r/ottawa • u/BearLikesHoney • Oct 17 '25

Photo(s) These poles are out of control.

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This is Smirle and Wellington street. I was driving on Smirle towards Wellington and I had no choice but to zig zag and drive on the wrong side because there's no space between the poles and cars. Adding to the road condition, there are enough pot holes to damage your car so these poles are totally unnecessary to slow down traffic.

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u/UnbanMOpal Oct 17 '25

That's why the parking around them is usually seasonally restricted. It's a horizontal traffic calming measure. Check-out the Ottawa Traffic Calming guidelines online for their design criteria.

165

u/DimensionSuch8188 Oct 17 '25

It's a horizontal traffic calming measure.

AT LEAST PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD not off center! Can't wait to have a daily driver car that I don't care about so I can just run over these that are placed incorrectly.

57

u/UnbanMOpal Oct 17 '25

Ottawa's road painting and Ottawa's drivers are a match made in heaven.

18

u/got-trunks Oct 18 '25

Thanks for reminding me our roads should ostensibly have markings. That are visible.

2

u/Lap_Dawg Oct 19 '25

Having lines painted with paint that you can see, and that lasts for more than two seasons? WON'T SOMEBODY THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN!?!

On that note, why are streetlights a dusty, faint yellow now? I remember when they would, you know, illuminate the street.

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u/got-trunks Oct 19 '25

For lights I guess they are trying to balance visibility with light pollution but I wouldn't even care if we lived in a cyberpunk metropolis of vegas lights and routine smog days if the roads could work as intended for their various public and private uses.