An Ottawa intersection closed to north-south traffic for three years to reduce traffic in a residential neighbourhood will be reopened, city council has decided.

Council voted 12-10 on Wednesday to end the controversial closure of Albion Road at Lester Road in the city's south-end Blossom Park neighbourhood.

However, councillors agreed to hold another vote in two weeks, as requested by Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans, who represents Blossom Park residents. That would allow two councillors absent Wednesday to vote.

Osgoode Coun. Doug Thompson argued hard in favour of ending the closure that has forced his constituents south of the intersection to take a longer, less direct route into Ottawa.

Residents of side streets in the neighbourhood also want the intersection reopened.

Both the city's staff and its transportation committee had recommended keeping the intersection closed in the north-south direction.