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Robertson Road (
Ottawa Road #36) is a
road
A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation.
There are many types of ...
in the west end of
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Ontario, Canada. It runs approximately between
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to:
;United States
*Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix
*Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder
*Baseline Road (Southern California)
*M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan
;Canada
*Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario
*Bas ...
east of
Bells Corners
Bells Corners is a suburban neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located along Richmond Road west of downtown, within Ottawa's western Greenbelt, in College Ward. As of the Canada 2016 Census, the community had a population of ...
and
Eagleson Road Eagleson Road ( Ottawa Road #49) is a northwest-southeast road in Ottawa's west end in Kanata. It starts at Highway 417 and ends at Brophy Drive south of Richmond. North of Highway 417 it becomes March Road. It is a key link, primarily for resid ...
in
Kanata where the road continues west as
Hazeldean Road. At
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to:
;United States
*Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix
*Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder
*Baseline Road (Southern California)
*M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan
;Canada
*Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario
*Bas ...
it continues east as
Richmond Road.
Robertson Road is a four-lane route along its entire length and the speed limit is except within
Bells Corners
Bells Corners is a suburban neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located along Richmond Road west of downtown, within Ottawa's western Greenbelt, in College Ward. As of the Canada 2016 Census, the community had a population of ...
where it is . The route west of the old
CP Rail
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
trestle (now the
Trans Canada Trail
The Trans Canada Trail, officially named The Great Trail between September 2016 and June 2021, is a cross-Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, Pacific to the A ...
) passes through the
Greenbelt
A green belt is a policy and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges, which h ...
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.
Originally built as the concession road leading west to the
Hazeldean neighbourhood in neighbouring
Goulbourn Township
Goulbourn Township, Ontario, was formed in 1818, roughly 20 km southwest of downtown Ottawa, with the first major settlement occurring in Richmond. Other communities in the township include Stittsville, Munster, and Ashton. Stittsville i ...
, the road was named
Arnprior Road because from there it headed northwest to the town of
Arnprior
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced sig ...
. It was known colloquially as "
Whiskey Road" for the number of taverns along its route. 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
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
(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.
Renaming controversy
On 13 April 2011,
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
City Council voted to rename Robertson Road and a portion of
Richmond Road after the late
Lloyd Francis
Cyril Lloyd Francis (March 19, 1920 – January 20, 2007) was a Canadian politician and one time Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.
Biography
Following service in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, Francis earned a Mas ...
, a land speculator, former
Liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
and former
Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. The decision would have seen the name of Robertson Road and the portion of
Richmond Road between Robertson Road and
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to:
;United States
*Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix
*Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder
*Baseline Road (Southern California)
*M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan
;Canada
*Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario
*Bas ...
changed to Lloyd Francis Boulevard so the commercial strip in
Bells Corners
Bells Corners is a suburban neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located along Richmond Road west of downtown, within Ottawa's western Greenbelt, in College Ward. As of the Canada 2016 Census, the community had a population of ...
would bear a single name for its entire length. The Robertson name was to be preserved as the name of a park. Strong opposition from local residents and business eventually led to
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
City Council voting to rescind the decision and voting instead to extend the Robertson Road name east to
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to:
;United States
*Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix
*Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder
*Baseline Road (Southern California)
*M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan
;Canada
*Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario
*Bas ...
instead, renaming only the portion of
Richmond Road in
Bells Corners
Bells Corners is a suburban neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located along Richmond Road west of downtown, within Ottawa's western Greenbelt, in College Ward. As of the Canada 2016 Census, the community had a population of ...
.
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:
*
Eagleson Road Eagleson Road ( Ottawa Road #49) is a northwest-southeast road in Ottawa's west end in Kanata. It starts at Highway 417 and ends at Brophy Drive south of Richmond. North of Highway 417 it becomes March Road. It is a key link, primarily for resid ...
* Westcliffe Road
* Fitzgerald Road
* 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
*
Baseline Road Baseline Road may refer to:
;United States
*Baseline Road (Arizona) in Phoenix
*Baseline Road (Colorado) in Boulder
*Baseline Road (Southern California)
*M-102 (Michigan highway) in Southeast Michigan
;Canada
*Baseline Road (Ottawa) in Ontario
*Bas ...
The road alignment continues east as Richmond Road.
Communities
*
Lynwood Village
Lynwood Village is a neighbourhood in Bells Corners, west of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The neighbourhood is also known as Bells Corners East. The homes were built in between 1958 and 1966. It is one of the first examples of tract housing in ...
*
Westcliffe Estates
Westcliffe Estates (Bells Corners West), is a neighbourhood of Bells Corners in College Ward, in the west end of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1969, most of the older homes in this area were built by Assaly Construction and later the Thoma ...
* Bellwood Estates
See also
*
Bells Corners
Bells Corners is a suburban neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located along Richmond Road west of downtown, within Ottawa's western Greenbelt, in College Ward. As of the Canada 2016 Census, the community had a population of ...
*
Nepean, Ontario
Nepean ( ) is a former municipality and now geographic area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Located west of Ottawa's inner core, it was an independent city until amalgamated with the Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton in 2001 to become the n ...
References
External links
Bells Corners community news/viewsOttawa City Council Watch
{{Ottawa Roads
Roads in Ottawa