6 ways to improve Kent Street in Downtown Ottawa

As discussed in part 1 and part 2 of my Kent Street series, Kent Street is an urban arterial badly in need of improvement. As part of this push for improvement, the Centretown Community Association is hosting a clean-up of Kent Street tomorrow (October 5) at 11AM, meeting at Dundonald Park.

Here are a few suggestions on how to improve the street:

1. Wider sidewalks

A narrow sidewalk on Kent Street near Somerset.

The sidewalks on Kent Street are incredibly narrow. Wider sidewalks would improve accessibility and allow people to walk side by side.

2. A narrower street

While not perfect, Elgin Streets narrow feel makes it much more difficult to speed.

Traffic is fast and feels dangerous on Kent Street. A narrower street would slow down traffic and allow more space for other improvements, like wider sidewalks and more benches. 

3. Raised crosswalks

The NCC has recently installed a raised crosswalk on Colonel By Drive. A raised crosswalk (even at a stoplight) would help increase safety on Kent Street.

Raised crosswalks are a great way to slow down traffic and improve how it feels to walk in a space. Kent Street currently feels very much like a street designed by and for only drivers. Adding raised crosswalks would help give back some of that space for pedestrians. 

4. Make it two way

As discussed in Killed by a Traffic Engineer, taking a fast urban arterial and making it a two way street can help manage speeding and additional distances driven through indirect routes. I’d like to see the City of Ottawa test out making Kent Street two-way and track the results to see what happens.

6 Things Ottawa can Learn from Killed by a Traffic Engineer

5. More trees and greenspace

This pollinator Garden and the Royal Oak patio are an example of what we need more of on Kent.

Centretown has a lack of trees and greenspace, especially when you consider how many residents live in apartments without balconies or backyards. I’d love to see more trees, planters, and perhaps even dedicated greenspace on Kent Street. 

The buildings at Kent and Nepean have a beautiful tree lined courtyard, unfortunately it is private property.

6. Bike lane(s)

Main Street in Old Ottawa East.

Kent Street is prime for a bike lane. I’m not decided yet on if I’d prefer bi-directional or not, but the street definitely needs a protected bike lane. Main Street in Old Ottawa East, with wide sidewalks and a raised bike lane, could serve as good inspiration for Kent Street.