Location
Hog’s Back is a bridge that crosses the Rideau Canal as it exits into Mooney’s Bay. The bridge is two lanes each way and has a traffic light at Colonel By.
The Rideau Canal Eastern pathway ends at Hog’s Back. Cyclists may want to go to the Rideau River Eastern pathway to the east, or to residential neighbourhoods south west of here. This link is used heavily by people going to and from Carleton University.
The problems
Let’s consider this in both directions, with a cyclist going between Meadowlands and Carleton University.
Going north
The cyclist rides on Hog’s Back going east. At some point, they must get up on the curb to get towards the bike path that will curl under and through a tunnel before going further north. This only works if you happen to know about it.
Going south
Going south is more problematic. Right now, the only way to do this is to cross the locks going over the canal, then go up through a parking lot to Hog’s Back. And that only works if you know about it.
Suggestions
- install signage to make this all clear
- smooth the curb on the south side of Hog’s Back so cyclists can easily enter the NCC path
- for the southbound direction, merge cyclists onto Colonel By early so that they join other vehicles, or build a proper bike path over the locks
I have used this route for decades, riding from Parkwood Hills to Carleton University and vice versa. I always used the paved sidewalk from POW to the tunnel entrance. Making that part of the sidewalk a shared roadway, and adding some signs pointing to the Rideau Canal Eastern Pathway would solve this problem.
The curb has been modified now, so that helps. But the problem of the narrow bridge isn’t going to go away. And that’s why most ride on the paved sidewalk along this stretch.
I very much agree with the dangers of this area. Just the other day I slipped and fell on the steel grate..luckily I didn’t fall into traffic. Being such a popular destination (Mooney’s Bay beach, Hog’s Back, locks) this is a very dangerous and inconvenient area that needs improvements!
I agree that this is a problematic spot, especially going northbound. The road is so narrow there and it is impossible to get from the road to the path easily that almost all cyclists hop up on the sidewalk at the driveway before the bridge. Not a good alternative, but I’m not sure what else can be done there without the city intervening.