When will the new trees be planted on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard?
We have identified approximately 14 new tree planting locations within our project limits of Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive. These trees will be planted next spring when construction dust and debris are at a minimum.
9. Will the roundabout look like the Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard and St. Joseph Boulevard roundabout when it is completed?
No, our roundabout on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard will operate as a single lane roundabout with pedestrian crossovers, equipped with flashing beacons, in all directions.
The Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard and St. Joseph Boulevard roundabout is a multi-lane roundabout that operated for many years without pedestrian crossovers and is just being upgraded with pedestrian crossovers now.
10. If I have question about the construction who should I reach out to?
If you have any questions, please reach out directly to Kyle Delaney, the project manager.
Construction notice (August 2024)
Local residents will also be receiving a copy of the following notice in the mail at the beginning of August.
This notice is to advise that beginning in August, the City of Ottawa will start construction for the new Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard Transit Measures project, which includes the Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard/Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive roundabout and nearby bus bay.
What: 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 with pedestrian crossovers on all approaches. The roundabout will allow northbound Jeanne d’Arc buses to turnaround at the roundabout and proceed south to the O-Train station without the need to travel through residential neighbourhoods. The new roundabout will also provide traffic calming along Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, overall safety improvements for all users as compared to a signalized intersection and prioritize pedestrians crossing the road.
- A bus bay on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard between Fortune Drive/Vineyard Drive and the highway bridge overpass.
Why: The proposed works will allow OC Transpo buses to better service the Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station once Stage 2 of the O-Train East extension is put into service, as well as improve safety for all road users and pedestrians.
When: Construction is expected to commence in August 2024 and be completed by summer 2025. This will include a winter shutdown, where construction activities will be closed up and the road left in an accessible nature.
Where: Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard from Fortune Drive/ Vineyard Drive to OR174.
Who: The City of Ottawa has retained the contractor, R.W. Tomlinson Limited, to complete the work.
Traffic management
During the construction, a large amount of the activities will be seen around the Jeanne d’Arc/Fortune/Vineyard intersection where crews will be working to convert the existing signalized intersection into a roundabout.
This conversion process includes removal, excavation, concrete forming and pouring, electrical and various other activities that need to take place at each corner of the intersection as well as in the intersection itself. Additional work is required south of the intersection towards the highway which includes a sanitary sewer extension and construction of a new bus bay on the west side of the road.
While all of this construction is taking place, controlled pedestrian crossings at the intersection will be maintained, as well as one lane of traffic in each direction being maintained on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard. Lane restrictions during off-peak periods are expected on Vineyard and Fortune drives.
Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained through the work zone at all times during construction.
OC Transpo impacts
Impacts are expected to be minor.
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 possible damage 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. 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 safety of all road users continues to be our main focus on this project and construction personnel will be reviewing the project site daily to ensure this remains the case.
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.
Hello, this is a virtual presentation of the information session held on April 29th. In this presentation, you will hear from City of Ottawa staff and consultants on the roundabout plan for the intersection of Jeanne d'Arc/Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive.
The primary functionality of the new planned roundabout is to accommodate the need for OC Transpo buses to connect seamlessly and efficiently to Jeanne d'Arc O-Train station for trips servicing the northbound and/or the southbound platforms at the station. With the opening of the O-Train East extension, Jeanne d'Arc station will become an important transfer hub for residents of Orleans as they connect between bus and train.
The primary functionality of the new planned roundabout is to accommodate the need for OC Transpo buses to connect seamlessly and efficiently to Jeanne d'Arc O-Train station for trips servicing the northbound and/or the southbound platforms at the station. With the opening of the O-Train East extension, Jeanne d'Arc station will become an important transfer hub for residents of Orleans as they connect between bus and train.
The next two slides consider scenarios that could occur as buses arrive at the southbound platform at Jeanne d'Arc O-Train station. On the right side of this slide, you can see the route buses would need to take when arriving out of service to Jeanne d'Arc station from OR174 eastbound to begin a southbound trip if we make no changes at the intersection. This pattern represents buses arriving from the OC Transpo garage or interlining from other locations further west in the network to begin a trip from Jeanne d'Arc station. In this scenario, the bus traveling eastbound from OR174 would turn right at Jeanne d'Arc on the off-ramp and continue southbound on Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard, continue along Saint Joseph Boulevard eastbound, continue northbound on Orleans Boulevard, and then back southbound on Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard.
This pattern would increase travel time, decrease service reliability due to the travel time variability along the route, increase the number of intersections that buses would be required to pass through, thus increasing the exposure to pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists, and also increase the number of buses passing through the residential areas and in front of Convent Glen Catholic School.
This slide shows the second scenario for buses arriving at the southbound platform at Jeanne d'Arc station. In this scenario, buses traveling in service in the northbound direction along Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard would arrive at Jeanne d'Arc station to end their trip and would then be required to travel in a large loop, which includes traveling on Fortune Drive, Orleans Boulevard, and Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard to return to the southbound platform at Jeanne d'Arc station. Similar to the previous scenario, this pattern would increase travel time, decrease service reliability due to the travel time variability along the route, increase the number of intersections that buses would be required to pass through, and also increase the number of buses passing through residential areas and in front of Convent Glen Catholic School.
To avoid the aforementioned challenges, a change to the infrastructure at the intersection of Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard/Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive is required. In order to address the operational needs and challenges that have been described in the previous slide, a single-lane roundabout is planned at the intersection of Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard and Fortune Drive. This solution addresses OC Transpo's operational requirements in support of the opening of the East extension of the O-Train, but also results in improved safety for all modes of travel through the intersection. The relative safety of a single-lane roundabout will be discussed further later in this presentation.
One of the key factors in the decision to pursue a roundabout at this location compared to other intersections further north along Jeanne d'Arc is that using this intersection to turn buses avoids the need for additional buses to continue along Jeanne d'Arc past Convent Glen School. With the planned location of the roundabout, buses have the least possible interaction with the school and with pedestrian crossing facilities. In fact, while the existing bus service along Jeanne d'Arc/Fortune and Vineyard Drive will continue, the additional buses that will be turning around at the roundabout only interact with the crosswalk on the south leg of the intersection and have no interaction with the crosswalks on the east, north, or west legs of the intersection.
While several other options were explored, each of the alternative options increased the number of intersections that the additional buses would be required to pass through, increasing the number of interactions with other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, including through residential areas, decreasing the relative safety of these alternatives. Moreover, each of the alternate options results in increased operating time and distance, which comes with an additional annual operating cost for buses. The planned solution alleviates the need for additional buses to operate via local and residential streets to turn around and wait time, minimizing the intrusion into the community and limiting the exposure of pedestrians, cyclists, and cars to additional buses through the additional intersections.
In addition to the functionality of the planned roundabout, the planned bus bay on Jeanne d'Arc southbound south of Fortune and Vineyard is an essential component of the plan, contributing to significant improvements in service reliability without requiring a waiting area in a residential area or in a location that blocks the flow of traffic along an arterial road. The presence of this bus bay allows for buses arriving at Jeanne d'Arc station from a previous trip or from the garage an opportunity to stop and wait to ensure that their departure from the station is on schedule. This will ensure that connections between train and bus at Jeanne d'Arc station are quick and efficient and that customers can rely on the bus service. This facility will also ensure that bus operators have a consistent and reliable spot to take breaks, which will improve their quality of work and their morale based on the planned solution of a new roundabout at Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard/Fortune Drive and Vineyard Drive.
This slide shows how buses would operate. In step one, buses arrive from OR174 eastbound, representing buses arriving from the garage or elsewhere in the city out of service or from Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard northbound, representing buses arriving on an in-service trip in the opposite direction. In step number two, buses continue northbound on Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard from the O-Train station and turn around at the new roundabout. In step number three, buses return southbound on Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard and stop in the new bus bay to adjust their schedules before continuing southbound towards Jeanne d'Arc station. In step number four, these buses start their southbound trip from Jeanne d'Arc station, picking up customers arriving by O-Train and heading to destinations along Jeanne d'Arc southbound and towards Orleans south. This solution offers the most efficient operation for buses at Jeanne d'Arc station, maximizing safety for all road users, maximizing opportunities to improve bus service reliability, and minimizing additional operating costs.
Thanks, Dan. My name's Mario Kotowski. I'm the Manager of Transportation Services at Robinson Consultants, and I'll be speaking to some of the benefits of a single-lane roundabout. A single-lane roundabout provides numerous benefits compared to an intersection as well as a multi-lane roundabout. In the picture here that you see to your right, that's the typical configuration of a single-lane roundabout, so you have one circulatory lane within and on approach to the roundabout itself.
Some of the safety aspects of a single-lane roundabout include lower speeds compared to a multi-lane roundabout. The reason is because of the tighter geometry, the smaller circular radii that's going through the roundabout is conducive to motorists driving and approaching the roundabout at a much slower speed. The operating speed that we're looking for at the Jeanne d'Arc roundabout is approximately 30 km/h. The reduced frequency and severity of collisions compared to a stop-controlled intersection are also significant features of a roundabout. There's a strong safety record for single-lane roundabouts, with approximately a 70% to 80% reduction in collision and injury severity compared to a typical intersection.
Shorter pedestrian crossing distance: the geometry of the roundabout itself and the splitter islands that are inserted between lanes allow for pedestrians to cross much shorter distances as compared to a multi-lane roundabout and also an intersection. Single-lane roundabouts also offer significant traffic calming features as opposed to just a regular intersection. The roundabout proposed at Jeanne d'Arc fits well within the surrounding residential community, similar to the roundabout shown in the picture on the right, which is the Brian Coburn/Strasbourg roundabout. Motorists yield to pedestrians more frequently at a single-lane roundabout as compared to multi-lane roundabouts. Motorists are required to reduce speeds on approach at a roundabout, and it also encourages motorists to slow down in a school zone. The geometry of the roundabout and the curvatures on approach are conducive to motorists reducing their speed.
The other aspect of a single-lane roundabout, or any roundabout, is traffic capacity. Roundabouts have fewer delays and shorter vehicle queues compared to intersections. For example, they are much more efficient at moving vehicles through with little delays or reduced delays compared to intersections. Traffic engineering analysis was completed for the Jeanne d'Arc roundabout, and we looked at forecast traffic volumes as well as existing traffic volumes. The indication was that with population growth, the roundabout design was reviewed by various departments, engineering consultants, and an independent road safety audit. It wasn't just our team and the city's team that looked at the roundabout; there was also an independent road safety audit that was completed for the analysis that concluded the same recommendations that we did.
Here's a typical example of a roundabout. This one is a single-lane roundabout. This one here for comparison is the Portobello Boulevard/Valin Street roundabout. From the picture, you can see that Portobello is a four-lane cross-section outside of the roundabout, so similar to Jeanne d'Arc, we're going from a four-lane to a two-lane configuration, one in each direction. You can also see that there's one circulatory lane on approach and through the roundabout itself. We've got pedestrian crossovers on all legs of the intersection, and the ones being proposed at Jeanne d'Arc will also have flashing beacons. This particular roundabout is still under construction and is very near the final aspects of it. We encourage anybody who has a chance to go and take a drive through it because this roundabout is going to be very similar to the one being proposed at Jeanne d'Arc.
Visual: This slide has an image of the single-lande roundabout found at Portobello Boulevard and Valin Street.
The next few slides outline some of the roundabout pedestrian and cycling features. As mentioned before, pedestrian crossovers are being proposed at all legs of the roundabout with rapid flashing beacons, which allow pedestrians to cross the road with vehicles yielding to pedestrians until they finish crossing. Roundabouts provide safe and easy crossing for pedestrians through a couple of features. The first is the two-stage crossing. The splitter island between the opposite direction lanes allows pedestrians to cross the road one lane at a time. The one-way crossing is facilitated by pedestrians only having to look for vehicles approaching from one direction at a time when crossing, instead of two-ways for a typical intersection. The next slide is a diagram of how that works.
There's also shorter crossing distances. Jeanne d'Arc crosswalk currently is 24 meters long. With a roundabout crosswalk, the width is approximately 4.5 meters for each lane, with a total distance of 9 meters. This diagram illustrates the typical PXO crossing or pedestrian crossing over at a roundabout. If you look on the left side, a pedestrian wanting to cross the roundabout has to look in the left direction for oncoming vehicles. The first thing they would do is press the button for the rapid flashing beacons to be activated, then look left to double-check that there are no vehicles coming in that direction. They would cross 4.5 meters and take refuge in the splitter island and then facilitate the movement in the other direction in the same manner. The crossing distance would only have to be 4.5 meters for each lane, and ample sight lines are provided at the crossovers as well as the reduced vehicle speeds of 30 km/h.
Continuation of some of the pedestrian cycling features proposed at the roundabout and a general overview: roundabouts greatly reduce the number of conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians compared to a signalized intersection. If you look at the diagrams on your right, the top diagram is a typical intersection, and you can see when a pedestrian wants to cross from one side of the road to the other, they encounter four different types of conflicts from vehicles: motorists turning left, motorists turning right, the potential of a motorist running a red light. If you look at the roundabout, which is the diagram at the bottom, the only conflicting movements that pedestrians face are one-way oncoming traffic. It's a simple movement with vehicles approaching at a 90° angle to the pedestrian, making the sight lines conducive to a good crossing environment.
Some of the cycling accommodations provided at the Jeanne d'Arc roundabout include cycling on-ramps on Jeanne d'Arc/Fortune Drive and Vineyard that transition cyclists from the road to the multi-use pathways proposed around the roundabout before the roundabout. This design feature allows cyclists to bypass the roundabout if desired. If they don't want to cross through it, they can take the ramps onto the multi-use paths, get to the pedestrian crossovers, walk their bikes, and then transition back onto the MUP. For more confident cyclists, they can proceed right through the roundabout. The slower vehicle speeds increase safety for cyclists navigating through the roundabout.
Traffic management during construction: our plan for traffic management is to first retain a contractor through our tendering process. Once we have a contractor on board, we'll work with them to determine their traffic control and staging. We will then coordinate with the LRT Stage 2 Construction team to ensure that our traffic control plans and impacts are aligned, providing a safe and continuous construction project. The signalized intersection at Jeanne d'Arc/Fortune and Vineyard will remain signalized during construction. We will stage our construction around it to maintain traffic and pedestrian accessibility. The intersection currently has a red light camera, which will be decommissioned during construction at an appropriate time.
Traffic impacts along Jeanne d'Arc will result from lane reductions from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction to accommodate construction staging. Lane reductions and impacts will also be seen on Fortune Drive and Vineyard but kept to a minimum. These reductions will be held to off-peak hours to avoid impacts on commuters. Later in the project, road closures on Fortune Drive and Vineyard will occur over a weekend and be communicated in advance. The nearby Convent Glen School's children's safety remains a priority. We will work closely with school staff and the crossing guard to minimize project impacts on the school.
Construction impacts on pedestrians remain a priority, ensuring their safety and accessibility. We will also maintain access for cycling and local properties. Transit services will continue through the construction zone, with OC Transpo bus stops maintained during weekend closures. Temporary bus detours will be communicated in advance. Accessibility is a priority, ensuring access through and around construction sites for those needing additional assistance. Please reach out to the project team or myself to find solutions.
Construction activity will generate noise, but our contractors will work within the City of Ottawa noise by-law, allowing activity from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. The project schedule aims to complete design this spring, start construction in the summer, and proceed through summer and fall, pausing in winter, and completing in summer 2025.
Thank you, Kyle. This concludes our virtual presentation. We encourage you to visit our website at ottawa.ca/JeannedArcTransit for more information, including a copy of the slides presented, informational boards from the meeting, and how to submit comments and feedback to the project team. The comment period is open until May 17th. Thank you for tuning into this virtual presentation on the planned roundabout.
Presentation [ 3.58 MB ]
Board 01 [ 686.32 Ko ]
Board 02 [ 4.27 MB ]
Bus operations at Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station – Options analysis and summary
Road Safety Audit Certificate [ 2.47 MB ]
Traffic Analysis [ 1.91.MB ]
Your feedback can be submitted 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 – project design
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.