The streets of Ottawa will be transformed into a 226 km racecourse on Sunday, as IRONMAN Ottawa returns over the holiday weekend.
The IRONMAN is one of the most grueling athletic events in the country, with the race split into a swimming, biking and running portion. The course will span the diameter of Ottawa, and will result in a number of major closures for both major roads and bridge crossings.
Traffic impact map for the 2026 IRONMAN Ottawa / Courtesy of City of Ottawa
The race will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 2, and will wrap up some time in the late hours. Most major road closures resulting from the race will be in effect from 6:00 a.m. Sunday until 6:00 a.m. on holiday Monday.
Roads closed during IRONMAN Ottawa
A release by the City of Ottawa says the following roads will be closed for parts of Sunday, August 2 during IRONMAN Ottawa. The exact time they re-open to normal traffic will depend on their location relative to the racecourse’s route:
– Kichi Zibi Mikan
– Island Park Drive
– Carling Avenue
– Wellington Street
– Colonel By Drive
– Mackenzie Avenue
– Sussex Drive
– Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway
– Queen Elizabeth Drive
– Prince of Wales Drive
– National Capital Commission Scenic Driveway
– Arboretum Roadway
The following bridges will also be closed in the following directions during the race at the timeframes listed:
– Alexandra Bridge, in both directions, from 6:00 a.m. on August 1 to 6:00 a.m. on August 3
– Champlain Bridge, in both directions, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on August 2
– Chaudière Bridge, in both directions, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on August 2
– Portage Bridge, southbound direction, from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on August 2 and northbound direction from 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on August 2
– Pretoria Bridge, in both directions, from 6:00 a.m. on August 2 to 12:00 a.m. on August 3
The release says the following roads and bridges will be closed for a longer period, and will be closed from the following fixed timeframes regardless of the pace of the IRONMAN race:
– Alexandra Bridge will be closed in both directions from 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 2 to 6:00 a.m. on Monday, August 3.
– Wellington Street’s eastbound lane will be closed between the southbound and northbound lanes of Elgin Street starting at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 2. The eastbound lane will reopen once participants complete this section of the course.
– Mackenzie Avenue will be closed between Murray and Rideau streets on Saturday, August 1 between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the IRONKIDS event.
OC Transpo Services
A number of OC Transpo bus routes will also be detoured due to the road closures to accomodate IRONMAN Ottawa. To find a full list of detours and alternative route options, check out OC Transpo’s alert page.
The IRONMAN Village in Major’s Hill Park can be accessed by a short a walk from Rideau Station, which can be easily accessed via OC Transpo services.
More updates and details to plain your Sunday trips can be found on the OC Transpo website or social media sites.
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