Michel-Adrien Sheppard (left) from Centretown Citizens Community Association and Heather Elliott from Ecology Ottawa conduct an audit of Bank Street’s “walkability.”
The push for safer streets in Centretown included a recent walkability audit of Bank Street, hosted by the Centretown Citizens Community Association and Ecology Ottawa.
During the October audit, groups of participants walked down a portion of Bank Street with checklists to identify and record problems faced by pedestrians and cyclists when they try to move along the key downtown artery.
Members of the CCCA and Ecology Ottawa then compiled their feedback in a report for Ottawa councillors and city staff.
“Individuals from the community take the time to figure out what makes them dislike a certain walking route, or like a certain walking route,” says Karen Hawley, the community network co-ordinator for Ecology Ottawa.
“A very qualitative report can be derived at the end of this,” she adds.
Centretown is an especially important community for walkability audits because of high pedestrian traffic, says Hawley.
Data collected from the audits also contributes to Ecology Ottawa’s “Complete Streets” program, which advocates for streets that are equally safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
The Bank Street walkability audit followed on the heels of another audit conducted by the Lowertown Community Association and Ecology Ottawa in June.
A report prepared from that inspection of Lowertown streets included recommendations such as shortened wait times for pedestrians at crosswalks and more garbage cans on sidewalks.
“Even if you commute from a suburb to get to work, once you park your car and get out you’re a pedestrian downtown,” says Michel-Adrien Sheppard, chair of the CCCA transportation committee. “We’re all pedestrians at some point.”
A campaign for safer sidewalks emerged in Centretown when Argyle Street residents posted signs along their road reminding cyclists to dismount their bikes before using the sidewalk.
Sheppard says crowded sidewalks are a common complaint and can lead to dangerous situations.
“It happened to me without even noticing. Somebody had to grab me because I walked into the street and there was a bus coming,” he said.
“I was pushed off the sidewalk – not intentionally, but because there was no room on the sidewalk.”
Ottawa’s population is projected to grow to 1.14 million people by 2031, according to the city's website.
The city has responded with a transportation master plan to improve and expand transportation services in Ottawa.
Sheppard describes walkability audits as a grassroots contribution to the transportation master plan.
Since participants include seniors, persons with disabilities and other pedestrians, the audits provide a holistic review of road conditions in Ottawa, he says.