A City Committee is giving Mayor Jim Watson the go ahead to seek funding from the federal and provincial governments to move ahead with an environmental assessment for a tunnel that would divert large trucks heading into Quebec out of the downtown core.
The assessment would further study the route and cost of the project, which is currently estimated at between $1.7 and $2 billion.
Councillors and members of the public, however, raised concerns about the tunnel and whether the volume of traffic actually using the tunnel warrant that kind of expenditure.
The Downtown Rideau BIA said it was opposed to a tunnel altogether because it would not prevent 100 per cent of truck traffic from entering the downtown core, in fact trucks carrying dangerous goods would be barred from the tunnel. Trucks making local deliveries would also still be allowed downtown.
The BIA suggested revisiting the idea of a bridge.
But Mayor Jim Watson said that's not an option.
"We looked at that bridge for years, and the province pulled out of the study," he said. "The City got out of the business of promoting Kettle Island because it would have taken a problem from Lowertown and put it into Manor Park, Lindenlea, Rockcliffe, Montfort. I think we have to stop repeating the past. The reality was the bridge was going to be divisive. It was not going to be supported by one of the key partners and we had to find something that was more sensible."
Watson pointed out they've been talking about the dangers of allowing trucks navigate the core for years.
"This has been a frustration for mayors and councils for decades and we've talked a lot about the terrible trucks going through the downtown and you all have B-roll footage of those trucks spewing diesel, making that sharp turn at Rideau and King Edward and this is the first time we've actually done something about it. We put some money on the table and said 'look it, we need to actually find a solution to actually get those trucks out of the downtown.'"
Watson said he would also be in favour of eventually creating a toll in the tunnel to help cover maintenance costs.
The environmental assessment, expected to cost some $7-million could take up to three years. The city wants to split the costs between the three levels of government.
Money has been set aside in the 2017 budget for the environmental assessment.