The Ottawa Senators have partnered with the City of Ottawa and Province of Ontario to build a new on-ramp from Scotiabank Place to Highway 417 to improve traffic flow and facilitate increased use of public transit for visitors and Ottawa families. From left are Coun. Allan Hubley, Coun. Marianne Wilkinson, Mayor Jim Watson, MPP Bob Chiarelli and Ottawa Senators president Cyril Leeder.

Click here for a larger image. The new on-ramp to Highway 417, as seen above, will be designed to give OC Transpo buses priority access, with the intention to accommodate other high-occupancy vehicles.

OTTAWA - The Ontario government is investing in a new on-ramp in Ottawa from Scotiabank Place to Highway 417 eastbound. This project will create jobs, improve traffic flow and facilitate increased use of public transit for visitors and Ottawa families.

The new ramp will support the on-going expansion of the high-occupancy vehicle network along Highway 417. The ramp will be designed to give OC Transpo buses priority access, with the intention to accommodate other high occupancy vehicles. This expansion will result in significant time savings for patrons of Scotiabank Place when exiting the parking lot.

“As an Ottawa Senators fan, I know first hand what this ramp means for the community,” said Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure. “This investment by the provincial government will not only create valuable jobs locally but will also improve quality of life for transit users.”

“The City of Ottawa is delighted to partner with the Province and the Ottawa Senators in this improvement to our transit system that will make it much easier for fans to get home after a Senators victory, added Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa. “This new ramp will also help us to encourage more people to take OC Transpo to events at Scotiabank Place and it helps us to be more efficient in providing public transit to our residents.”

This project supports Building Together, Ontario’s long-term infrastructure plan, to repair, rebuild and renew the province’s roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals and courthouses.

“The construction of this ramp meets head on one of our fans’ key desires and that is for easier exiting following hockey games and events, noted Cyril Leeder, president, Senators Sports & Entertainment. “It is our priority to provide the best possible guest experience for our fans, each and every night. We want to thank the Province, OC Transpo and the City of Ottawa for their co-operation to date in helping us identify this issue and find a workable solution.”

Through Building Together, the province expects to continue significant investments in public infrastructure over the next decade, and will begin by investing more than $35 billion over the next three years.
 
Facts about this announcement

 - Building Together builds on the McGuinty Government’s unprecedented infrastructure investments to date with investments of more than $35 billion over the next three years, to create and protect over 300,000 jobs as laid out in the 2011 Budget.
- Since 2003, the McGuinty government has created and supported 600,000 jobs and has invested $62 billion in infrastructure.
- The province is investing up to $500,000 towards the project, with estimated eligible costs of $750,000.