The True Condition of Bank Street (South of Victoria St.) is Impossible to Ignore

July 27, 2026

News

The True Condition of Bank Street (South of Victoria St.) is Impossible to Ignore

Latest Update: July 27, 2026

BIG NEWS FOR BANK STREET
One of the main concerns I hear from residents is about the condition of Bank Street.

They are right.

Bank Street is one of the worst-condition roads in the City of Ottawa. Last year, I was frustrated to learn that a full renewal wasn’t planned for many years, with the earliest work not expected to begin until 2027.

I wasn’t prepared to accept that timeline.

Over the past year, I’ve been pushing to accelerate improvements—bringing City staff out to see the road firsthand, making the case that pothole filling can only go so far, and working closely with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s office to move this project forward.

Today, I’m pleased to share some very good news.

The City’s Infrastructure and Water Services Department has confirmed that Phase 1 of the resurfacing of Bank Street has been advanced.

This October, the City is expected to resurface 6.1 kilometres of Bank Street from Victoria Street to Dalmeny Road using a mill and pave system, to address the section with the most significant pavement deterioration. This resurfacing will dramatically improve ride quality and extend the life of the road.

The work doesn’t stop here.

Planning is already underway for Phase 2, from Dalmeny Road to Marionville Road, which will be coordinated with culvert and bridge replacements, as well as the future road and sidewalk improvements through the Village of Vernon. Functional design work is expected to begin this fall, with the aim of starting construction as soon as possible.

This is what delivering local results looks like. It means listening to residents, challenging timelines when they don’t make sense, working collaboratively with City staff and the Mayor’s Office, and staying persistent until progress is made. There’s still more work ahead, but today’s announcement is an important win for everyone who travels Bank Street.

I’ll share the exact construction dates as soon as they’re confirmed.

Latest Update: April 30, 2026

With the snow now behind us, the true condition of Bank Street (South of Victoria St.) is impossible to ignore. Quite frankly, it’s deplorable – and I share residents’ frustration. This is a major corridor in our community, and it should never have been allowed to deteriorate to this point before meaningful renewal work was planned. I’ve been pushing staff hard to accelerate repairs and bring more resources to this stretch of road.

Here’s what’s happening right now:

Pothole crews were on Bank Street last week and this week working on repairs.
Additional pothole crews and up to three “Python” road repair machines are being deployed.

There are some important constraints to be aware of:

Asphalt plants are not yet open for the season (they typically open in May), so crews are currently using cold patch and warm mix asphalt.
These materials allow crews to act immediately, but additional deployments may be needed once full asphalt production begins.
Heavy rain this week will temporarily pause work, but crews will resume as soon as conditions allow.

I know how frustrating this is especially on a road as important as Bank Street. To many this is more than just a road, it’s the southern gateway to our City and deserves priority treatment. I am relentlessly pressing for immediate improvements while pushing to ensure the long-term reconstruction happens as quickly as possible – currently renewal for Bank Street South includes five culvert replacements and is set to begin in 2027.

I’ll keep you updated as this work progresses.