Riverdale Avenue Integrated Renewal Functional Design

The City of Ottawa is proceeding with an integrated road, sewer and water rehabilitation project along Riverdale Avenue to address the aging underground infrastructure. The reconstruction required for this work provides an opportunity to upgrade the design of surface elements such as sidewalks, cycling facilities and traffic calming measures. As part of the advanced planning for the project, the City is carrying out a functional design exercise to confirm the scope of work for the roadway and transportation elements along Riverdale Avenue.

Riverdale Avenue is a collector roadway and a key route through the Old Ottawa South, Rideau Gardens, and Old Ottawa East neighbourhoods. It is an OC Transpo bus route and a traffic calmed street with a posted speed limit of 30 km/h. The City’s Transportation Master Plan includes Riverdale Avenue on the Cycling Project List and identifies the segment between Bank Street and Echo Drive as a Crosstown Bikeway. The project will tie into the recent and planned protected intersections at Main Street and Bank Street, respectively, which will not be included in the upcoming integrated renewal project. The study area is shown in the figure below.

The study aims to enhance the corridor as a complete street by improving active transportation, while balancing trade-offs like on-street parking availability, and to improve intersections and traffic calming. A review of cross-section alternatives and other design considerations has been carried out and a recommended functional design plan will be developed considering all trade-offs for the corridor. The functional design will inform the detailed design and reconstruction of Riverdale Avenue.

The study will include two key touchpoints with the public: an online survey to gather input on the cross-section alternatives, and a Public Information Session to receive feedback on the draft recommended plan. A Technical Advisory Committee and a Public Advisory Committee have also been formed to give stakeholders opportunities to provide feedback throughout the project.

Public input and comments are encouraged throughout the study process. You may participate by completing the online survey, attending consultation events, and/or directly contacting the study team with information, comments or questions. Updated project information will be posted periodically on the project website, and notifications for consultation activities will be sent out closer to the date.

• Summer/Fall 2024: Project initiation, background review, and cross-section alternative evaluation
• Winter 2024/2025: Online survey and functional design development
• Spring/Summer 2025: Public Information Session and functional design finalization

The City of Ottawa is hosting an online survey for the Riverdale Avenue Functional Design study. This survey seeks to gather input from the community on the proposed design alternatives and key transportation barriers, concerns, and priorities along the corridor.

We encourage interested members of the public to fill out the online survey below. It is available online until March 24, 2025, and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Riverdale Avenue Online Survey(link is external)

For further information or to provide comments, please contact:

Carly MacEacheron, MScE, P.Eng.
Engineer, Design Review and Implementation
Transportation Engineering Services Department
City of Ottawa
Email: carly.maceacheron@ottawa.ca(link opens email application)
Phone: 613-580-2424, ext. 30557