Residents of a quiet Ottawa street are raising urgent safety concerns, claiming recent infrastructure work has made their road too narrow to safely accommodate city buses, especially during winter months.
A Street Transformed
The core of the issue lies in a recent infrastructure replacement project on Grove Avenue in Old Ottawa South. The work, which wrapped up with a new road surface, had a significant side effect: it made the street approximately 2.5 metres narrower than its previous configuration.
According to City of Ottawa specifications, the street now measures a total of 6.5 metres in width. This is divided into a four-metre lane for vehicle travel and a 2.5-metre lane designated for parking. The city's own guidelines state that a general minimum lane width to support transit is 3.5 metres, putting the current travel lane well below that standard.
Residents Describe a Dangerous "New Norm"
For those living on Grove Avenue, the change has created a hazardous daily reality. OC Transpo's Route 7 bus travels eastbound along the street up to 60 times a day on its way to Bank Street.
"We give the bus the right of way on the sidewalk, which is obviously not right," said resident Heather Howes. "It's really an accident waiting to happen." Locals report it's now common to see pedestrians scrambling up driveways for safety as the large buses pass by, often with their tires climbing onto the sidewalk to navigate the tight space between parked cars and snowbanks.
"Though I want to be wrong, at some point there'll be a tragedy, and the city won't be able to say they didn't know or that it's shocking. They're well aware of the issues on the street," said Grove Avenue resident John Seguin.
Political Response and Ongoing Concerns
Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard has acknowledged the problem, having walked the street with concerned residents. He agrees the road often lacks sufficient width for buses to navigate safely in winter.
"I agree with residents that we needed a bit more room on the street, particularly in the last block of Grove closest to Bank Street, to accommodate everything, including transit, parking and snow banks," Menard stated.
While the councillor has advocated for more frequent snow removal over the past year and pledges to continue pushing for increased maintenance, he admits that more fundamental actions may be needed. The problem is now persisting into its second winter since the roadwork was completed.
"It's become clear to me that more actions are necessary than just relying on enhanced snow removals and clearing in the area," Menard concluded. The situation puts the city's road safety goals at odds with the practical realities of maintaining vital transit service on a street that may no longer be fit for purpose.
