Bronson Avenue survey – what you said

Photo: Traffic and safety are presistent problems for Bronson Avenue. The Bronson Team has come up with 16 improvements that can be made now – and survey says you agree!

Photo: Barb Popel

By Barbara Popel

In last September’s issue of the Glebe Report, I introduced the Bronson Team and its goals. Here’s a quick recap. The team wants to improve safety for all the pedestrians, transit users and cyclists who wish to use Bronson and to improve the environment (pollution, noise) for people who live on and near the street. Our five members are from both sides of Bronson between the Queensway and the Canal, including the Glebe Annex. We’re inspired by the Main Street Redevelopment project which focused on the immediate community rather than on commuters who drive through twice a day.

The Bronson Team has two sets of potential safety and environment solutions. One set of 16 changes are ones the City could implement immediately; we call them the “NOW” solutions. The other set are design changes that could only be incorporated when the postponed Bronson Redevelopment Project is restarted, perhaps sometime this year.

To determine the degree to which residents agree with the “NOW” solutions, we conducted an online survey in January. We’ll be using the results in our discussions with Councillor Shawn Menard and his staff, as well as with the city staff.

To solicit responses, emails went out via the Dow’s Lake Residents Association (DLRA) and the Glebe Annex Community Association (GACA), and notices were included in two emailed community bulletins from the Glebe Community Association (GCA).

Some 262 people responded – 61 from the Glebe Annex, 94 from the Dow’s Lake neighbourhood and 93 from the Glebe east of Bronson. Responses from 14 people who live outside the area were not included in the analysis.

For each of our 16 “NOW” solutions, a respondent could agree, disagree or say “don’t know/no opinion”. Only one question had a fairly high percentage (30.6 per cent) of “don’t know/no opinion,” perhaps due to the specific nature of the question – it was about prohibiting left turns from Renfrew onto Bronson. We are confident that the results are a pretty reliable representation of the whole community.

We were gratified that a majority of respondents agreed with all 16 of our “NOW” solutions. The Bronson Team seems to be on the right track! These are the “NOW” solutions that 80 per cent or more agreed with:

• Install permanent photo radar near Holmwood, Fifth/Madawaska and Kippewa. We learned after the survey had gone out that Menard had already requested that photo radar be installed near Senator Eugene Forsey Park when the City’s next annual purchase of photo radar equipment is made. His request is in competition with alot of Ottawa groups asking for photo radar, and this survey result may add weight to his request.
• Install permanent red-light cameras at Holmwood, Fifth/Madawaska and Powell. As with photo radar, Menard has requested that City staff install a red-light camera at the Fifth/Madawaska intersection when the City’s next annual purchase of red-light cameras is made. Alot of Ottawa groups are asking for red-light cameras, so this survey result may help.
• Designate Bronson between the Canal and the Queensway as a Community Safety Zone (CSZ). You’ve probably noticed CSZs elsewhere, including near Glebe Collegiate.
• Install a gateway feature such as a colourful sign at Findlay to indicate that we’re a residential area and that there’s a nearby children’s playground.
• Increase leading pedestrian interval times to at least 10 seconds at all signalized intersections.
• Display “WALK” signal automatically at all signalized intersections, rather than requiring a pedestrian to push a “beg” button. This has already been implemented in Old Ottawa South – we want to catch up!
• Paint “zebra” markings on pedestrian crossings at all signalized intersections.
• Provide school crossing guards at the Madawaska/Fifth intersections. When the DLRA asked for crossing guards at this intersection a few years ago, the school board refused because they feared the guards would be hit by cars!
• Prioritize sidewalk snow clearing and snow removal. If you’ve ever attempted to walk on Bronson after a snowstorm, you’ll know why this got a 97-per-cent “agree” result!
• Facilitate community engagement preparation for the Bronson Redevelopment Project as was done for the Main Street Redevelopment Project. This too scored a 97-per-cent “agree”.

Members of the Bronson Team will soon be meeting with Menard and his staff. The team wants to move forward with the “NOW” solutions, as well as contribute to the design process for the Bronson Redevelopment Project.

Barb Popel is leader of the Bronson Team. She has lived in the Glebe near Bronson for over 32 years.

Pull-quote: We were gratified that overall, respondents agreed with all 16 of our “NOW” potential solutions. The Bronson Team seems to be on the right track!