Meanwhile, scattered vehicles — some authorized, a few not — trickle down the road in one direction, but not the other. It’s time to full reopen Wellington to regular traffic and public transit, time to treat it as the important downtown artery it once was.Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Opponents of reopening the street to traffic muster many arguments, the most valid of which is security: anyone could be carrying a bomb in a vehicle. In that case, why are there any cars on the road now? And if you’ve ever been on Sparks Street in early morning, you know not even a pedestrian mall shuns delivery trucks. Presumably, one can also carry incendiary devices, or firearms, in a backpack. Meanwhile, police now know not to allow large trucks to hold protests in the core.
The second argument advanced is that, by reopening Wellington, we somehow lose the chance to re-imagine it — either as a future pedestrian-only mall, a tramway route or some other worthy plan. But visions for Wellington were discussed ad nauseam when it was open. A year after its closing, the visionaries haven’t exactly pushed their agenda hard.
Wellington was “temporarily” closed because of a truck protest. Let’s “temporarily” open it again. Talks on its final permanent status should continue. But this important street shouldn’t continue as a road to nowhere.
My city needs me
Just close it from Fridays to Mondays at 6am. This one’s done next?
Keep Wellington Street closed to traffic and open to people and culture.
Ya seriously!! If people can't protest down there u can't close it purely out of fear for ALMOST A YEAR!!!
thank god the ottawa citizen is irrelevant now
The point is good…open it until u decide on a permanent plan. It’s ugly and useless right now.
No thanks.
Open it up to cars ASAP. It is an important arterial road for cars coming off the parkway or crossing from Quebec to get across Centertowne.
No!…
Keep it closed, seems like an opportunity to try a nice walking area. Put up a parking structure at key areas to let people park and walk the rest of the way. Although, Sparks is suppose to be that walk way....
Forever a rag - the sucks as a media outfit; they really need someone else to step in and fill the clear gap in journalism
The funniest thing I’ve read all day .
Vehicles coming off Portage / SJAM (4 lanes) heading east of downtown now need to go 6 blocks south on Bank (1 lane) to Nepean or make an illegal and unsafe left turn onto Slater or Laurier, then south on O'Connor, left turn across 2 bike lanes onto Cooper (residential) 1/2
Never has to be reopened to trucks (oh yeah and cars!).
'Reopened' Umm, it is open, for pedestrians & cyclists. Also, I'm not sure what evidence there is that 'police now know not to allow large trucks to hold protests in the core'
Keep it closed even if it is only for security
Arrest JimWatsonOttawa !!!
Absolutely not. Have we learned nothing from the last convoy?!? Keep it closed
I am only occasionally in that area, but what I found surprising was how little impact having that road closed to cars seems to have had when I do go there. It doesn't seem to have had much effect on my driving times or traffic in or through the core. Not sure how others find it.
There are some much higher level meetings going on about this then some article from Ottawa citizen.
Bingo!
I can’t seem to find out who is on the Editorial Board?
[City of Ottawa] Sutcliffe: [chanting] cars, cars- Councillors: cars, CARS The Citizen: [pounding clipboard] CARS, CARS, CARS!
Wellington is an important street that makes it way easier to get from east-west of the city from the downtown without taking the highway. Focus on revitalizing the ghost town that is Sparks Street before pumping money into any new project.
Who wrote this? A car? Keep it closed to vehicles.
Counterpoint:
Terrible take. It is open, just not to vehicles and it hasn’t seems to hinder traffic. Purpose it for public transit and people.
Repurpose the south side for bistros, patios, outdoor eating, etc. Tourist the place up. Make it a draw for residents too. Walkways. Bikeways. No vehicle traffic. I’d also suggest if Sparks St can would be more purposeful re-opened to traffic I’d have no objection.
No thanks. Not necessary. Let's turn Wellington into a main space for people, not pollution spewing vehicles. It's the epicenter of Ottawa tourism after all.
It is open, you just can't drive there
This argument is faulty as it doesn't account for the fact that Wellington Street is still open to pedestrian traffic.
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