Rideau River Pathway - lighting and link through park

completed

Design and Construction: This project will enhance a planned new pathway along the western side of the Rideau River, allowing for direct travel between the University of Ottawa Lees Campus or the Overbrook neighbourhood (via the Adawe Crossing) to Ottawa South and the planned new crossing of the Rideau Canal at 5th Avenue and Clegg Street. Requested enhancements will improve connectivity to the pathway through adjacent parks, and will add lighting to improve utility during evening hours. This is a very direct route from the Old Ottawa East community to the Confederation Line at Lees Station. Lighting from the pathway will be deployed on the bridge crossing the Rideau River at the east end of the pathway in an southerly direction, as well as making the lighting continuous in a northerly direction to reach Lees LRT station, and a section of lighting on the east side of the Rideau River north of the 417. These lighting connections extend the lit parts of the pathway as it reaches a station (Lees and Hurdman Stations). The proposed improvement to lighting and connectivity greatly improves the safety, desirability and comfort of this route for pedestrians and cyclists, especially in the evenings when this route is through park lands. Additionally, the project may support other related works if/where possible, which may include but not necessarily be limited to connections between pedestrian/cycling locations and transit system locations in order to provide safer community active transportation/transit. An example may be supporting 40-foot diesel bus acquisition in relation to routes in the proximity of the Rideau River pathway works to aid pedestrian and cycling traffic connectivity to the bus network.