The City Just Hit Reset on Highway 174, That’s a Big Problem
Earlier this summer, the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) approved work to begin widening Highway 17 up to the Ottawa border, where Highway 17 becomes Highway 174. It’s the same road and for years, the rural two-lane stretch between Trim Road and Rockland has been a source of frustration and danger for drivers. It’s often been called the “corridor of death” and for good reason.
When I served on Ottawa City Council, I led the charge to fix that. One of my early accomplishments was securing the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the widening of Highway 174/17 from the Split to Landry Road in Clarence-Rockland.
The plan included:
Added capacity for Orléans commuters
A divided highway for better safety
Transit and carpool lanes connecting Rockland to the Trim Road LRT station
A vision for growing OC Transpo ridership while easing congestion
A new pedestrian focus through Cumberland Village with slower speeds and access to an enhanced City owned waterfront
After years of work and nearly $5 million spent, the EA was approved by the Province at the end of 2017. But here’s the catch: Environmental Assessments expire after 10 years if construction doesn’t begin and since I left Council five years ago, the City has done nothing to advance this project.
Last week, City Council approved a new Transportation Master Plan and the Highway 174 widening isn’t even mentioned. No plan. No funding. No progress.
Some will argue that this is because the Province might upload the highway someday. But what if they don’t? The City still found room to include non-City projects, like a new interprovincial bridge and the Gatineau tramway. If we can plan for Quebec, why are we ignoring Ottawa, Rockland and eastern Ontario?
Taking cars from Rockland off of the 174 and putting those commuters on LRT will make traffic better for everyone who must use the 174. Bus lanes to Rockland will work, just as they worked in Orléans. In fact, Orléans once had the highest OC Transpo ridership in the city, which helped secure LRT to Trim Road. Thanks to my work, Orléans is the only suburban community to be getting electric light rail.
Fast, direct bus service from Rockland to Trim is an opportunity to expand OC Transpo’s reach and boost revenue through smart partnerships with UCPR. But let’s be clear: Ottawa taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for building infrastructure that primarily serves another municipality. The Province needs to fund this project, just as it funds GO Transit and highway expansions across the GTA. We all pay provincial taxes that support those projects. It’s time eastern Ontario got its fair share.
Instead of building on past success, Council has walked away from it. And unless something changes, the EA will expire, the planning work will be wasted and commuters will be stuck in the same unsafe, congested mess.
We’ve seen this movie before. When Larry O’Brien hit reset on the north-south LRT line, it delayed rail by more than a decade and cost taxpayers over $500 million.
I fear that this Council just hit the same reset button on Highway 174 and it’s commuters who will pay the price.