safety audit

Don’t want to sound smug, but not everyone burns carbon to get around Bells Corners.

The free bike-taxi runs on organic beans-and-rice and dandelions. Reduced global warming.

Brazilian/South Korean bike-taxi fans in Lynwood Manor.

The Healthy Transportation Coalition divided up the Bells Corners West neighbourhood into 7 walks for a safety audit.

This neighbourhood has many residents who don’t have cars. They rely on OC Transpo, shoe leather, bikes, walkers, strollers and wheelchairs.

It’s not always easy when the car is king in Bells Corners.

OC Transpo service is substandard, especially on weekends when service is very limited. It sucks to be minimum-wage poor in Bells Corners.

Bells Corners West was one of six Ottawa neighbourhoods (out of a hundred) chosen for the healthy active transportation project: lots of lower-income households and low walkability scores.

Safety audit walk #3.

Walk #3 starts at Moodie and Tyrrell. The walk signal is long enough for pedestrians who don’t dawdle.

Many pedestrians taking the Tybalt/Tarquin route to the commercial strip walk on the north side of Tyrrell. Others use the sidewalk on the south side and then jaywalk at the Tyrrell/Tybalt junction.

Pierre and I crossed at the busy Tyrrell/Seyton junction (3-way stop) at the bus stop in front of the Franco-Ouest sports field. Without a standard curb we were more vulnerable to vehicles, but the sidewalk is fairly accessible everywhere and an asphalt strip provides some separation from traffic.

The multi-use pathway to Franco-Ouest, the city park and the community building is in good shape (but isn’t ploughed in winter).

Entering Hammill Court (social housing, City of Ottawa) we encountered this bone-jarring 4 cm deep pothole.

Access to the city park and the community building is only for nimble pedestrians (no maintainance in winter). Ugh.

Same story here – a simple curb cut would be a step in the right direction.

The busy junction of Seyton and Westcliffe raises safety concerns. The multi-use pathway from the school and the park ends in the middle of the intersection. Where to cross safely?

If you’re heading to the bus stop on the north side of Seyton it’d be tempting (and risky) to cross diagonally.

Traffic-calming would make this crossing safer. Painted lines would help.

Traffic on Westcliffe is calmed by the stop sign and the curious no-parking sign, but traffic on Seyton is unfettered and at times frightening.

Wide roads can encourage drivers to speed.

Sidewalk users like flat, not sloped, sidewalks. Traffic passes less than one metre from vulnerable pedestrians: no standard curb to provide a modicum of protection. No asphalt strip to provide a bit of separation. Scary!

Crossing Seyton heading to the bus stop and Harmer House is a safety concern.

Traffic-calming needed here.

Safety audit walk #5.

On Forestview: access to the Greenbelt and the Forester community could be improved with a bit of asphalt.

A backward fall is possible.

It’s been done at the entrance to the city park on Forsetview.

The park has a single bench and a single light.

A little bit of shade. At the Florizel entrance to the park: wide strollers and bike-taxis struggle with a post in the middle of the path. It discourages motorized vehicles from accessing the park and the Greenbelt trails, but the Forestview entrance on the other side of the park is wide-open.

Sleazy Dubious Arya Liberal medal.

Bellwood bummer.

Bike parking at the library.

No shortage of bike-parking options.

My favourite spot.

Ugh.

Dusty roads?

Dusty work-to-rule?