Robertson Road

Robertson Road (Ottawa Road #36) is a road in the west end of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs approximately 6.1 km (3.8 mi) between Baseline Road east of Bells Corners and Eagleson Road in Kanata where the road continues west as Hazeldean Road. At Baseline Road it continues east as Richmond Road.

Robertson Road is a four-lane route along its entire length and the speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph) except within Bells Corners where it is 60 km/h (37 mph). The route west of the old CP Rail trestle (now the Trans Canada Trail) passes through the Greenbelt and is designated as a high risk deer collision corridor. Numerous attempts have been made to reduce the risk, including reflective markers along the shoulder on each side of the road. Most recently, these have been removed and lighting installed.

Construction was completed in the fall of 2013 around the intersection with Moodie Drive. New storm sewers were installed and Robertson was widened from four lanes to six to ease peak period congestion. As well, the traffic lights at the Moodie Drive intersection were upgraded to have protected left turns for traffic turning from Moodie onto Robertson, as opposed to the unprotected left turns previously installed.

History

Robertson Road was named for John Robertson (1797-1884), an owner of a general store in Bells Corners and "Surveyor of Roads" for the Township of Nepean.^[1]

Originally built as the concession road leading west to the Hazeldean neighbourhood in neighbouring Goulbourn Township, the road was named Arnprior Road because from there it headed northwest to the town of Arnprior. It was known colloquially as "Whiskey Road" for the number of taverns along its route.^[2] It later became part of Highway 7 and Highway 15 before the western leg of Highway 417 was completed, after which it was known for a time as "Old Highway 7 & 15". The name Robertson Road was established on September 28, 1983, by a Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (RMOC) by-law naming the portion of Highway 7 and 15, west of the now Old Richmond Road turnoff at Bells Corners to Eagleson Road.^[3]

Renaming controversy

On 13 April 2011, Ottawa City Council voted to rename Robertson Road and a portion of Richmond Road after the late Cyril Lloyd Francis, a land speculator, former Liberal Member of Parliament and former Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.^[4] The decision would have seen the name of Robertson Road and the portion of Richmond Road between Robertson Road and Baseline Road changed to Lloyd Francis Boulevard so the commercial strip in Bells Corners would bear a single name for its entire length. The Robertson name was to be preserved as the name of a park.^[5] Strong opposition from local residents and business ^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] eventually led to Ottawa City Council voting to rescind the decision and voting instead to extend the Robertson Road name east to Baseline Road instead, renaming only the portion of Richmond Road in Bells Corners.^[14] The changes came into effect on May 1, 2012.

Major Intersections

The following is a list of major intersections along Robertson Road, from west to east:

Ottawa Road 49 (Eagleson Road)
Westcliffe Road
Fitzgerald Road
Ottawa Road 59 (Moodie Drive)
Vanier Road (not to be confused with Vanier Parkway in the east end)
Old Richmond Road (former eastern end of Robertson Road)
Stinson Avenue
Stafford Road & Lynhar Road
Northside Road
Ottawa Road 16 (Baseline Road)

The road alignment continues east as Richmond Road.

Communities

References

^ Earl McRae (16 April 2011). "Who was John Robertson?". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
^ Larry D. Cotton (2007). Whiskey and Wickedness. Lanark, Ontario: Larry D. Cotton Associates Limited. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-9784875-0-8.
^ "Street Name Change – Richmond Road (Phase 1)". Planning Committee Report 7. City of Ottawa. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
^ "Street Name Change – Richmond Road (Phase 1)". Planning Committee Report 7. City of Ottawa. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
^ Michael Hammond. "Robertson name could be preserved in park". OpenFile. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
^ Steph Willems (21 April 2011). "Proponents of Lloyd Francis Boulevard stand by city's decision". Nepean/Barrhaven EMC. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
^ Donna Robertson Roe (22 April 2011). "Robertson family shocked by name change". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
^ Jennifer McIntosh (14 April 2011). "Robertson name changed approved despite opposition". Your Ottawa Region. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
^ Tom Spears; Joanne Chianello (24 May 2011). "Seniors protest renaming of Robertson Road". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
^ Earl McRae (24 May 2011). "Rise up to protect Robertson Road". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
^ "Businesses mad over Robertson Road name change". CBC News. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
^ Joanne Chianello (3 June 2011). "Debate rolls on over Robertson Road". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
^ Earl McRae (11 June 2011). "Political name game rages on in Bells Corners". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
^ David Reevely (13 July 2011). "Bells Corners commercial strip will be called Robertson Road". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 13 July 2011.