City committee approves plan to test bus-only lanes on Bank Street in the Glebe

A city committee approved a pilot project to create some three-hour and some permanent bus-only lanes on sections of Bank Street in the Glebe.

A city committee has approved a pilot project that would install temporary and permanent bus-only lanes on a section of Bank Street in the Glebe.

After more than 40 public delegations arguing for and against a plan that would install bus lanes for a 15-month study period, councillors on the public works and infrastructure committee ultimately approved the plan.

The plan would evaluate “time-of-day bus lanes” on sections of a 1.6-kilometre stretch of Bank Street. As part of the project, a northbound lane on Bank Street, between Homlwood Avenue and Pretoria Avenue, would be considered bus-only between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and a southbound bus lane on Bank Street, would be active between Powell Avenue and Holmwood Avenue from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. during the pilot.

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The bus-only lanes would replace the lane closest to the curb.

Permanent 24-hour bus lanes will also be installed on Bank Street in the following areas:

• Northbound between Regent Street and Fourth Avenue (~100 metres)
• Southbound between Fourth Avenue and Thornton Avenue (~100 metres)
• Southbound between Holmwood Avenue and Wilton Crescent (~190 metres)
• Northbound south of Aylmer Avenue (~70 metres)

Staff have also been directed to evaluate the impact to businesses in the area – positive, negative, and neutral – and also apply the lessons learned toward transit improvements on Bank Street between Catherine and Wellington streets.

The report prepared for the committee meeting says it will cost $250,000 for pavement markings and signage for the bus-only lanes during the pilot project, while the loss of 17 parking spaces in the permanent bus lane locations will result in a loss of $73,000 in parking meter revenue.

Several business owners in the Glebe who spoke at the committee said the loss of parking spaces would negatively impact their businesses.

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Speaking to the committee, Darrell Cox, director of the Glebe Business Improvement Area (BIA), says businesses could potentially face significant losses in revenue.

“It is one of Ottawa’s most important commercial districts and regional destination, attracting 22 million visitors in 2025, with 50 per cent travelling from beyond 12 kilometres,” he said.

“That level of draw depends in part on convenient access, including curbside parking.”

Transit users urged the committee to approve the plan, saying it is needed to help ease congestion.

Speaking to CTV News Ottawa, bus rider Saad Khan says he’s frequently affected by late buses and cancelled trips.

“I frequently get stuck in traffic there and as a result, I’ve been late to work and events more than once. I feel like bus lanes, dedicated bus lanes on both sides, would help,” Khan said.

City staff say, based on parking utilization data for the corridor, there is generally sufficient parking available within the area to accommodate the loss of on-street parking spaces during a typical weekday.

The plan will be presented to city council on April 8.

If approved, staff would aim to start the pilot project in the summer of 2027, and to report back on the findings of the pilot by end of 2028.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle and Kimberley Johnson