The city’s senior engineer in the Infrastructure Services Department and project manager of Main Street reconstruction recently answered some of our questions.
Is this a particularly difficult or otherwise exceptional engineering project?
The Main Street Renewal Project is a typical, large City of Ottawa rehabilitation project.
Do you feel personally attached to this project?
So far, for the Main Street Renewal project, there have been more than 200 meetings and more than 100 staff (consultants and city staff) involved in one way or another. This level of effort typically comes with an engagement and attachment to the project which benefits the project as a whole. The design team truly wants the project to be successful!
Do you ever go out and walk or cycle roads the city has renewed or might renew to get a street-level view of the results of your work or what’s needed?
Design team members regularly walk streets to be renewed to collect information as well as visit recently renewed streets to observe how they are performing. The city also has an active transportation planning group who cycle the same streets on a regular basis for the same reasons … but also simply to reach their destination!
How do you, as an engineer, approach the challenge of reconstructing Main Street?
This project, like most engineering projects, must be approached in a systematic way. The various design stages and processes are well defined but there are a lot of moving parts to manage. From the inception of the project and data collection, to the environmental assessment, preliminary design, detail design and construction stages, each stage has its own milestones and objectives.
How much does the first concept of Main Street renewal resemble the version about to be built? How much did the design change after more than 200 meetings involving more than 100 staff?
The Environmental Assessment considered five options for the renewal of Main Street. The preferred and approved option did not change much since the EA was approved in the summer of 2013. There are many components to a project this size (ex. sewers, watermain, utilities, property impacts, traffic signals, streetlighting, street furniture, geotechnical, environmental, traffic, etc.). Each one needs to be carefully planned and requires input from many experts and stakeholders.
Does the project resemble others you have tackled?
This project resembles other projects this design team has tackled in the past. Other comparable projects include the ongoing reconstruction of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive (St. Patrick to King Edward), as well as the recently completed Wellington Street West (Island Park Drive to Garland Street) and Somerset Street West (Garland to Booth Street) reconstruction projects. The primary similarities are that they are all busy arterial roads located in constrained right-of-ways, in dense urban environments in Ottawa’s downtown core area, and with a wide range of adjacent land uses and competing stakeholder interests.
What might be the greatest challenges during the life of the project?
The Main Street Renewal project will have significant implications to residents, businesses, institutions and users of the corridor. The construction process itself will require a lot of patience and understanding. Mobility impacts in particular will be felt. The city is committed to providing timely, accurate and reliable information to all stakeholders of upcoming changes during and after construction as well as the impact those changes may have on day-to-day activities.
Which stage of construction do you consider the most challenging?
A deep sewer will be installed by tunnelling from Greenfield Avenue to just north of Evelyn Avenue. The tunnelling and the excavation of the entrance and exit pits for the tunnelling are technically more challenging than a typical open-trench sewer installation.
What is the most critical element of managing something like Main Street reconstruction?
Communication with all stakeholders, especially during construction, will be critical. To that effect, the design team is working on a communication strategy. Should you have ideas or would like to be kept informed of the construction development, please send your contact information to josee.vallee@ottawa.ca.
How long is a concrete roadway built in 2015-17 expected to last?
Reconstruction of urban roads are typically tied to renewal cycle of sewers and water mains. For Main Street, the existing sewers, built about 50 years ago and that will remain in place, may require renewal about 50 years from now. It is anticipated that road reconstruction will also occur at that time. As Main Street is an arterial road, life-cycle renewal of the asphalt pavement would be required every 15 to 20 years.
Are such ‘complete streets’ planned for elsewhere in Ottawa?
Complete Streets offer safety, comfort and mobility for all corridor users. It is the intent of the city to apply the complete street principles on all reconstruction projects but it is important to note that the outcome will vary from one street to another.
Where should people go to get updates on Main Street reconstruction? How often will the city make those updates?
The city is committed to providing timely, accurate and reliable information to the public about this construction project and timelines. The city will work directly with local residents to keep the community informed on the project. Ottawa.ca will also be one of the most important communications tools, as well as the city’s social media feeds. We plan to communicate whenever there is news.
