Cycling in Edmonton/Building a Bike Network

[GreenSPACE]

Downtown Bike Network Update this morning:

- 96 street and Jasper signal not possible due to underground structures. Flatiron basement/Turkish baths extends under street.
- 99 Street closed at the square for festivals.
- 105 Avenue due to open by August 26
- Target to open network was July 2017. Phased opening started June 16, mostly open by June 23.
- New Downtown Bike maps coming. Haven't been updated since 2013. More videos and education coming. Motorist hand book coming as well.
- Video monitors gathering data on all users at this point. 15 counters coming from Eco-Counters from France, 2 visible totem counters coming. Data will be shared openly and shared with other counters worldwide.
- Counts - May 31: 2454 (before network), June 30: 4711 (after network open). Both days good weather no precipitation.
- 100 ave seeing most traffic. 1312 on June 30, 102 ave 333 on June 30. 102 Oliver bike grid under construction and Encore construction likely causes.
- May 31: 55727 car count, June 30: 55097
- Best day ever so far was Canada Day. 5500 trips. 1513 on 100 Avenue
- Education teams talked to 4200 people so far. Partnering with AMA to distribute education to members, driving schools, etc.

IanO already mentioned Bike Party, Main stage and ceremony will be at Federal Building/107 Street pit stop at 11am that day. City officials, Andrew Ference, Stantec and others will be speaking. At least 30 partners involved with the event that day, should be a fun day!

[adam-machiavelli]

Painting has begun on the 105 Avenue bike route!

[Mikemike]

It's great to see. unfortunately so far it looks like the plan is just a consistent width bike lane, and no bulb-outs through parking lanes for shorter pedestrian crossing distances.

^^ at 96st and Jasper, wouldn't the important signals, the ones that stop cars, be located further east, in front of the Hyatt anyway?

Oh well, if there can't be signals then maybe it can eventually get a raised crosswalk, maybe if/when Aldritt Tower gets built.

[adam-machiavelli]

Given the community improvement plans for 105 Avenue, I think the City aims to spend as little as possible knowing that road could be ripped up in a year or two.

[Mikemike]

Maybe, but the extra cost would be peanuts, and in some locations would have a significant impact on safety, especially at 108st where the curve makes for an uncomfortable crossing, the streets are way too wide, and the stub of 105 ave to the north will apparently continue to allow car traffic to "merge" across the bike lane. There's so much room for improvement there.

[rapid_business]

Any type of concrete work like that starts to be expensive, especially when the ultimate plan for rehabilitation of that road is a complete new road base, utility relocation, etc. I hear your sentiment, but any changes like that will have to wait until the next capital budget to see when redevelopment is happening.

[Mikemike]

Concrete work in this case would be just a few additional precast barriers and posts like on the jasper ave pilot., no site formed concrete required. Cost on the order of $10,000 per intersection, and that's doing all 4 corners, and it's all reusable.

[adam-machiavelli]

Did anyone see concrete barriers installed along 83 Avenue and 102 Avenue for the bike lanes recently? Yaaaaaay.

[Mikemike]

The precast barriers are going in on 105ave today.

[Airboy]

Pavement Grinding and concrete barrier installation going on along 102ave from 111st west today. They might be paving this weekend.

[rapid_business]

Originally Posted by Mikemike

The precast barriers are going in on 105ave today.

105 Ave is looking better already for all users (cars too) by delineating the travel lanes with lines as oppose to the wide, unmarked industrial carriageway.

[adam-machiavelli]

Anyone notice that new Dirtbag Cafe on the 105 Avenue bike lanes at 107 Street? Good things happening very fast!

[mintzilla]

So after 83 ave 105 and 102 what is the next stretch goal for this newfound push for bike infrastructure. I have to admit I love how fast this is happening and can't wait to get more

[Coldrsx]

I would love them to connect east whyte better.

[adam-machiavelli]

127 Street, 76 Avenue, and 106 Street are currently having protected lanes installed. The City should protect 110 Street next, then 92 Street, 114 Avenue and 119 Avenue.

[Coldrsx]

www.edmonton.ca

Learn more:

https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_pla...e-network.aspx

[dancinb]

I love that all this is going on. I wish there was a better way of getting downtown without using the river valley from the east (think Capilano Pedestrian Bridge).

Staying North of the river there seems to be one option:
1. Ada blvd is great, but getting to the multi-use trail at Stadium Station from the east is virtually impossible without hitting the major roads.

South of the river, there seems to be 3 options:
1. The multi-use path along the river is ok, but it involves climbing out of the river valley 3 times.
2: The bike/pedestrian-unfriendly 106 Ave bridge over Gretzky
3: The foot bridge between Forest Heights and Terrace Heights, but that requires going the way south to 101 Ave to gain access

Does anyone use or know of any other routes?

In short: I would love to see a better connection (across Gretzky) for cyclists between Rowland Road and Hardisty Drive.

[Coldrsx]

I use the Dawson bridge/106ave to head east or back west to Downtown from those areas.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

I went down 105 Ave west of 109 St the other day. Sure the bike lanes are nice, but a major sore spot for me is there are still no sidewalks along this road at all. And if that street beautification initiative ever gets going then they'll have to tear up these new bike lanes and rebuild them again?

[Coldrsx]

Budget/improvement for bike lanes was a must... 105-116st on Columbia BLVD is a must next capital budget.