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Up until now, Watson had scoffed at spending that kind of money to install what was thought to be a temporary multi-use path on the bridge, since the crossing was always meant for trains.

With expert opinion suggesting that a rail connection isn’t possible for the bridge, Watson likes the idea of using the structure for pedestrians and cyclists.

Still, Ottawa taxpayers bought the bridge with the expectation that it would be used for a public transit crossing.

“The return on investment is, it allows us to open up a new active transportation corridor for cyclists and pedestrians to connect from our train station, across the bridge and into the city of Gatineau,” Watson said.

Watson said he doesn’t think it’s necessary for the feds to take over the Prince of Wales Bridge. The City of Ottawa “is quite happy to take on the responsibility of maintenance,” Watson said.

Gatineau is studying an electric rapid-transit system in the west end of the city with a connection to the Ottawa LRT system.

Pedneaud-Jobin said studies in recent months have been “very clear” that the Prince of Wales Bridge couldn’t be used for the interprovincial rapid-transit connection.

“The best option for us for the quality of service for our own citizens is the Portage Bridge,” Pedneaud-Jobin said.

The details of that possible connection are still being studied, he said.

The STO study has viewed the Portage Bridge as the “optimal” place to run rapid transit, especially LRT, to Ottawa. It’s not clear how transit riders would transfer to the Ottawa LRT system at Lyon or Parliament stations, but a connection into the downtown Ottawa tunnel was ruled out.