The long-awaited, but controversial, plan to reconstruct Bronson Avenue has been postponed for at least a year.
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes has confirmed that the project, which was scheduled to start next spring, has been indefinitely delayed due to a lack of capital funds.
“There is not enough money in the budget for 2011,” Holmes said in an interview.
“The city has spent a great deal of capital money on infrastructure projects this year, bringing forward projects that were meant to happen in 2011, 2012 and 2013 to try to create jobs in the recession.”
The Bronson Avenue project fell below the cut-off line for capital funding in the 2011 budget. In an email sent to the community, Holmes says she is “pleased” by this as it “gives both the community and (city) staff time to develop a plan that will improve the cohesiveness of (the) neighbourhood.”
The original reconstruction plan included the widening of all four lanes on Bronson Avenue, narrowing sidewalks and shortening driveways, as well the replacement of the current 60-cm water pipe which runs under the street.
Holmes says that during the delay she will be requesting that the city reprograms crosswalk signal lights at several intersections on Bronson Avenue, to automatically signal the white pedestrian walking sign at every light sequence.
She also wants to reduce the wait time for the pedestrian signal at Christie and Bronson, which is currently an average of 9 1/2-minutes minimum.
The postponement of the reconstruction plans was welcomed by community activist groups such as Recue Bronson.
The group – supported by Holmes and founded by the Dalhousie Community Association, the Centretown Citizens Community Association and the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corp. – has proposed alternatives to widening Bronson Avenue.
Charles Akben-Marchand, CCCA president, says the construction delay will provide the Rescue Bronson campaign with time to investigate the possibility of testing a “road diet” next summer as a pilot project.
Rescue Bronson proposes that Bronson Avenue should be narrowed to three lanes, with one through lane in each direction and a two-way turning lane in the middle, instead of simply reconstructing the current four-lane system.
“It was a mistake to build it that way in the 1950s,” says Eric Darwin, president of the DCA. “There’s no reason to make the same mistake half a century later. It’s dangerous for pedestrians and cars to cross.”
Darwin suggests the turning lane would reduce traffic because the majority of congestion is due to cars waiting to turn left.
The proposal has been sent to and discussed with the engineers who are involved in the Bronson Avenue reconstruction project.
“We met with the engineers last week,” Darwin says, “and we are convincing them slowly.”
Darwin continues that it is important for people to understand that Rescue Bronson is not “just a protest group,” but has a determined aim and significant potential to help improve the street for the community.
“It’s not an easy task,” Darwin says, “but it’s not an insolvable one.”
“You can rescue this street from its bad fate and work towards something better.”
•With files from Michelle Zilio