Construction work on the Chaudière Bridge is expected to last until early August.
The historic Chaudière Bridge that spans the Ottawa River and connects Ottawa’s downtown core with Gatineau has been reduced to just two lanes as a result of modernization efforts.
The bridge carries about 15 per cent of all traffic between the two border cities, functioning as one of the region's key arterial gateways.
The closures to the major transit route started on April 1 and are expected to wrap up in late August at the earliest.
Public Works and Government Services Canada, the federal department responsible for carrying out the construction, says it doesn't expect to close the bridge completely at any point through the rehabilitation process.
In light of serious accidents involving cyclists on busy Ottawa streets in recent years, a number of steps have been taken to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, says Annie Duguay, a spokesperson for Public Works.
“A new temporary sidewalk has been installed for use by pedestrians and cyclists,” she says. “We see this as a key safety measure.”
She adds for the safety of both the public and workers, traffic control and monitoring measures will be implemented.
However, some cyclists feel that more needs to be done.
“I didn’t really feel comfortable cycling there,” says Hans Moor, president of Citizens for Safe Cycling. “I think they (cyclists) are a bit of an afterthought. People have to be aware that there are different modes of transport there, not just cars and pedestrians.”
Moor added he thinks Public Works should take a second look at how it is re-routing cyclist traffic on the bridge during the rehabilitation process.
The bridge is composed of eight distinct sections spanning the Ottawa River.
Most of the older segments underwent modernization efforts as recently as 2011, with some work running into last year.
This time, construction will be focused on upgrading the Hull Causeway portion that was originally erected in 1956.
The renovations will consist of replacing the concrete deck, which includes barrier walls, sidewalks and railings. Efforts will also focus on repairing the bridge’s substructure.
The bridge serves about 28,000 vehicles daily.