Brookfield pathway new important network connection

Brookfield Rd Ottawa 03 — Brookfield path near the restaurant

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I wrote about plans for a MUP on Brookfield before and two weeks ago the asphalt was finally brought in. The path runs along a four lane road where cycling was doable but not great. The Brookfield MUP connects to the Sawmill Creek pathway and Mooney’s Bay LRT station on Heron at the eastend.

Brookfield MUP intersecting with Riverside — The intersection at Brookfield and Riverside looking towards Hog’s Back Rd. Unless this will become a cross ride, expect a walk your bike sign

At the west end it connects to the NCC path that runs along the road that leads to Hog’s Back Falls, aptly called Hog’s Back Rd. From there you can connect to the canal pathway on the east side along Colonel By or head further west. Therefore the MUP is an important connection.

Start of Brookfield MUP on the west side — Same intersection looking down Brookfield Rd east

Brookfield Path running behind a bus stop, note the shark teeth. In the end sharing the pathway is common sense near bus stops — Path running behind a bus stop, note the shark teeth. Use common sense when sharing the pathway near bus stops

The intersections are marked with walk and bike symbols, but not with green paint

Shallow buried cables

As the Brookfield MUP is not completed due to cable issues, you will temporarily be guided back on the road. Careful when you merge as I fear drivers don't expect you to do that all of a sudden — As the pathway is not completed due to cable issues, you will temporarily be guided back on the road. Careful when you merge as I fear drivers don’t expect you to do that all of a sudden

I had noticed that the last part in front of Brookfield High towards Flannery had not been changed: cyclists are directed onto the roadway again, just before a bus stop. The reason is that cables are not buried deep enough under this part of the current sidewalk, so this has to be addressed first and then the final part will be built. However, as it is bidirectional, it is not clear to me where you connect to the MUP coming from the opposite direction.

Here is an explanation about the cables from Councillor Brockington’s office.

The section in front of Brookfield High School connecting to the roundabout and the rest of the cycling network is part of the plan. During construction, a conflict was discovered with very shallow-buried underground utilities that prohibited installation of the pathway from the high school entrance to the Flannery Drive roundabout. The project team is presently working with the Consultant to design an alternative pathway alignment. Construction of this segment of pathway is anticipated to take place during Summer 2020. In the interim, pavement markings have been installed on the pathway directing cyclists to re-enter the roadway, and shared lane markings installed on Brookfield Road east of the entrance. Although not ideal at this time, a plan is being worked on to complete this segment.
Office of Councillor Brockington

The bus picking up students. This stretch of the Brookfield should be see a lot of mixed use of students boarding buses and cyclists passing but other places in Ottawa (Pimisi, UOttawa) seem to handle that fine — The bus picking up students. This stretch should, once finished, see a lot of mixed use of students boarding buses and cyclists passing, but other places in Ottawa (Pimisi, UOttawa) seem to handle mixed use just fine

Cross Brookfield at roundabout

Rather than crossing the roundabout towards the Sawmill Creek, you might want to cross Brookfield right away before the roundabout and connect to the path on the north side if you are not comfortable with cycling on roundabouts.

This path will likely become part of my route to LRT, via the new bike lane on Dynes and a bit of Prince of Wales to the nearest LRT station: a 20 minute bike ride to Line 2.

More context for Brookfield MUP

For more context, maps and some future housing developments on Brookfield read a previous blog here.

Eric Darwin
November 28, 2019 at 10:08 am

a conflict was discovered with very shallow-buried underground utilities that prohibited installation of the pathway from the high school entrance to the Flannery Drive roundabout. The project team is presently working with the Consultant to design an alternative pathway alignment …. so why not instruct the appropriate utility to do the job right and bury the cables deeper or elsewhere? Instead the cycling facility has to be delayed and relocated. Ditto on Albert St where Ottawa Hydro just burried conduits barely 18″ down, thus blocking much landscaping and any trees, despite the city plans promising trees along the roadside.

Mark Hamilton
November 27, 2019 at 9:20 am

I was on this very useful path yesterday. It gets very confusing before the roundabout amd I chose to cross before it. As usual some wayfinding signs would be helpful.