Winnipeg | Everything Bicycles

[BuildUpWpg]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Rode for 1.5 hours today, survived Winnipeg’s roads, of course I don’t need to be coddled like some of the entitled snowflake riders!

I'd love to take you on a bike tour of the pathway systems in Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Minneapolis, and even Saskatoon (all snowy cities). Then maybe afterwards you'll grumble (at least to yourself anyway) about wanting better cycling infrastructure in our city.

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by BuildUpWpg

The bike friendly route through West End is actually St. Matthews according to the city cycling map (of which there is a new one out now).

True, St Matthew’s is the preferred route from the city’s perspective, but aside from painted lines on the road and a few curb bump-outs, it’s not a safe or well designed bike route, and the traffic is fairly heavy. Wellington is actually a better route with less traffic. Last year it was partially closed to vehicular traffic on weekends. Plus it gets me where I need to go and I can more easily connect to the McDermott bike lane at HSC. Much better than St Matthew’s.

[zalf]

In honour of Bike Week, I present to you the punji sticks in the Bannatyne bike lane. Don't slip!

[Jeff]

looks like they're finally widening the disaster section of sidewalk between Assiniboine Ave. @ Main crosswalk south to the Forks underpass.

[3de14eec6a]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

True, St Matthew’s is the preferred route from the city’s perspective, but aside from painted lines on the road and a few curb bump-outs, it’s not a safe or well designed bike route, and the traffic is fairly heavy. Wellington is actually a better route with less traffic. Last year it was partially closed to vehicular traffic on weekends. Plus it gets me where I need to go and I can more easily connect to the McDermott bike lane at HSC. Much better than St Matthew’s.

I thought you meant wellington crescent at first, and was going to say that is way too far out of the way. But even wellington ave is out of the way compared to St Matthews for trips a lot of people are going to take. More workable routes is always better. So if wellington is a good route _without_ being the city's preferred, then it's good that St Matthews at least gets paint. Hopefully they'll improve it in coming years.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by zalf

In honour of Bike Week, I present to you the punji sticks in the Bannatyne bike lane. Don't slip!

Wow, who ever would have thought trying to clean snow throughout Winnipeg winters would ever damage the poorly thought out bike infrastructure! And why do the bike lanes need to be a car width wide for bikes that are one foot wide!?

[Lars65]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

why do the bike lanes need to be a car width wide for bikes that are one foot wide!?

Two-way traffic and passing, perhaps?

[zalf]

Passing, but it's not supposed to be two-way. Maybe it should be, though. The real reason is that if you take a three-lane motor-only road, and give half a lane to cyclists, then the cyclists get half a lane and the motorists get two lanes. If you give a full lane to the cyclists, they get twice as much space for comfort, passing, and hazard avoidance, but the motorist still get the same two lanes as if the cycle lane had been narrower.

[RAFS]

Sorry to ask. But for the life of me, can't seem to find any definite route on a map! Plan on biking to the Bomber game this evening. First, what is the best/easiest route from downtown? Can I trust what Google says? Is there a link to an updated bike map? Second, does anyone know if the free valet bike parking at the stadium fills ups, thus requiring parking/locking the bike in an unsecured area instead?

Thanks!

[zalf]

Originally Posted by RAFS

Sorry to ask. But for the life of me, can't seem to find any definite route on a map! Plan on biking to the Bomber game this evening. First, what is the best/easiest route from downtown? Can I trust what Google says? Is there a link to an updated bike map? Second, does anyone know if the free valet bike parking at the stadium fills ups, thus requiring parking/locking the bike in an unsecured area instead?

Thanks!

Forks -> Cross the bridge with the wooden boards to Niizhoziibean -> Stradbrook & Donald sidewalk (it's considered a bike path by the city) to Confusion Corner -> Under bridge (I'd walk it through) -> Join the Southwest Transitway AT path at Brandon -> Follow to U of M

Or from Osborne Village:
McMillan -> Harrow Sharrow -> Southwest Transitway AT -> U of M

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by Jeff

looks like they're finally widening the disaster section of sidewalk between Assiniboine Ave. @ Main crosswalk south to the Forks underpass.

Is that what it is? I was wondering if it was redoing the street to accommodate an RT lane:



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-rapid-transit-plans-1.5759592

[3de14eec6a]

Originally Posted by Jeff

looks like they're finally widening the disaster section of sidewalk between Assiniboine Ave. @ Main crosswalk south to the Forks underpass.

Oh, is this about the section that goes through the bus stop so bikes and pedestrians and people waiting for the bus have a combined 1m of space? VERY sorely needed. To get in place to cross main to the MUP is a big pain for all cyclists.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by zalf

Forks -> Cross the bridge with the wooden boards to Niizhoziibean -> Stradbrook & Donald sidewalk (it's considered a bike path by the city) to Confusion Corner -> Under bridge (I'd walk it through) -> Join the Southwest Transitway AT path at Brandon -> Follow to U of M

Or from Osborne Village:
McMillan -> Harrow Sharrow -> Southwest Transitway AT -> U of M

The Harrow Sharrow (especially at rush hour) gets my vote for the Least Infrastructury Infrastructure Award. Honestly, what makes that a bike lane? The little roundabouts?

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

Is that what it is? I was wondering if it was redoing the street to accommodate an RT lane:



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-rapid-transit-plans-1.5759592

Don't think so. There would have been a few press releases about it and everyone from the suburbs that goes downtown twice-a-year-tops would have bitched about it by now.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by RAFS

Sorry to ask. But for the life of me, can't seem to find any definite route on a map! Plan on biking to the Bomber game this evening. First, what is the best/easiest route from downtown? Can I trust what Google says? Is there a link to an updated bike map? Second, does anyone know if the free valet bike parking at the stadium fills ups, thus requiring parking/locking the bike in an unsecured area instead?

Thanks!

Great idea! Biking to IG Field is hands down my favourite way to get to Bomber games... and I am definitely not an intrepid cyclist, most of my cycling is just around the neighbourhood for fun. You get in and out of the stadium so fast.

In terms of the best route from downtown I will leave that to the others, although the transitway's AT route will let you avoid heavy Pembina game traffic.

As for the bike valet, I have never seen it fill up. They have an immense capacity for bikes and it has been enlarged as the popularity of this method grows. I have seen some people just locking bikes up to fences and posts around the stadium, I'm assuming to allow them to get in and out quickly (you have to wait in a short line after the game to get your bike). But that's optional, you certainly don't have to do it that way.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

The Harrow Sharrow (especially at rush hour) gets my vote for the Least Infrastructury Infrastructure Award. Honestly, what makes that a bike lane? The little roundabouts?

When your city is broke, a can of paint becomes infrastructure.

[trueviking]

It's interesting to me that thousands of people love the idea of riding their bike to bomber games but wouldn't think of using their bike for other trips like wor or the store. Why doesn't it translate?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by trueviking

It's interesting to me that thousands of people love the idea of riding their bike to bomber games but wouldn't think of using their bike for other trips like wor or the store. Why doesn't it translate?

I think the appeal boils down to this:

-IG Field is well served by AT paths to make it easy even for people who aren't regular cycle commuters to go down there
-There is major traffic congestion after games which gives cycling a real advantage - I get home much faster by bike to the point where I hate driving to football games and do my best to avoid it

and the big one

-There is an excellent bike valet service which makes the process of parking your bike simple and you can come back after the game with complete confidence that your bike will still be there, which is rare for this city unless you are going to a home or workplace with secure bike lockers

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think the appeal boils down to this:

-IG Field is well served by AT paths to make it easy even for people who aren't regular cycle commuters to go down there
-There is major traffic congestion after games which gives cycling a real advantage - I get home much faster by bike to the point where I hate driving to football games and do my best to avoid it

and the big one

-There is an excellent bike valet service which makes the process of parking your bike simple and you can come back after the game with complete confidence that your bike will still be there, which is rare for this city unless you are going to a home or workplace with secure bike lockers

Nailed it.

There's limited parking, none of which is free, and getting in and out of campus is a pain. So, it's inconvenient to drive, which is unusual in Winnipeg.

And there's a system that means your bike won't get stolen. Again, unusual in Winnipeg. (Even secure bike lockers are often cut into by thieves with power tools).

[esquire]

^ Yes, limited parking that you have to pay for has to be another factor for sure.

It seems that cycling to Bomber games becomes more popular every year. It culminates each year at the Banjo Bowl where there will be thousands of bikes stored at the bike valet... looks like a scene out of Amsterdam or Copenhagen.