Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1909,  December 23 - Wellington Street/Richmond Road Viaduct Opened

Board of Railway Commissioners order 5397 of 23 June 1908 CPR ordered to file by 1 Dec 1908, with the Board, a plan for the Richmond Road Viaduct.  City of Ottawa ordered to file by same time specifications for the approaches, pavement, street pavements and sidewalks.  After approval, CPR to build the bridge from abutment to abutment and Ottawa to construct the approaches and build the retaining walls, pave the approaches and lay the street pavement and sidewalk.  Payment to be 23/36 by railway, 9/36 by Ottawa and 4/36 by County of Carleton.  Work to be completed by 1 Jul 1909.  CAR also a party. Board of Railway Commissioners order 6630 of 23 March 1909 Approves CPR plan for proposed viaduct over Richmond Road ordered to be filed by 5397. Board of Railway Commissioners order 7360 of 26 June 1909 Time for completion of work authorized under 5397 extended for 60 days from 1 Jul 1909. Board of Railway Commissioners order 7932 of 31 August 1909 Time within which the works directed to be constructed by 5397 may be completed is further extended until October 15, 1909. Ottawa Journal Wednesday 22 December 1909 THE NEW WELLINGTON STREET VIADUCT WHICH WILL BE FORMALLY THROWN  OPEN TO TRAFFIC TO-MORROW AFTERNOON BY THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL The above is a picture of a portion of the new Wellington Street Viaduct which will be formally opened for traffic tomorrow afternoon at 2.30 by the mayor and members of the city council. In the picture is shown the steel work spanning the railway tracks between the two concrete abutments to which the approaches are constructed. Under the steel work four railway tracks pass within less than 1,000 feet. These were formerly protected by gates, but frequent accidents occurred. The character of the ground rendered the construction of the viaduct comparatively easy. The steel work has a length over all of 522 feet, and is built upon concrete pedestals and concrete abutments. This work was done by the C.P.R. The balance of the work was constructed by the city and consists of the pavement over the viaduct which is made of creosoteed wooden blocks laid on tarred planks with sand cushions. The roadway is 30 feet wide. An eight-foot sidewalk runs along the south side. The combined length of the approaches is 645 feet. The filling consists of stone and ashes and the retaining walls are built of massive masonry. The stone was secured free of cost from the excavations of the Chateau Laurier. Over the approaches there is a steel railing and concrete curb and macadam roadways. The latter two will not be laid until spring. The estimated cost was $60,000, exclusive of land damages and the work will be completed within the estimate. Total damages are estimated at $15,000 making the total cost of the work $75,000. VIADUCT TO BE OPENED Ready for Traffic Beginning To-morrow. Mayor and Council to be Present. Work has Been Successfully Accomplished. The Wellington street viaduct will be formally opened to the public tomorrow by the mayor, controllers and aldermen. The structure has been erected during this year, excavations having been begun by the railway company in the spring. The city commenced its work at the end of July, after the steel structure was completed, their part of the work being only the building of the masonry and the concrete work. The length of the steel work is about 550 feet, that of the approaches being over 600 feet, making a total length of 1,150 feet. The total width is 38 feet, the road being 30 feet wide, and a sidewalk 8 feet in width. There remains only now the laying of the sidewalk along the approaches which will be deferred until the coming spring, owing to the difficulty of laying cement in frosty weather. A temporary wooden sidewalk with railways has been laid down for the winter. No Accidents. It is worthy of note that the viaduct has been constructed without a single accident, which reflects great credit on those in charge of the work. At present there is a G.T.R. branch line leading to the Chaudiere mills running right across the eastern entrance of the viaduct, but preparations are being made to have this run under the viaduct parallel with the other lines. The work when completed will be within the estimate of $75,000, of which amount the several Railways will pay $47,917, the city $18,730, and the county $8,333. Owing to the bridge being too high to give access to certain properties, damages to the amount of $15,000 will have to be paid later. Ottawa Citizen Wednesday 22 December 1909 THE NEW VIADUCT Big Structure on Richmond Road Opens Tomorrow The Wellington street viaduct will be formally opened tomorrow afternoon by the mayor and city council. Wellington street is the main thoroughfare to the city from the west and is much travelled. Formerly the roadway was crossed by four tracks, three of the C. P. R. and one of the G. T. R. within a space of one thousand feet. The level crossings were protected by gates but accidents were frequent through horses and rigs getting caught between gates. The viaduct was ordered by the railway commission and the construction was commenced in June. The length of the steel viaduct on concrete pedestals and abutments, is 532 feet. This was built by the C. P. R. The rest of the work was done by the city and includes creosote wood block pavement, thirty feet wide, laid on tarred planking with sand cushion. There is a sidewalk on the south side only as there is very little traffic on the north side. The total length of the two approaches is 645 feet and they are filled up with stone and ashes held in by massive masonry retaining walls. The stone for these were secured for the cost of teaming, from the excavatlion of Chateau Laurier and is as fine as could be desired. From end to end, on either side, is a protecting steel rail. All that yet remains to be done is the concrete curb on top of the retaining walls and the macadamizlng of the approaches and this work will be done early in the spring the estimated cost exclusive of $15,000 estimated for land damages, was $60,000 and the cost of the work, which was done by day labor, will be well within this amount. The city pays one-quarter of the cost, the county one-ninth and the railways twenty-three-thirty-sixths. City Engineer Ker, who was in charge of the work, had promised the city council that the viaduct would be ready for Christmas and it is. Ottawa Citizen 24 December 1909 VIADUCT OPENED Wellington Street New Roadway Ready for Traffic. The new Wellington street viaduct was formally declared open for traffic yesterday afternoon by Mayor Hopewell and City Engineer Ker and members of the city council. Tha first vehicles to cross after the ropes were lowered were those of a couple of farmers who were wending their way homeward. Among those present were Controller Champagne, Controller Davidson, Ald. McGrath and other members of the city council besides a fair sprinkling of spectators. Formerly at this point Wellington street was crossed by four tracks, three of the C. P. R. and one of the G. T. R., within a space of 1,000 feet. Some time ago the railway commission, owing to the frequency of accidents, ordered a viaduct to be built. Work was commenced in June, the city constructing the approaches and the C. P. R. the actual steelwork. While the bridge is now ready for traffic there still remain the macadamizing of the aproaches and concrete curb on top to be built. There was no special ceremony connected with the opening, the mayor simply declaring the magnificent structure ready for traffic. Board of Railway Comissioners order 10458 of 3 May 1910 Compensation in respect of construction of Richmond Street Viaduct.  (1) Compensation may be awarded, if any, to all landowners whose lands are injuriously affected by the work in question and this forms part of the cost of order of 23 June 1908. (2) CPR and GTR to pay all such landowners such compensation as may be awarded or agreed upon.  (3) In the event that the parties are unable to agree the proceedings for recovery shall be pursuant to the Railway Act. (4) After the adjustment for settlement of the said compensation the railways shall be reimbursed the amount so expended by the City of Ottawa 9/36ths and County of Carleton 4/36ths. Board of Railway Commissioners order 11946 of 12 October 1910 CPR authorized to use bridge over Wellington Street (Richmond Road).

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Updated 21 April 2024