Moving Towards Vision Zero at uOttawa

When I was a student at the University of Ottawa, back at the turn of the century, there was no pedestrian zone on campus. The entire campus had traffic moving in both directions on every street. Imagine it, there was smog all over the place, little gas puddles everywhere, and you had to always watch out to make sure that a car wasn't going to bump into you. And believe it our not, there was actually rush hour on campus. Then, slowly some areas of the campus started to become more pedestrian friendly.

Over the years, we have blogged about how the campus is gong to one day create a car-free core. Well, that day is here. Come September, you are going to notice a lot of changes on campus, especially if you arrive by automobile. A large section of the campus will be closed to unauthorized vehicles, marking the beginning of our transformation. And if you ask us why we are doing this... well the answer is Vision Zero.

Vision Zero is a "strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities."

There are many reasons why the University of Ottawa is interested in this strategy, not the least of which is the recent 'van incident' which took place earlier this spring on campus. Of course, looming in the back of every campus space planner's mind is the Van Attack which impacted the Ryerson University community back in 2018. But I should be clear, Vision Zero isn't a strategy to prevent attacks with automobiles, rather it is a set of principles that change how spaces are created to reduce accidents. But the two don't have to be mutually exclusive. So here is the run down...

IMPROVING MOBILITY

When the University of Ottawa developed its most recent update to the Campus Master plan, there was a very important section that emphasized the creation of a car-free campus core. Not an entirely novel idea at the time, the car-free core concept was building on improvements to mobility achieved over the past decade at uOttawa, specifically improved connections for pedestrians and cyclists. 

The idea is that by inviting the community into the public realm on campus through improved connections, we can make studying, working, and living at uOttawa a more memorable experience. And of course by simplifying the campus grid, we can slow the pace of the campus to a more human level, making things safer and calmer. To this end, a campus bike lane network was established and sidewalks were widened. The end goal is to open up more passages on campus and create a sustainable transportation hub.

RESTRICTING VEHICLE TRAFFIC

This coming month, new security planters will be installed primarily around the the Lamoureux building. This will restrict the flow of unauthorized vehicles around the space, making it safer for pedestrians. The security planters will prevent vehicles from entering some areas of the campus, and significantly slow down other vehicles. This is the key to preventing accidents, giving people the time to react to situations and reduce harm by reducing speed.

By separating pedestrians and cyclists from automobiles, we can significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the incidences of vehicular injuries on campus. By prioritizing these forms of active transportation, we are signalling that healthy communities and sustainable transportation are the   

at the forefront of our institution.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Beyond security and safety reasons, limiting automobile traffic on campus has a myriad of environmental benefits. Lowering poor air quality, reducing the amount of gasoline used to move a 2,000 kg car around, even preventing some of the campus wildlife from injury... removing cars makes sense. As the program develops, we will be able to remove hard-surfaces from the campus, which will further increase the environmental benefits. I am thinking of things like increasing the amount of green space, which will allow for more storm water infiltration into the ground, more spaces for trees on campus, and more flowers for pollinators.

SOCIAL BENEFITS

Let's talk about how this also helps make a better community for the campus.

Safer? Yes! Obviously. Fewer accidents and less smog.

Less noise, you got it! Not only screeching tires but also roaring engines and too much dub step coming out the half open tinted window.

Less stress, oh yes. Constantly being on the look out for cars can destroy people's relaxation.
Healthier? Of course. The aforementioned smog is out and with an increase in opportunities for cycling and walking, the campus is in a much better place.


It wouldn't be 100% genuine to say the the University of Ottawa has adopted a Vision Zero policy. It is more accurate the say that the principles that guide Vision Zero are the same that guide the uOttawa planning ethos. Keep people safe, prioritize their health, and do something good for the planet while you're at it. The campus won't be transformed into a transportation Shangri La over night, but with this latest move, we are one step closer.

~ jonathan rausseo - campus sustainability manager