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Ottawa cyclists hold critical mass ride to raise awareness for vehicle road closures

Demonstration followed Mayor's comments that road closures should be modified

Critical Mass in Ottawa Photo by: @HorizonOttawa
August 15, 2023
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On Saturday, Ottawa cyclists organized a critical mss ride down Queen Elizabeth Driveway, as part of the ongoing debate about the closure of the road along the Rideau Canal to vehicles for the summer.

Dubbed as the “Critical Mass Ride – Defend Active Parkways,” the event saw numerous cyclists taking to the road to advocate for safer spaces for active transportation within Ottawa, according to a report from CTV. The closures allow cyclists, runners and pedestrians somewhere to exercise in the city. This initiative follows Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s recent plea to reopen a segment of Queen Elizabeth Driveway to vehicles. He presented statistics indicating that between 30 and 100 cyclists per hour are utilizing the road along the Rideau Canal for their active commuting needs.

“We recognize that for our city to achieve sustainability, cycling must be an integral part of it,” Councillor Jeff Leiper said during the event. “This vision cannot be realized if our roads are exclusively reserved for motor vehicles.”

To enhance cyclist safety, the National Capital Commission has implemented a full closure of Queen Elizabeth Driveway to vehicles seven days a week during the summer from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., allowing cyclists to use it without concern.

Sutcliffe recently shared data provided by the city of Ottawa, revealing that in July, a total of 1,866 cyclists utilized the Rideau Canal Pathway and Queen Elizabeth Driveway combined on a daily basis. Moreover, the statistics indicated an average of 104.3 cyclists per hour on the Queen Elizabeth Driveway during its 12 hours of accessibility for active transportation. However, he believes that these figures suggest an insufficient utilization rate and calls for a revision of the current plan.

“At the very least, reopening it during morning and afternoon rush hours, as well as for popular events at Lansdowne and in the Glebe,” the mayor said.

Local residents expressed concern that Sutcliffe’s statements have motivated dedicated cyclists to demonstrate their support for maintaining the road’s closure to vehicles.

“Mayor Sutcliffe’s narrow comments about his preferences for QED have prompted a response from concerned citizens,” Erin Maher, co-lead for Parkways for People, said to CTV. “For our city to truly achieve sustainability, we must ensure that cycling is a fundamental component, enabling people to travel safely from point A to point B without the need to share the road with automobiles.”