Planning for the Region’s Transport of People and Goods
Thursday, January 20, 2022
11:50 am
In Canada’s Capital Region, five interprovincial bridges connect the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau. These crossings serve as key transportation routes for cyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicles.
On average, over 9,000 pedestrians and cyclists, in addition to over 150,000 vehicles, cross the interprovincial bridges daily.
The NCC is the steward of the Portage Bridge and Champlain Bridge. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) manages and operates the Alexandra Bridge, Chaudières crossing and Macdonald-Cartier Bridge.
With our municipal, provincial and federal partners, we’re working on delivering two initiatives from the 2019 federal budget:
Champlain Bridge
The Champlain Bridge is the westernmost of the interprovincial bridges. It connects the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway in Ottawa and Chemin d’Aylmer in Gatineau.
The Champlain Bridge has three vehicle lanes, including a reversible high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane. It also has two dedicated lanes for cyclists.
Built between 1924 and 1928, the bridge carries approximately 22 percent of all motor vehicle traffic and 5 percent of all pedestrians and cyclists across the Ottawa River in the National Capital Region.
The Champlain Bridge has three vehicle lanes, including a reversible high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane. It also has two dedicated lanes for cyclists.
Built between 1924 and 1928, the bridge carries approximately 22 percent of all motor vehicle traffic and 5 percent of all pedestrians and cyclists across the Ottawa River in the National Capital Region.
Portage Bridge
The Portage Bridge connects Wellington Street in Ottawa to Maisonneuve Boulevard in Gatineau. It has six lanes, including dedicated lanes for public transit and multi-occupant vehicles. It also has a two-way bike lane segregated from motor vehicle traffic by a protective barrier.
The bridge is an integral part of Confederation Boulevard, the ceremonial road that encircles the heart of the Capital, offering an elegant streetscape for some of the nation’s most important sites and institutions.
Built in 1973 and expanded in 1988, the bridge carries an average of 40,000 vehicles per day, and over 400 cyclists per hour during morning and afternoon commutes.
The bridge is an integral part of Confederation Boulevard, the ceremonial road that encircles the heart of the Capital, offering an elegant streetscape for some of the nation’s most important sites and institutions.
Built in 1973 and expanded in 1988, the bridge carries an average of 40,000 vehicles per day, and over 400 cyclists per hour during morning and afternoon commutes.
Alexandra Bridge walkway
The Alexandra Bridge connects Sussex Drive in Ottawa to Boulevard des Allumettières in Gatineau. Along with the Portage Bridge, it is an integral part of Confederation Boulevard. The NCC maintains the bridge walkway, which accommodates about 40 percent of all pedestrians and cyclists crossing the river — the highest use among the Capital’s interprovincial bridges.
