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~ Canaan Connexion Feature ~ 
| Thanks to the diligent efforts of City of Ottawa Councillor Rob Jellett, Clarence-Rockland Councillor Kyle Cyr
(Ward 5) and Clarence-Rockland's Mayor Richard Lalonde, the traffic lights at Canaan Road and Ottawa Road 174 are
now up and running. The City of Ottawa, the City of Clarence-Rockland and the United Counties of Prescott-Russell, each paid one third of the project to install the traffic control signals. The estimated cost to install the traffic signal and street lighting is $260,000. |
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| “This is a major intersection in the City of Ottawa’s east end and I am delighted to have been able to work with
elected officials of neighbouring Clarence-Rockland and the United Counties of Prescott-Russell ” said Councillor
Rob Jellett. “The cooperative model of financing this initiative will be a first for the City of Ottawa and I am
thankful to my colleagues for their support”. “I am very pleased to see that the traffic lights are finally going up and it will help mitigate collisions and reduce traffic fatalities on this roadway and improve traffic conditions flowing east and west, “said Mayor Richard Lalonde. ‘’This is a first partnership with United Counties of Prescott-Russell, City of Ottawa & City of Clarence-Rockland’’. “It's an honour for me to represent not only our Councillor Kyle Cyr, but also the many residents of Canaan Road and beyond who have worked really hard with letters to both the City of Ottawa and Clarence-Rockland," said Patrick Meikle." They also deserve a huge thanks. We've been at this project at least since 2001. |
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Ottawa City Council will deal with this matter at their Wednesday, September 2 meeting.
Clarence-Rockland has had their share of the money to install the lights for some years but it was evidently Ottawa that was holding up the process.
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Two recent news stories from Orléans Online and CFRA News reported that Cumberland Ward councillor Rob Jellett wants the city to grant a request from the United Counties of Prescott-Russell to install traffic signals at the intersection of Highway 174 and Canaan Road.
Rob Jellett is "pushing" for lights at 174 and Canaan.
In the first story, Orléans Online npublisher Fred Sherwin writes:
Cumberland Ward councillor Rob Jellett wants the city to grant a request from the United Counties of Prescott-Russell to install traffic signals at the intersection of Hwy. 174 and Canaan Road in the far east end.
Prescott-Russell has offered to split the $174,000 price tag for the traffic signals and share the yearly maintenance and operating costs.
Jellett says he supports the request based on traffic and safety concens in the area.
While traffic volume at the intersection does not currently meet the city's criteria in determining where to locate new traffic signals, it will in the very near future as development in nearby Clarence-Rockland continues to expand.
In the CFRA item, reporter Josh Pringle says:
An Ottawa City Councillor wants the City of Ottawa to support the installation of a traffic signal on Highway 174 at Canaan Road in Clarence-Rockland.
In a motion for the Transportation Committee, Rob Jellet recommends the city support a request from the United Counties of Prescott-Russell and the City of Clarence-Rockland to split the cost of the traffic control signal, with the necessary street lighting.
Jellet says the intersection plays a vital role in providing access to the communities, adding the installation of a traffic signal will help mitigate collisions and improve traffic conditions.
The city's share would be $87-thousand, with an annual maintenance fee and operating impact of $10-thousand.
Public Works says that although the location does not meet the warrants for a traffic signal, traffic volumes will continue to grow at the traffic intersection and will at some point satisfy the warrants for the signal.
The Canaan Connexion was contacted by councillor Rob Jellett's office advising that the Transportation Committee has unanimously recommended that Council "approve the installation of a Traffic Control Signal at the intersection of Ottawa Road 174 and Canaan Road". (You can read the committee's full report by clicking here.)
Ottawa City Council will deal with this matter at their Wednesday, September 2 meeting. Given the unanimous approval at committee level, the recommendation should be approved.
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However, on Tuesday, April 14, 2009, during a community meeting held at the Cumberland Lions Hall the Canaan Connexion asked Ottawa City Councillor Rob Jellett what the status was for the traffic lights?
Jellett replied that the lights were now slated to be installed during the fall of 2009. Why this further delay? Because the agreement between the three jurisdictions still has to be signed and certain items have to be worked out before the work can start. Things like who will put up the lights, and who will maintain the physical upkeep of the lights, etc.
The agreement is evidently in the hands of the City of Ottawa legal department. Watch this space for further developments.
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From speaking to our mayor and local councillor last year (2008), we learned that Clarence-Rockland has had their share of the money to install the lights for some years. It is evidently Ottawa that is holding up the process. It is ironic that they can not come up with the $100 thousand or so for traffic lights, and yet as we recently heard, Ottawa was asking Clarence-Rockland to put in around $425 thousand as its share to pave a portion of Canaan Road south to Vinette which many residents do not want for fear of drivers increasing their speed along that route.
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Latest news on the lights
The traffic results were not positive to the cause. Here is what I heard from staff, "On its own, Canaan/Road 174 only satisfies 80% of the warrant requirements and when all existing northbound left turns at Canaan/Wilhaven are re-assigned to Canaan/Road 174, it still only meets 89% of the warrant requirements. Because a traffic control signal is not technically warranted, we cannot recommend such an installation at this time."
So the next step is going to have to be at the political level. Rockland Mayor Richard Lalonde and Councillor Kyle Cyr have contacted me and I'm trying to set up a meeting with them, and Ottawa Mayor O'Brien and our deputy City manager for this department to see if it's going to be possible to get our share of the money added to the 2009 budget. Rockland is willing to pay half.
However, the fact that it doesn't meet the warrants will make it very difficult to get a majority of Ottawa Council on side. It's not really about the money (though that is limited), but about the need.. There are other intersections in the City that do meet the warrant test and thus need signals and funding first.
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City of Ottawa crew takes traffic counts at Canaan?
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| On a rather wet Thursday, September 14, 2006, a two-man crew from the City of Ottawa was taking a traffic count at the intersection of Hwy. 174 and Canaan Road roughly between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Many residents getting on to the highway from Canaan Road have expressed frustration and concerns about the delays and dangers caused by trying to get in to the traffic flow safely. Clarence-Rockland has put aside funds to meet the City of Ottawa half way in paying for traffic lights, however the delay coming from the Ottawa side seems to be over the fact that the traffic counts do not justify four-way traffic lights. When we spoke to the traffic "counters" in the vehicle above and told them that C-R had put aside the funds, one of them said that this is really a "no brainer". If C-R is willing to come up with half of the funds then Ottawa should be able to do so as well. And the beat goes on... Back to top |
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