Kettle Island crossing not an option

A little history: Back in the days of the dinosaurs, before Mr. Blais was born, a bridge at Kettle Island was proposed as a means of moving commuter traffic from the Quebec side of the river to the far eastern parts of Ottawa in the same way that the Island Park bridge moved traffic in the far western parts of Ottawa. There was no massive traffic truck jam on King Edward Avenue to be alleviated. In many ways, the idea originated simply because the island was there. Anyone looking at a map could see that the size of Kettle Island would minimize the water crossing portion of any bridge in the same way that the island portion of the Island Park bridge minimizes the need for lengthy spans there. The two bridges were essentially to balance traffic at the two opposite sides of Ottawa. Kettle Island did not happen: the MacDonald Cartier bridge was built instead.

Things changed.

Kettle Island (Manor Park) is approximately four miles from the Peace Tower and now considered almost centre town by real estate agents. It is certainly not the far east end any more. The city has spread massively eastward and communities, some quite dense, that did not exist (including Convent Glen) when the Kettle Island bridge was first proposed now stretch all the way out to Cumberland.

The purpose of a far eastern bridge has also changed. Now we want to divert those trucks from Quebec’s Highway 50 to the Queensway and keep them out of centre town and off King Edward Avenue. Look at a map of all the choices being considered. Highway 50 to the Queensway via Kettle Island may be the shortest route over the water but it is by far the longest route over inhabited territory. It will therefore be the most expensive to build, take the longest time to build, disrupt the most traffic while being built and cause the most community chaos for the longest time even after completion.

There is simply no reason to keep resurrecting this old chestnut just because at first glance it looks good on a map. The fact that it is constantly being resurrected makes one wonder who plans to benefit.

Any bridge in the far east end needs to be where the 50 and 417 are geographically closest and where there is the least disruption to current traffic patterns and communities. Kettle Island should not even be a contender.

Eleanor Cox