NCC extending closure of Queen Elizabeth Driveway to motor vehicles
Posted Apr 28, 2020 01:54:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The National Capital Commission (NCC) will be keeping a stretch of Queen Elizabeth Driveway (QED) open to pedestrians for another two weeks.
The commission launched its pilot project on April 18, shutting down part of QED to assist residents in one of Ottawa's most densely populated areas with physical distancing while allowing them to get outdoors for exercise.
The implementation of this initiative included consultation with Ottawa Public Health, as well as coordination with City of Ottawa traffic and emergency management staff.
The NCC conducted an online survey of users, as well as on-site monitoring, to evaluate its project.
It says the monitoring results indicate that users are overwhelmingly respecting physical distancing directives when using the QED. Meanwhile, user survey results showed both a high degree of support for the initiative as well as a highly localized use (89 percent for both).
Considering these positive results, the NCC will continue the pilot project until Sunday, May 10.
Closure to motor vehicle traffic will be daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. between Laurier Street and Fifth Avenue. Barricades and signage will remain in place to help ensure the safety of users.
The NCC’s evaluation of this project will be ongoing.
