Cycling in the National Capital Region

[waterloowarrior]

West-east bikeway proposal stalled
Friday, 12 March 2010
By Brittany Hinds
http://centretownnewsonline.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1471&Itemid=94
Views : 62


The Dalhousie Community Association is pushing for a continuous cycling route connecting Ottawa’s west end to the downtown core to encourage more people to bike to work, but the proposal has been stalled in the administrative process.

The proposed route, called BikeWest, would run west along Albert Street to Westboro, where it could be extended even farther to Lincoln Fields.

The current scenic paths provided by the NCC are not ideal for commuting, says Eric Darwin, president of the association.

The biggest obstacle for the bikeway is Bayview Station at the western boundary of Centretown. Right now, the Scott Street multipurpose path ends at the station, morphing into an asphalt sidewalk and forcing cyclists to take the Albert Street overpass over the O-Train tracks. This is a problem because many cyclists are uncomfortable biking alongside vehicles, let alone on an uphill bridge where cars generally speed, says Darwin.

BikeWest offers two solutions, the first of which is to expand the Albert Street overpass to include a segregated bike lane.

The second would re-use the existing transit way overpass, which runs parallel to Albert Street, to create a bikes-only overpass. The city is currently planning a new LRT overpass at the station and is considering demolishing the existing one, says Darwin.

Of the two alternatives, the second would be cheaper, he says.

Despite having the support of Cycle Vision Ottawa and the Preston Street BIA, BikeWest seems to have hit a wall.

Darwin submitted his proposal last April, but still hasn’t received any feedback from the city. If there are objections to aspects of BikeWest, he only hears about it through the grapevine.

“We have this amazing opportunity to create this straight, segregated bikeway,” says Darwin. “But the city seems oblivious to it being there.”

With LRT planning underway, now is the time to consider implementing this bikeway– not putting it on the backburner, says Darwin.

“While we are building the transit way, why not build bike paths alongside?” he says. “It is important to get these ideas out now before the door is closed.”

At the very least the city needs to keep these alternatives in mind while planning the LRT so it doesn’t block the possibility of building a bikeway in the future, he says.

Darwin’s proposal makes sense in principle, but needs to be explored, says Dennis Gratton, the city's manager of rail planning.

“Implementing light rail is what we are focused on,” Gratton says. “But we’re not precluding any options for a bikeway. We’re not trying to interfere with it.”

While officials are trying to accelerate the transit plan, the LRT system and potential bikeway are going to take a while, says Gratton. The city just started an environmental assessment and that needs to be finished before the Bayview Station is redesigned.

“The situation is more difficult than people might imagine,” says Gratton of the proposed bikeway. “Funding is one of the issues. It just hasn’t happened yet.”

However, Bayview Station is the bikeway’s most expensive hurdle and at most it would only cost six per cent of the city’s cycling budget for the next 10 years, says Darwin.

The Ottawa Bicycle Club doesn’t agree with Darwin’s promotion of segregated bike lanes, which are lanes separated from the road by a curb, however, it would fully support a bike route connecting the west end to downtown, says Ron Stoneham, president of the organization.

[Radster]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

The Ottawa Bicycle Club doesn’t agree with Darwin’s promotion of segregated bike lanes, which are lanes separated from the road by a curb, however, it would fully support a bike route connecting the west end to downtown, says Ron Stoneham, president of the organization.

Who are these idiots!?!?!? I know, its those people who stick to using the road even though there is a bike path. They probably think that with segregated bike lanes, they will be forced off the road and onto the lanes. This is just a small group of selfish bikers who don't care about the average citizen.

Also, I got an email containing this text, I suggest anyone interested to reply to the address provided:


1. Have your say on locating segregated lanes

The City is ready to pilot a segregated cycling lane on a downtown
street. Leading candidates are Gladstone or Somerset. We'd like to
have your feedback on these options. Plus we'd like to know where YOU
would place a segregated lane - first for yourself or people you know,
and second, where you think it would be used by the most people.

A. Do you think a pilot segregated lane is a good idea on:
Gladstone [Yes | No | Indifferent]:
Somerset [Yes | No | Indifferent]:
Preference? Comments?

B. Where would YOU put a segregated lane:
i) to be most useful for you or for people you know.
Street name:
from which intersection or place:
to which intersection or place:
Comments?

ii) that would be most useful to the most people.
Street name:
from what intersection or place:
to what intersection or place:
Comments?

We look very much forward to your input. Please copy and complete the
above section with your responses and e-mail it to:
[email protected]

[Radster]

The city better get their butts in gear ASAP, and make the segregated bike lane a reality THIS SPRING and not at the end of the summer!

200 BIXI stations is awesome news, but it will be a disaster without proper segregated bike lanes like in Montreal. Why can't the city of Ottawa ask the City of Montreal for some expertise!?

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Radster

The city better get their butts in gear ASAP, and make the segregated bike lane a reality THIS SPRING and not at the end of the summer!

200 BIXI stations is awesome news, but it will be a disaster without proper segregated bike lanes like in Montreal. Why can't the city of Ottawa ask the City of Montreal for some expertise!?

Where di you hear about the 200 bixi stations.

[Radster]

Previous page, though I just checked, and Aylmer wrote 300-400 stations, even more reason for segregated bike lanes!

Though IMO, this is way too many stations for a city of Ottawa's size. Montreal has 400 stations, and we all know Montreal is bigger and more densely populated than Ottawa, plus they have an enviable network of segregated bike lanes.

[Dado]

Originally Posted by Radster

Who are these idiots!?!?!?

There's a constructive way to start a discussion.

Some of these "idiots" as you put it have been cycling for 60 years and have been yelled at and accosted by motorists from long before you were born. Many of these "idiots" were instrumental in getting things like bike parking facilities made mandatory.

I know, its those people who stick to using the road even though there is a bike path.

There are no "bike paths" in Ottawa. None. Anywhere.

We have "multi-use recreational paths" where everyone and their dog is allowed to go and where the speed is capped at 20 km/h and where cyclists are supposed to spend their entire journey ringing their bells. And let's not forget the complaining that we see every year in the letters to the editor about cyclists going "too fast" and not ringing their bells on the paths. It's no surprise they don't use these paths.

They probably think that with segregated bike lanes, they will be forced off the road and onto the lanes.

They might, yes, because there is a large chunk of the happy motoring populace who think that cyclists should be kicked off the roads so that they can drive faster.

This is just a small group of selfish bikers who don't care about the average citizen.

The same charge could be levelled against anyone who supports high-rise development in or near established residential areas...

At any rate, the average citizen probably cares more about getting cyclists out of their way than about providing cycling facilities for the benefit of cyclists.


My own position on these things is that the City and the NCC and their consultants have yet to prove that they are capable of properly designing the intersections between paths and roads in a way that isn't totally in favour of cars. They are still in the cyclists-are-pedestrians-on-wheels mentality rather than in a mentality that views cyclists as a class of vehicle users. Before they start embarking on segregated facilities I'd like to see them get some of these existing pathway intersections done properly; a kind of graduated licensing for traffic engineers, if you will. For example, why is it on the Ottawa River Parkway path that pathway users have to stop at each and every road crossing (e.g. to Lemieux Island, to Remic Rapids, to Westboro Beach, to the Woodroffe picnic area) and that at most of these crossings pathway users have to drop down from atop a curb? Another example is pathway interruption during construction: at Baseline Station the path has been cut-off with little regard for where cyclists should go during construction. Whenever a path is in the way of some construction project, it gets shut down with no alternatives provided. Until this kind of attitude changes, these same people have no business designing things like segregated facilities: they are incapable of it.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by Radster

Previous page, though I just checked, and Aylmer wrote 300-400 stations, even more reason for segregated bike lanes!

Though IMO, this is way too many stations for a city of Ottawa's size. Montreal has 400 stations, and we all know Montreal is bigger and more densely populated than Ottawa, plus they have an enviable network of segregated bike lanes.

Oi, I'm just repeating what I heard... Our network will most probably be more spread out since we do have some excellent bike paths outside the core (Greenbelt, River routes, Gatineau Park...). The guy at the Richmond Convent redevelopment session also said that new condos and developments will have some sort of obligation to include Bixi in their plans, but he didn't go into detail.

[Radster]

Originally Posted by Dado

There's a constructive way to start a discussion.

Some of these "idiots" as you put it have been cycling for 60 years and have been yelled at and accosted by motorists from long before you were born. Many of these "idiots" were instrumental in getting things like bike parking facilities made mandatory.



There are no "bike paths" in Ottawa. None. Anywhere.

We have "multi-use recreational paths" where everyone and their dog is allowed to go and where the speed is capped at 20 km/h and where cyclists are supposed to spend their entire journey ringing their bells. And let's not forget the complaining that we see every year in the letters to the editor about cyclists going "too fast" and not ringing their bells on the paths. It's no surprise they don't use these paths.



They might, yes, because there is a large chunk of the happy motoring populace who think that cyclists should be kicked off the roads so that they can drive faster.



The same charge could be levelled against anyone who supports high-rise development in or near established residential areas...

At any rate, the average citizen probably cares more about getting cyclists out of their way than about providing cycling facilities for the benefit of cyclists.


My own position on these things is that the City and the NCC and their consultants have yet to prove that they are capable of properly designing the intersections between paths and roads in a way that isn't totally in favour of cars. They are still in the cyclists-are-pedestrians-on-wheels mentality rather than in a mentality that views cyclists as a class of vehicle users. Before they start embarking on segregated facilities I'd like to see them get some of these existing pathway intersections done properly; a kind of graduated licensing for traffic engineers, if you will. For example, why is it on the Ottawa River Parkway path that pathway users have to stop at each and every road crossing (e.g. to Lemieux Island, to Remic Rapids, to Westboro Beach, to the Woodroffe picnic area) and that at most of these crossings pathway users have to drop down from atop a curb? Another example is pathway interruption during construction: at Baseline Station the path has been cut-off with little regard for where cyclists should go during construction. Whenever a path is in the way of some construction project, it gets shut down with no alternatives provided. Until this kind of attitude changes, these same people have no business designing things like segregated facilities: they are incapable of it.

Dado, you make some good points, and defend the Ottawa Bicycle Club well, however I am still not impressed by them outright disagreeing with the implementation of segregated bike lanes in our city. Even if they are responsible for some of the improvements in our city regarding bike friendly facilities, they look very closed-minded with their present stance. You would think that with so many years of existence and experience they would be all for segregated bike lanes after dozens of cities worldwide have successfully introduced such lanes, which in turn increased ridership, decreased vehicle traffic, decreased bike-related accidents and increased the cities' overall image. Instead the OBC wants to promote a bike network of some sort, probably using the NCC paths among other routes, which to me, is just absurd, considering these are multi-purpose, scenic paths, which are badly suited for efficient bike commuting or errand-running (like you mentioned). All I can say is that the OBC better not put sticks in the wheels of those who are trying to make segregated bike lanes in Ottawa a reality!

[waterloowarrior]

Pedalling a new downtown
Project would see cyclists squeeze out motorists in city core
By DOUG HEMPSTEAD, OTTAWA SUN
Last Updated: March 15, 2010 11:05pm
http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2010/03/15/13240186.html

If a handful of bike lane and traffic-calming projects move ahead unopposed, there could be a lot less room for cars on city streets — particularly in Centretown.

Details of the city’s pilot project to create east-west segregated cycling lanes between Preston and Elgin streets were unveiled Monday night to the roads and cycling advisory committee. The project — if it survives public consultation and gets council approval — won’t be implemented before next year.

The preferred type of lane would be a double-wide one on one side of the street, but some of the streets might require a single bike lane going one direction, with an opposite-direction lane on the next street over.

These changes would affect seven streets in all: Laurier, Lisgar, Somerset, MacLaren, Gilmour, Gladstone and Catherine.

Because the project is a pilot one, no demolition would be involved and changes to street layout must happen from curb-to-curb only. But that doesn’t mean the changes wouldn’t be drastic.

The current model shows Laurier going to two lanes from four, and Somerset, at least becoming a one-way street to accommodate the new segregated lanes.

City transportation planner Joel Mulligan said the decision to investigate segregated lanes is being done to increase safety and encourage more cycling.

[waterloowarrior]

from Images of Centretown

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010
CCCA Meeting tonight: Segregated Bike Lane Pilot for Centretown?
Tonight, Tuesday, March 15, 2010, is the monthly meeting of the Centretown Citizens Community Association. (I am the CCCA's Corporate Secretary)

While the agenda is not out yet, there will be a presentation by City of Ottawa transportation planner Joel Mulligan on the City's pilot study on an East-West segregated bike lane through Somerset Ward. He made a similar presentation at tonight's meeting of the City's Roads and Cycling Advisory Committee (on which I do not sit), which is summarized in this Ottawa Sun article (note: despite what the Sun article says, lanes would only be added on one street, or one lane in each direction on two parallel streets).

This feasability study/pilot project was directed in conjunction with the approval of the Cycling Plan in 2008, in the form of a motion by Capital Ward Councillor Clive Doucet to explore an east-west segregated bike lane through downtown. The study is studying east-west roads between Wellington to the North and Catherine to the South, between roughly Preston and Elgin, though they are also looking at connections to the pathway network along the Rideau Canal.

The idea is that this would be installed within existing curb allowances for one summer as a pilot study to see how it works, then evaluated. This will give an idea of how a segregated bike lane would work in Ottawa (instead of relying on how it works in other cities, when there are so many extraneous variables to deal with).

I'm hoping they'll put it on Somerset, if only so that they can fix the signal coordination of the lights: going West on Somserset through Centretown, it's impossible to ride legally without arriving at every traffic light right as it turns red! Not much better going East. A pity because of the natural connection to the Corktown Footbridge and the direct line across town.

The timing of the study has a lot of consultation going ahead, but it likely won't get to Transportation Committee until May or June, meaning that by the time it gets Council approval and goes out to tender, it probably won't be installed until the 2011 season. There are certainly a lot of obstacles to go through.

The project website--still rather bare in the early consultation phase--is www.ottawa.ca/bikelane

So if you want to hear more on this and other Centretown issues, come out to the CCCA meeting tonight!

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I wonder if BIXI will release some kind of student card so that high school students can rent bikes without a credit card. Does something like that already exist in an other city?

I had a credit card at 12, your parents can sign up for your own card, using their account.

I will submit your request at the next Montréal city meeting. It's still a good point.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

I had a credit card at 12, your parents can sign up for your own card, using their account.

I will submit your request at the next Montréal city meeting. It's still a good point.

I thought you were in Hot-awa?

[waterloowarrior]

the city will be constructing an extension of the Woodroffe multi-use pathway from Fallowfield to Longfields, as well as on Fallowfield between Woodroffe and the Transitway (which I assume will be hooking up with the pathway along the new SW Transitway extension that is U/C)
http://ottawa.ca/residents/construction/projects/sidewalk/sidewalk2_en.html

[Dado]

As if on cue, this turns up. Let me quote myself:

My own position on these things is that the City and the NCC and their consultants have yet to prove that they are capable of properly designing the intersections between paths and roads in a way that isn't totally in favour of cars. They are still in the cyclists-are-pedestrians-on-wheels mentality rather than in a mentality that views cyclists as a class of vehicle users.

These are not pathways. They're asphalt sidewalks. The drawings even say as much, yet the City claims they are "multi-use".

[Richard Eade]

What the heck are those little 'dipsy-doodles' for at intersections (map 1 especially). Do they thing pedestrians and cyclists are going to turn away from the corner, do a right angle and then exit perpendicular to the intersection? These designers are not living in the real world.

[waterloowarrior]

the angled crossings/dipsy-doodles are to cross the channelized right turn

[Dado]

Anyone want to take bets on where the grass is going to get worn down?

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by Radster

Who are these idiots!?!?!? I know, its those people who stick to using the road even though there is a bike path. They probably think that with segregated bike lanes, they will be forced off the road and onto the lanes. This is just a small group of selfish bikers who don't care about the average citizen.

Dado's reply addressed your questions effectively I think. The OBC is predominantly a sporting and touring group, as opposed to a cycling advocacy group. Their fear that segregated bike lanes will confirm many drivers' belief that bikes don't belong on the road is well founded. There are ample letters to the editor every year complaining about cyclists on Colonel By and Queen Elizabeth who ought to be in the "bike" lanes, meaning the recreational paths by the canal. The OBC's view isn't uncommon amongst cyclists - that cyclists need to assert their rights to the road.
I sympathize but don't agree. Yes, cyclists need to be recognized as legitimate road traffic, but I'm unwilling to be the cannon fodder for that battle. Until road design and driver attitudes change, we need those segregated lanes.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I thought you were in Hot-awa?

No? I moved last year remember? I had sold my condo.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

No? I moved last year remember? I had sold my condo.

Yeah, but for some reason I thought you had moved back.