Street lights and signs

The City of Ottawa is dedicated to innovation and efficient energy use. One of the strategic initiatives of the 2015-2018 City Strategic Plan is the Energy Management and Investment Strategy. A component to this strategy’s success is to significantly reduce the electrical consumption of the City’s streetlighting network within the strategy’s timeframe.

The Transportation Department is working to meet this goal through the conversion of its street lighting network to Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology. Recent advances in LED technology have made it an attractive replacement to traditional lighting fixtures. On October 14, 2015, the City entered into a partnership with Energy Ottawa, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa, who will be completing the conversion. Energy Ottawa will be installing LED lighting and will carry out all on-going maintenance of LED streetlights over the next four years.

The City of Ottawa currently has over 68,000 streetlights made up of either High Pressure Sodium (HPS) or Metal Halide (MH) fixtures. These fixtures account for 17% of the City’s electrical use and cost $7.2 million in annual electricity costs (2014 figures). Streetlight fixtures with the highest energy consumption or highest wattage will be those first converted to LED, decorative light fixtures will not be converted as a part of the project as these are low wattage and therefore do not consume significant amounts of energy. The LED conversion project is city-wide and by the end of the project, up to 58,000 fixtures will be converted to LED.

LED Benefits:

Extensive improvements in efficiency, output, and costs of LED make the technology an attractive replacement to our existing equipment. The conversion is estimated to reduce energy consumption by over 50%. In addition to energy reduction, LED offers the following benefits:

• Lower maintenance costs: The typical fixtures have life spans ranging from approximately 12,000-18,000 hours. The typical LED life span can range from 50,000 hours up to 100,000 hours.
• More efficient maintenance: LED fixtures will include sensors which generate automatic notifications when a streetlight fixture has failed. This will reduce the down time of fixtures as well as the number of calls received by residents.
• Improved monitoring: Automated controls have the ability to record utility consumption data and allow for billing based on actual usage.
• Greater control: The light output of the LED fixtures can be adjusted throughout their life span, allowing for a more consistent light output, and prolonged life expectancy. A reduction of both up-light and trespass light makes LED more “dark skies friendly”.
• Better quality light: LED technology provides light which is more equivalent to sunlight than conventional fixtures, improving visibility for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

For Special Consideration:

The City of Ottawa is committed to the responsible implementation of LED roadway lighting technology by ensuring that all street lighting designs adhere to the most current Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES)(link is external) and Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)(link is external) standards. To meet these standards, as a part of the conversion project, the City will use a control system that further ensures proper light levels on City streets to minimize any environmental impact.

Additionally, the LED fixtures installed as a part of the conversion project will have similar colour temperatures to existing lighting; new temperatures will not be introduced.  For instance:

• The colour temperature on local residential and collector roads will be approximately 3000 Kelvin, which is similar to High Pressure Sodium (HPS) fixtures currently in use.
• The colour temperature on non residential arterial roads will be 4000 Kelvin, similar to whiter light produced by existing Metal Halide (MH) fixtures.

LED streetlight technology focuses light on the roadway, which reduces light pollution including up light, back light and glare. Focused lighting contributes to energy savings through reduced light consumption.

The Right of Way Lighting Policy was updated in 2015 and now permits the use of light emitting diode (LED) technology for all City of Ottawa streetlighting infrastructure.

It should be recognized that these are guidelines, and timelines may vary slightly to allow for operation considerations and to ensure safe conditions.

As of May 1, 2018, Ontario municipalities can now use new gateway speed limit signs to designate roadways within residential areas with a reduced speed limit of less than 50 km/h.  

Gateway speed limit signs are posted at each entry and exit point to a community where lower speeds are in effect. The Entry Gateway Speed Limit Sign identifies the beginning of a legal speed limit that applies to all roadways within an area.  The Exit Gateway Speed Limit Sign marks the end of the lower speed limit. All streets that fall within the posted entry sign and exit sign are designated with the same speed limit identified on the gateway signs. Samples of Gateway Speed Limit Entry and Exit Signs are shown below: 

**As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Traffic Control Centre is currently closed to the public as a precautionary measure to protect employees and visitors. At this time, street name signs cannot be picked up. Once this facility resumes normal operations, staff will respond to e-mail requests.

Buy your own little piece of Ottawa. Park Place and Boardwalk have nothing on names like Bank Street and Laurier Avenue. You can own any one of a number of Ottawa street name signs.

With the renaming of a number of streets to avoid duplication, many street names from former municipalities have been removed from service. Signs that have been replaced for normal maintenance reasons are also available for purchase. These decommissioned signs can be purchased for $10 each.

Select your favourite signs from the alphabetical list below. Only the signs listed are currently available for purchase. However, the selection will change as old signs continue to be replaced as needed. If the sign you want is not listed, check back periodically to see if it becomes available. All signs are sold on a first come, first serve basis.

At this time, street name signs cannot be picked up. Once this facility resumes normal operations, staff will respond to requests.

Questions? StreetNameSigns@ottawa.ca

Inventory:

A

Acacia Ave6

Adley Rd1

Ahearn Ave1

Alenmede Cres1

Aleutian Rd2

Ambience Dr2

Anoka St1

Arnold Dr1

Arnot Rd2

Ashdale Ave1

Aurora Cres1

Ayers Ave1

Azurite Cres1

B

Bayview Rd1

Beatrice Dr1

Beausoleil Dr2

Beaverwood Dr1

Bittern Court1

Bongard Ave1

Boyer Rd1

Brian Coburn Blvd1

Bridlewood Dr1

Brookdale St1

Brookfield Ave2

Buchan Rd1

Buena Vista Rd2

Burntwood Dr1

Byers Crt1

C

Canyon Walk Dr1

Castlefrank Rd1

Castleton St1

Cedar Rock Way1

Cedarbank Ave1

Cedarock Dr1

Century Rd. W1

Clarence St E.3

Clifford Campbell St1

Clifton Rd1

Coburg St1

Colindale Ave1

Collingwood Cres1

Connery Ave1

Constance Creek Dr1

Corona Ave1

Crescent Rd1

Crossfield Ave1

Cypress Crt1

D

Danbury Way1

Danniston Cr1

Deerfox Dr2

Denbury Ave3

Denzil Doyle Crt1

Des Serins Lane2

Des Visions Pl1

Domalatchy Pl1

Donnington Pl2

Duhamel St1

E

Earl Mulligan Dr1

Eastbourne Ave1

Edgeware Dr1

Ellery Cres1

Ellsworth Ln1

Elmira Dr1

Elvaston Ave.1

Emerald Ave1

Emerald Meadows Dr1

Enterprise Ave1

Esquimault Ave1

Evered Ave1

F

Faircrest Rd1

Falaise Rd1

Fallowfield Rd1

Ferndale Ave1

Finchley Dr1

Fisher Ave1

Fourth Line Rd1

Fringewood Dr1

G

Geneva St1

Gilbey Dr1

Gleeson Way2

Glen Meadows Circle1

Glenwood Ave1

Goodman Dr1

Grand Gala Dr1

Green Ave1

Greenbank Rd1

H

Halldon Pl1

Harwick Cres1

Harwood Ave1

Heritage Glen Dr.1

Heritage Glen Dr.1

Herridge St1

Highcroft Ave1

Highfield Cres1

Hillsdale Rd2

Howick St1

I

Isadore St1

J

K

Kaladar Ave1

Kilbarry Cr1

Kimdale St1

Kindersley Ave1

Kinglet Way1

Kirchoffer Ave1

Kirkwood Ave2

Klondike Rd1

L

Laderoute Ave1

Lanark Ave1

Lancaster Rd1

Landel Dr1

Larkhaven Cres1

Laurentide Rd1

Laxford Dr2

Laxton Cres1

Lennox St1

Leopolds Dr1

Lewis St1

Linden Terr1

Lindenlea Road2

Lockhead Rd. W1

Lodge Rd1

Long Meadow Way1

Longwood Ave1

Lorne Ave1

Lowrey St1

Lyndale Ave1

M

MacKay St1

Malvern Dr1

Manchester St1

Manor Ave1

Maple Lane4

Mariposa Ave2

Marketplace Ave1

McClellan Rd1

Merivale Rd1

Michel Riel Priv.1

Middleton Drive1

Mill Hill Rd1

Minto Place2

Monterey Dr1

Montrose Ave1

Moodie Dr1

Morris St1

Mount Shannon Dr1

Munster Rd1

Murray St2

Myrand Ave1

Myrtle Lane1

N

Nautica Cres1

Navaho Dr3

Neelin Dr1

Nelson St1

Newhaven St2

Newland Dr1

Norman St1

Northgraves Cres1

Northwestern Ave1

O

Okanagan Dr2

Oakbrier Cres1

Oakwell Dr1

Oberon St2

Onslow Cres1

Oriska Way1

P

Pacer Place1

Palmadeo Dr2

Park Rd2

Patro St2

Poplar St1

Portland Ave1

Premier Ave3

Presland Rd1

Primrose St1

Princeton Ave1

Prudhomme Priv.1

Putman Ave1

Q

Qualicum St1

Queen Charlotte St1

Queensgrove Rd1

Queenston Dr1

R

Radstock Priv1

Rector Ave1

Redcar Cres1

Redenda Cres1

Regency Terr1

Regina Ln1

Reid Haven Rd1

Revelstoke Dr1

Rideau Terr1

Rideauview Terr1

Rideout Cres1

Ridgefield Cres1

Ridgeway Way1

Rockway Cres1

Rockwood St1

Rocky Creek Way1

Rolston Way1

Rosetta Ave1

Roswell Dr1

Roycroft Way1

S

Saville Row1

Sandridge Rd1

Selby Ave1

Settler's Ridge Way1

Shoreham Ave1

Silvertree Pl1

Sioux Cres2

Sir Guy Carleton St2

Soderlind St1

Sonnet Cres1

Springwater Dr1

Stable Way1

Stoneway Dr1

Summerview Terr1

Sunnymede Ave1

Sycamore Dr1

T

Tartan Dr1

Tavistock Rd1

Terrebonne Dr2

Thornwood Rd1

Turnberry Rd1

U

V

Valley Ridge St1

Vaughan St2

W

Waterfall Lane1

Waterton Cres1

Westview Ave1

Whitburn Ave1

Whitemarl Dr1

Windermere Ave2

Winding Way1

Winfield Ave1

Winona Ave2

Wolverton Cres1

Woodgate Way1

Woodroffe Ave1

Workman Ave1

X

Y

York St1

Z

Program

The Roadside Memorial Sign Program, established in 2015, assists families or groups who wish to have a roadside memorial sign installed along a City-owned right-of-way in remembrance of a loved one who has passed away as a result of a traffic incident.  

Process

•  Only residents of Ottawa may be commemorated through this program.
•  A request may be made by a family member or friend.
•  An application form must be completed and signed by an immediate family member of the nominee.
•  An Ontario Provincial Offences Act check is required for the nominee. The check is initiated and reviewed by the City of Ottawa. Any outstanding conviction or infraction  may result in the disqualification of an application. 
•  A sworn affidavit* must be submitted by the nominator with the application form (see page 4 of the application package).
•  The cost of a roadside memorial sign is $250 (plus HST), which includes the cost of fabrication and maintenance of the sign for two (2) years.
•  After two years, the nominator will be given the option for the sign to be removed and provided to them or to be left up without maintenance.
•  Nominators will be given a one-time option of having a new sign installed for $250 (plus HST).
•  The nominator can ask for the sign to be removed and turned over to them at any time.

*Any fees associated with a sworn affidavit are the responsibility of the nominator.

Signs

• The installed sign will read: “Drive Safely, in memory of ‘name(s) of victim(s)’.”, with black lettering over a white background
• The dimensions of the sign will be approximately: 24” L x 35” H
• The sign will contain both English and French messaging

Application

Should you wish to purchase a roadside memorial sign, please submit your completed Roadside Memorial Sign Application Form and supporting documentation using one of the following options:

Option 1 - by e-mail to: sro@ottawa.ca

Option 2 - by mail to: c/o Safer Roads Ottawa program
City of Ottawa
Transportation Services Department
100 Constellation Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario K2G 6J8
Mail code 26-63

You will receive confirmation of receipt of your application within five (5) business days

Application Package

Digging near Your House?

Before you dig, call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 or visit their website.

The City and other services have underground locates running in many backyards, front yards and side lots. Underneath your house, you could find:

• Gas pipelines
• Electrical services
• Telephone and cable TV infrastructure
• Water and sewer connections
• Streetlight or traffic signal wiring

Ontario One Call co-ordinates with all organizations who own infrastructure in your area.

Therefore, all residents and excavators must call before they dig. Locates are free to obtain and should be requested at least 5 days prior to any planned excavation. You may not proceed with your digging until all locates are identified. If locates are not obtained and infrastructure is damaged, the homeowner and/or contractor is 100 per cent responsible for all costs associated with repairs.

Do You Need Emergency Locates?

For emergency locates, please call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255. As of June 15, 2014, the City of Ottawa will no longer action direct requests for locates.