Highway 417 construction in Ottawa is now encroaching into the Nepean neighbourhood of Glabar Park, where residents report increased congestion and safety concerns. Angela Prescott, director of the Glabar Park Community Alliance and a former elementary school teacher at D. Roy Kennedy Public School, says the situation has deteriorated significantly since the highway work began.
Worsening Traffic Congestion
“The exacerbation has been tenfold since the reduction on the highway. So we’ve seen a dramatic increase in backups in that area since they started the work,” Prescott said. The Nepean resident noted that drivers already taking shortcuts through the neighbourhood have been joined by construction traffic, creating safety risks near the 417.
Currently, both eastbound and westbound lane closures are in effect from Woodroffe to Pinecrest Avenue for construction on the centre median near the Pinecrest overpass. Crews are also installing a foundation for an overhead sign for the Queensway, after previous sign disruption during LRT tunnel construction.
Impact on Local Schools
Prescott reported receiving numerous emails and complaints from residents. Parents are walking extra distances to avoid dangerous intersections or driving their children to nearby D. Roy Kennedy and Woodroffe Avenue public schools. Although Prescott drives her eight-year-old son to school, she said she would not feel comfortable letting him walk alone in the area.
For nearly a decade, Glabar Park residents have dealt with drivers cutting through from Carling to Woodroffe Avenue to avoid congestion. This issue peaks on weekdays after 3 p.m., when elementary students are dismissed. At the intersection of Fairlawn and Lenester Avenue in front of D. Roy Kennedy, a sign prohibits right turns on red between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., but it is often ignored, making it unsafe for children to walk home.
“It means that people can’t get to the school to pick up their kids, but most importantly, it means all of the kids that are trying to walk home really struggle, and that people can’t get in and out of their own neighbourhood,” said Prescott.
City Response and Long-Term Needs
The city has taken some steps, such as opening a previously bus-only lane to cars at the westbound 417 on-ramp at Woodroffe and increasing police presence in the mornings. However, Prescott noted that one day of ticketing is insufficient. She called for long-term actions, including more crossing guards, though she acknowledged that school boards are already strained.
According to the City of Ottawa’s website, lane and ramp closures will continue as needed during the work period, which is expected to last another month. Prescott emphasized that the highway construction is making an already bad situation worse, and she hopes for sustained solutions to ensure safety for children and residents.
