Le français viendra sous peu.
As part of a sewer and watermain maintenance project, the City of Ottawa was scheduled to construct sidewalks on a few streets in the neighbourhood of Manor Park. This is in line with the City’s Transportation Master plan, which states that the city should “Build sidewalks when roads are being reconstructed or redeveloped” (Policy 6-2). Sidewalks are critical infrastructure for more sustainable modes of transportation, as they provide a safe alternative to driving, connect neighbourhoods to public transportation stops and promote community interaction, particularly for those who do not own vehicles.
Proposed locations of sidewalk additions in Manor Park. Source 
The addition of sidewalks in Manor Park however, has met stiff resistance with some Manor Park residents, though many are in support as well. According to a survey conducted during consultation, 50% of residents opposed sidewalks while 40% supported them. Here we’ll take a look at some of the arguments made against sidewalks both in general and particular arguments made by residents from Manor Park.
Do sidewalks increase greenhouse gas emissions? It is true that concrete production is a carbon intensive process and greenhouse gas emissions are produced during sidewalk construction. However there are issues with this argument. Installing sidewalks has been shown to increase the number of transportation trips (trips taken to get to a destination, rather than for recreation) taken by sidewalk. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions over time as trips by vehicles are reduced.
Will sidewalk construction in Manor Park cause trees to be removed? This is a valid concern, since trees offer cities significant benefits, and yet Ottawa is far off from our tree targets. Nevertheless, City Forestry staff have stated that the project will have minimal impact on existing trees. In order to avoid impact to mature trees in the neighbourhood, roads will be slightly narrowed to 7.5m to accommodate sidewalks, which will be constructed on only one side of the street. According to City staff, impact to lawn space will be minor, and is within the right of way—that is, land adjoining the street that belongs to the City, not property owners. In the event that trees do need to be removed, the City says they will replace any trees that are removed in the process
Do sidewalks increase safety? A common argument from local residents opposed to sidewalks is that sidewalks are not needed to feel safe walking or rolling in this particular neighbourhood. While that may be true for some, other residents (examples here and here) have stated that they do not feel safe without them and the absence of sidewalks has left them feeling isolated. The absence of sidewalks has been shown to increase the likelihood of a pedestrian–vehicle collision, and the presence of sidewalks to reduce the likelihood of such a pm collision. If sidewalks demonstrably keep people safe, and adding them entails no loss of accessibility, there’s little argument here against adding them.
Planned densification project in Manor Park. Site A sits within walking distance of the proposed streets for sidewalk addition. Source: Vision Manor Park
Is there enough vehicular traffic to justify adding sidewalks? Several local residents also cite the lack of car traffic in the neighborhood as an argument against sidewalks. This may be true, however the Manor Park area is set to undergo a significant densification project. This will undoubtedly bring more traffic - both vehicular and pedestrian - into the area, making sidewalks all the more necessary.
Why not just wait to install sidewalks until there’s more car traffic? Adding sidewalks at the same time as the sewer and watermain project drastically reduces the cost. Sidewalks built in conjunction with the sewer/water project would cost only $180,000 as opposed to the $500,000-$700,000 it would cost to build them separately in the future.
If sidewalks are constructed, will they be wide enough and maintained adequately? This is a valid concern: many sidewalks in Ottawa are quite narrow and poorly maintained. In Ottawa, city sidewalks are only required to be 1.8m wide. Many Ottawa sidewalks are also not maintained well, leaving them difficult to use for some. The City has long prioritized vehicle infrastructure, even though sidewalks are much cheaper per capita than things like roads and parking lots. The solution to this issue is not to abandon sidewalk construction in some areas. We should be allocating more funds to improve sidewalk condition and change standards to ensure wider sidewalks.
Couldn’t we just omit sidewalks in this community? What’s the big deal? Finally, and possibly most importantly, exempting certain neighborhoods from sustainable infrastructure like sidewalks creates a dangerous precedent. As mentioned earlier, Ottawa’s Official Plan requires sidewalks to be constructed alongside new road restoration projects. If one neighbourhood is allowed to refuse sidewalks because they change ‘the look’ of the neighbourhood then others can follow suit. Sidewalks are a crucial part of sustainable transportation networks and an incomplete network discourages sustainable modes of transportation. In the long run, this will increase greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging vehicle use.
This issue will be discussed at the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting on March 30. Ottawa City Staff are seeking approval from city councillors to go forward with construction of sidewalks.
Here’s what you can do:
- Prepare a delegation to voice your opinion on the importance of sidewalks. For tips on delegating, you can watch Ecology Ottawa’s delegation workshop or consult our delegation guide.
- Contact your councillor and tell why you think the project should continue with sidewalks.
Harry Hitsman is a member of Ecology Ottawa's Council Watch.
_____________
An earlier version of this article offered data about safety that did not adequately match the circumstances discussed here. This data has been replaced with data better matching the circumstances.
