Abstract Manager

‘Transit Priority Measures’ are typically associated with bus-only lanes, queue jumps, and transit signal prioritization. However, the concept can extend beyond these traditional measures, as demonstrated by the new roundabout at the intersection of Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard and Vineyard Drive/Fortune Drive in Ottawa that illustrates how a roundabout can enhance transit operations and improve the efficiency and reliability of transit systems.

The City of Ottawa’s Stage 2 Light Rail Transit (LRT) Expansion extended service from the City’s inner urban area to the east end community of Orleans and included the new Jeanne d’Arc O-Train station at the Ottawa Road (OR) 174 and Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard interchange.  Given the new station was incorporated into the existing overpass, without significant modifications to the existing structure, there was only sufficient room to provide a loading platform on the west side of the overpass. This resulted in significant bus routing and operation challenges. Specifically, routes servicing the station will require convoluted and inefficient routing to serve the southbound bus platform located on the west side of the overpass.  This would result in increased bus volumes in residential areas, travel time, and operational costs.

To address these challenges, OC Transpo retained Robinson Consultants to evaluate and design a roundabout at Jeanne d'Arc and Vineyard Drive/Fortune Drive, north of the OR 174 interchange. The roundabout will allow busses to U-turn to access the station platform and improve bus service reliability. Initially, a multi-lane roundabout was considered due to Jeanne d'Arc's four-lane cross-section, but after evaluating growth and modal shifts arising from the LRT expansion, it was determined that a multi-lane roundabout would operate at a Level of Service of 'A' indefinitely.

Due to property constraints, concerns about pedestrian safety near a nearby elementary school, and the need for traffic calming, the design was revised. A single-lane roundabout was proposed, narrowing the corridor to two lanes. This solution not only ensured the necessary transit accommodations but also improved pedestrian and cyclist connectivity to the surrounding community and school.

Though Ottawa has widely adopted roundabouts, the roundabout faced significant opposition from local residents, who raised concerns about safety, costs, and overall benefits. As a result, extensive public consultation was carried out to address these concerns while ensuring that the roundabout would meet the needs of OC Transpo and the local community. The final design was completed in July 2024, and construction is expected to finish in June 2025.