Several OC Transpo park and ride lots have been at less than 50 per cent capacity this month as public servants return to the office and post-secondary students head to school, particularly in the Barrhaven and Kanata areas. As part of the City of Ottawa’s plan to help commuters move around the city this fall, a Mobility Dashboard is providing a snapshot of travel conditions, transit performance and spots available at OC Transpo Park and Ride lots. OC Transpo operates park and ride lots at O-Train stations and major transit hubs across the city. During the period of Sept. 4 to 10, the average usage at the Eagleson Park and Ride lot was 38 per cent, while the average usage was 11 per cent at the Terry Fox lot and 13 per cent at Innovation. OC Transpo launches new Express routes between Innovation and Tunney’s Pasture and Innovation and the Department of National Defence Campus on Carling Avenue. In Ottawa’s south end, the average usage was five per cent at Nepean Woods, 20 per cent at Strandherd and 30 per cent at the Fallowfield Park and Ride. Usage at the OC Transpo Park and Ride Lots along O-Train Line 2 was significantly higher during the week of Sept. 4 to 10, with occupancy at 93 per cent at Bowesville, 78 per cent at Leitrim and 63 per cent at Greenboro Station. In Orléans, usage was 85 per cent at the Place d’Orléans Park and Ride and 59 per cent at the Trim Park and Ride lot. OC Transpo provides park and ride lots at 18 locations across Ottawa, including free parking at 15 of the lots. A permit, costing $31 a month, is required at Baseline, Jeanne d’Arc and Ray Friel. The Fallowfield Park and Ride lot is the biggest in Ottawa, with 1,709 parking spots, while the Eagleson lot has 1,220 spaces and 823 parking spaces available at Bowesville. Rush hour The Mobility Dashboard from the City of Ottawa shows 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. are the busiest times on Ottawa’s roads. During the morning commute, traffic patterns are “very high” beginning at 7:45 a.m. from Carp, Kanata and Stittsville to downtown, with the “highest” times between 8 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. during the week of Sept. 4 and 10. From downtown to the west end, traffic is “very high” and “highest” between 4:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. In the east end, traffic begins to be “very high” at 7:30 a.m. from Orléans North, Navan and Cumberland and remains “very high” and the “highest” traffic flows until 8:45 a.m. During the afternoon commute, traffic from downtown to Orléans, Navan and Cumberland is “highest” at 4:145 p.m. and remains “very high” to Orléans at 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. over the past week. According to the city, traffic is “very high” from Barrhaven to downtown beginning at 7:45 p.m. and remains “very high” until 8:30 a.m. Traffic from Riverside South and Findlay Creek is “very high” beginning at 8 a.m. and continues until 8:45 a.m. During the afternoon commute, traffic from downtown to Barrhaven, Riverside South and Findlay Creek is “highest” beginning at 4:15 p.m. and remains at the “very high” and “highest” levels until 5:15 p.m. The City of Ottawa and OC Transpo are expecting an additional 65,000 trips a day into the downtown core this fall as public servants spend a minimum of four days a week in the office and post-secondary students return to class for the fall semester.
