University of Ottawa cyclist, pedestrian tunnel to close for nearly 4 months

A heavily-used pedestrian and cyclist tunnel at the University of Ottawa will shut down in early May for nearlyfour months as the city continues work on the Confederation light rail line.

The tunnel underneath NicholasStreet will shut down from May 2 to Aug. 22, the city said in a news release Monday.

While it's closed, crews will be reconfiguringthe current Campus OC Transpo station and a portion of the Transitwayin order to build the new uOttawa LRT station.

Signs will be installed near the tunnel, as well as on the University of Ottawa campus and the nearby Corkstownand Adwe pedestrian crossings, directing people to alternate routes, the city said.

There will also be "additional capacity" during peak periods on OC Transpo routes 5 and 14,which operate along Elgin Street and make connections with bus routes to the university, during the construction work.

Transitway to close as well

Along with the tunnel closure, university students and Sandy Hill residents will also soon be adapting to life without a major section of the Transitway.

Beginning April 24, the Transitway will close between Lees and Laurier stations, with most of the affected buses detouring onto Nicholas Street.

That work is being done to make the bus-only thoroughfare compatible with light rail, which is scheduledto arrive in Ottawa in 2018.