Debate on future of Wellington Street at Parliament Hill continues
Federal return to work has brought some traffic congestion back downtown, Coun. Tim Tierney says
Local politicians continue to wrangle over the future of Wellington Street, as the stretch of road in front of Parliament Hill is set to reopen to public vehicles Friday for the first time since it was closed after the convoy protest last winter.
The four-lane section of road in the parliamentary precinct was taken over by vehicles and protesters during the truck convoy protest, which lasted from the end of January 2022 until the Family Day long weekend the following month.
It never reopened to public vehicles. Barriers have restricted it to parliamentary vehicles and active transportation between Bank and Elgin streets as politicians and experts have debated its future, including how, or if, to reopen it.
Ottawa city council voted in February to bring vehicles back, but its long-term future remains in doubt.
Transportation committee chair Tim Tierney said Thursday that the decision to reopen Wellington was overdue.
"[The closure] was unsightly," he said. "It was creating chaos, and it just looked ugly."
But some local politicians disagree.
'Disappointed' by decision
The Liberal MP for Ottawa Centre, Yasir Naqvi, is among those opposed to the reopening.
"I am disappointed that the city is going to allow cars and buses back on Wellington street," Naqvi told reporters Thursday.
Conversations between the federal government and the City of Ottawa to solidify long-term plans for the roadway are ongoing, he said.
"I am confident that there will be a good result that will come out of those conversations, and we'll have something better than just running cars and buses on Wellington street."
Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante said she'll be watching how traffic patterns compare to what they were before the closure, as those discussions take place at the mayoral level.
If the numbers are much lower, she said, then talks can begin about alternative uses, such as an NCC-endorsed plan to connect the light rail systems in Ottawa and Gatineau via Wellington Street.
But with added bike lanes and new special stops for Société de transport de l'Outaouais and OC Transpo, Plante called the reopening a good compromise.
"Even if you're not someone who drives or takes your car, you're going to find that Wellington Street is welcoming to everyone," she said in French.
Return to office spurred reopening, Tierney says
Although Tierney said discussions to reopen the street had been happening for over a year, the situation changed when the federal government decided to send employees back to the office, leading to "major congestion" on bridges and throughout the downtown.
"Telling people they have to drive through Gatineau to get to the other side of our city — that's a problem," he said.
Tierney added that beautification plans are in place for the reopened roadway.
Ottawa city council will make the ultimate decision on what to do with Wellington Street long-term, and Tierney said reopening the street may speed up the decision-making process.