Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ottawa’s municipal Transportation Committee has approved $480.2 million in capital investments for transportation infrastructure in Ottawa, as part of the city’s Draft Budget 2025. The investments include $174.9 million for projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and $143.7 million for projects aimed at bolstering climate resilience.
The committee approved $184.6 million for integrated road, water, and sewer projects, $69.5 million for road resurfacing, and $34.8 million for transportation bridges and structures. The city will also invest $28.6 million to continue transitioning its fleet to electric, hybrid, and low-emission vehicles, $14.2 million for sidewalks and pathways, and $13.6 million for pavement preservation. The committee also approved $400,000 for additional bike parking programs and infrastructure, including secure bike lockers.
The city will increase its winter operations budget by $2.8 million to $95.3 million. The budget also includes investments to enhance road safety. The city will invest $18 million in safety initiatives aligned with the city’s Strategic Road Safety Action Plan, $7.7 million for new traffic control devices like signals and roundabouts, and $2.9 million for automated speed enforcement cameras.
The city will also invest $250,000 for new streetlights, $87,500 per ward for ward-specific temporary traffic-calming measures, and $1.5 million for citywide permanent traffic-calming measures.
The committee also approved the implementation plan for the Strategic Road Safety Action Plan for 2025. The $18 million investment will fund 24 new automated speed enforcement cameras, including 20 near schools and four pilot locations in rural villages.
The plan also includes pedestrian safety improvements, cycling safety enhancements at intersections, rural skewed-intersection modifications, pedestrian crossovers and new traffic control devices, protected left-turn phasing at up to five locations, and additional traffic calming measures in school areas.
The items considered at this meeting will be brought before City Council on Wednesday (Dec. 11).
