Email subject line : Please support 24/7 bus lanes on Bank Street
Dear Councillor [Last Name],
I’m writing to ask for your support on 24/7 bus lanes on Bank Street. Bank Street is a vital road in our city, not just for transportation, but for shopping and tourism. With the passing of Lansdowne 2.0 Bank Street will only become more important.
Currently Bank Street is heavily congested, and buses on routes 6 and 7 are constantly delayed despite carrying thousands of people every day. Much of this delay comes from buses having to merge in and out of parked-car lanes, which the current plan doesn’t address.
A full-time bus lane would not only make transit faster, but more reliable for a very low cost. It would also improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, improve emergency vehicles response times, support accessibility, and the city’s open house saw very positive support from the public. The City of Ottawa’s own survey of close to 3,000 residents also shows that bus lanes are the option the public wants most.
There is ample off-street parking at the 2nd Avenue garage (140 spots), Lansdowne (~1000 spots), or on nearby residential streets. Removing the roughly 140 spots on Bank Street would reduce the surrounding area’s parking supply by less than 7%, a change that would not impact overall parking availability.
Please support moving forward with a 24/7 bus lane pilot as part of the Bank Street Study. This is a simple, low-cost improvement that would benefit thousands of current daily riders and help us build a reliable transit system that current and future residents will depend on.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Your Neighbourhood]