Rideau Street could be closed to traffic until after Canada Day, says Watson

Buses and taxis could be forced to wait until after Canada Day to regain access toRideau Street, Mayor Jim Watson suggested Saturday.

Rideau Street has been off-limits to vehicles since a massive sinkhole opened up near Sussex Drive on June 8, causing a gas leak and forcing the temporary evacuation of nearby businessses.

Watson told Radio-Canada Saturday that it may not make sense to open the road to vehiclesthis weekend, only to close it for the North American Leaders' Summit on Wednesday and again for Canada Day celebrations on Friday.

"Our first priority is to get the final paving done. That should be done bySunday,and my hope is once we get an engineer's letter from theRideauTransit Group we can open it up to cyclists and pedestrians as a first priority," Watson said.

"If we're not able to get it open to automobileson Monday, and buses, my sense is staff will recommend we put that off until afterJuly 1."

Watson hadsaid he expects the sinkhole itself to be fixed well in advance of the summit, which will bring U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican PresidentEnriquePeaNieto to Ottawa.

• Rideau Street sinkhole will be fixed 'well before' Obama visit, says mayor

That prediction could still come true:late Saturday afternoon, Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury tweeted that the sinkhole had been paved over.

In addition to Rideau Street, parts of Sussex Drive, Colonel By Drive and Wellington Street are also closed for sinkhole repairs.

Before the sinkhole, Rideau Street had been closed from Sussex Drive to Dalhousie Street for all vehicles except buses, taxis and work vehicles for light rail construction.

The city says that's what will happen again once the road is open.