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The current parkway is a remnant of a mid-century mode of thinking that saw downtowns minimally as places to drive into and escape from after the working day. Built as part of Jacques Gréber’s city plan in 1961, its high speeds and few crossings signify its main role as a scenic commuter shuttle. Yet this purpose is no longer necessary. With the Confederation line, thousands of residents travelling from the West will have quick and convenient access to downtown using the O-Train. Further, changing the road for active and not transitory use would encourage people to use the O-Train, thus improving OC Transpo’s revenues and reducing traffic downtown.

It’s commonly believed that when freeways are removed, traffic will increase tremendously, but many major cities show us otherwise. In San Francisco, removal of two of its urban freeways never led to anticipated gridlock, but helped revitalize and energize neighbouring communities. Milwaukee similarly benefitted from replacing a freeway with a boulevard, while traffic flows remained stable.

Ottawa must also enact a broader vision of how it can remain sustainable for a growing and diversifying population into the future. Our future cannot include the parkway, as it relies on expensive and environmentally harmful car-driven infrastructure.

The city and NCC should replace a section of the road between Booth street and Tunney’s Pasture with a mixed-use boulevard to create a more liveable, viable and environmentally responsible city. By 2036, Ottawa expects to grow by 250,000 people, all of whom will need a home. It will not benefit these future residents to have a minor highway cutting them off from their river. What will benefit them is to have grocery stores, day cares and other amenities on a local main street accessible by bike, walking or public transportation.