Ottawa Police reveal route for ‘Rolling Thunder’ motorcycle convoy

Ottawa’s interim police chief, Steve Bell, provided details of the planned route of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle convoy taking place in the capital this weekend. 

In a news conference on April 28, Bell noted the ride on April 30 will begin in the Coventry Road area, riding north along the Vanier Parkway, turning onto Montreal Road and merging onto Rideau Street. At Rideau Street, the convoy will turn south onto Waller Street and then head onto the Mackenzie King Bridge. After crossing the bridge, they will turn south on Elgin Street and then east on Laurier Avenue West. Finally, they will turn south onto Nicholas Street and merge onto Highway 417.

There will be convoy participants already in place at the War Memorial for a ceremony. There will be a heavy police presence in the area backed up by barricades, heavy equipment and tows. The entire route has been designated as a no stopping and no parking area.

“Organizers and participants will be held accountable for actions before, during, and after events,” said Bell. “For example, many of the individuals charged in the unlawful protest in February have conditions not to be in Ottawa. Those individuals must respect conditions set by the court. If you breach your conditions, you will be arrested and charged.”

Roughly 500 motorcycles are expected to make their way to Ottawa beginning Friday, April 29. Ottawa residents are being told to expect increased police presence in the downtown core and ByWard Market areas, while a motor vehicle exclusion zone has been created forbidding any motor vehicles involved in a rally, protest or demonstration from entering.

“We expect many of these individuals will be staying in downtown hotels,” added Bell. “There are other sites these participants may visit including a rural property on Eagleson Road and a church in Vanier. Any area where these participants gather will see increased police presence and possible traffic delays. The organizers have advised that the participants will depart the city on Sunday.”

“However, the roads are not closed,” Bell said. “Allowances will be made for local residential and business traffic. The flow of pedestrians, cyclists and public transit will continue throughout the operation.”

The bulk of the events for the convoy are planned for Saturday, April 30 and include a Veterans For Freedom service at the National War Memorial and a rally and march on Parliament Hill. The Ottawa Police Services Board approved 831 Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the convoy. 

“We have heard the concerns from the community,” Bell said in his address to media members. “Our plan is designed to address those concerns such as access to residential neighbourhoods, noise, improper driving, parking, acts of hate or intolerance and criminality. Your police service will not allow for unsafe or unlawful conditions that could lead to another unlawful protest.”