In light of the addition of new parking spaces on Bronson Avenue, commuters have been experiencing increased travel delays due to fewer lanes.
City council’s decision to place parking spaces along Bronson Avenue is receiving mixed reactions from business owners and motorists.
In March, as part of the Glebe Traffic Plan, the city implemented overnight parking on Bronson Avenue in an attempt to solve traffic problems along the street
“There were only two lanes worth of traffic going on anyway. Having all four lanes free just led to more speeding,” says Pierre Johnson, assistant to Capital Ward Coun. Clive Doucet.
He says with fewer lanes open, traffic on the road has slowed down.
Johnson says after numerous consultations with the Glebe community and city traffic engineers, council went forward with the plan.
While the city has solved one problem, it has added to another says Jenna Porteous,who lives on Gilmour Street and frequently uses Bronson Avenue to get to and from school.
With road construction on Preston Street and Bank Street, she says the new parking spaces along Bronson Avenue has made her short commute much longer.
“I’ve actually changed my route,” says Porteous. “It’s become a lot more time consuming.”
Porteous says she takes as many back routes as possible to postpone getting onto Bronson Avenue, because it is often congested.
“I just don’t understand why they put the parking spots there because it was a pretty busy street to begin with,” she says.
“I think in the winter it’s going to cause even more of an issue with snow removal.”
Ryan Winch, another Centretown resident, says he has also been affected.
The congestion has doubled his commute time to school.
“It takes 15 to 20 minutes when the traffic is bad just to get to Carleton University,” he says.
Winch also says the parking spots make no sense on an already busy street.
Johnson says he's not sure that the congestion is due to the parking spots because the overnight parking goes into effect after rush hour, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
“I think it’s fear of congestion perhaps more than real congestion because it is off hours,” he says.
However, Johnson concedes that congestion may be possible on the weekends.
From a business perspective, the parking spots are a good addition says Luigi Paravan, owner of Forno Antico.
He says his pizzeria and other businesses have benefited from the addition of parking spaces on Bronson Avenue.
“The customers don’t have to walk as far so they are happier,” he says.
Aside from the business aspect, Paravan says it has also made the street much safer for pedestrians and children, primarily because motorists rarely take notice of the speed limit posted on Bronson Avenue.
He says the parking spaces cause them to be more attentive.
“I think that’s the smartest thing the city did to slow down the traffic, so it’s great,” Paravan says.
He says he has not noticed any additional congestion, but the change is something motorists and residents will have to get used to over time.
Paravan says this has already happened, as some residents who were initially opposed to the parking spaces now say that it was a good idea.
Since overnight parking was implemented on Bronson Avenue, adjustments to the start time have been made.
Johnson says when it began the hours were from 5:30 p.m. until 7 a.m. because the city had been following the plan for other major arteries.
The city soon recognized that changes had to be made because rush hour on Bronson Avenue lasts longer because it provides access to the airport.
Like Porteous, Johnson says that winter snow removal may present another problem the city will have to address.