Weekly newsletter: July 16, 2024

Hi everyone!

Happy 10th birthday to the Vimy Memorial Bridge! I was at the bridge opening back in 2014 and snapped the photo above. What’s funny is a friend captioned it “bridge closed for bridge opening.”

Otherwise, I have just a few shorter items to share this week.

Catch basins

We’re under yet another heavy rainfall and thunderstorm watch, so make sure you can find shelter as soon as the weather sours.

As a reminder, catch basins have inlet control devices which reduce the rate of water flowing in to manage system buildup, like crowd control. Unrestricted inflow can affect the ability for catch basins downstream to drain properly or at all.

During moderate to heavy rain events (which we've had a lot of so far this spring/summer), they will appear to back up onto the street, but they are still draining.

The water will completely drain, usually a few hours after the rain stops falling, but if flooding around a catch basin continues past six hours after the rain ends, or if it exceeds the private property line, please open a service request through 3-1-1 by phone or webform or let me know at Wilson.Lo@ottawa.ca.

Woodroffe Avenue resurfacing

Resurfacing work is well underway between Claridge-Stoneway and Longfields. The concrete curb and sidewalk works are almost complete, and crews began removing the top layer of asphalt yesterday.

There may be periodic off-peak lane closures or traffic stoppages while the asphalt is being removed or after new asphalt is laid. Please respect these road adjustments and be patient with crews—they are somebody’s loved one.

Heading north, the resurfacing between Fallowfield and the railway that was supposed to start yesterday has been postponed indefinitely.

As required by law when working near railways, a flagging service must be hired during working periods to ensure proper communication and safety between crews and railway authorities.

The flagging service, sole sourced by Via Rail, was coordinated and approved last month, but Via Rail notified the city on Friday they are no longer able to provide the required service.

As such, the work will be delayed indefinitely until flagging services can be provided. Via Rail have indicated the earliest likely availability is in September. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Clearbrook/Longfields

Lastly, the lane configuration on Clearbrook at Longfields will change when the lines are repainted in the next two or three weeks. Lanes will be properly divided, one for left-turning traffic, the other for straight and right-turning traffic.

Thank you to the several residents who have made requests for this change since early-2023! Sorry it took so long—staff and I preferred waiting until the lines faded, because sandblasting them creates visible shallow ruts in the asphalt that look like lane markings, which can make it quite confusing when the road is wet.

Until next time,

-Wilson