It's going to be easier to get around on a bicycle in Greater Sudbury, as the city approved eight resolutions Monday that will designate bike lanes on a number of streets in the city.
Marisa Talarico, the city's active transportation coordinator, told members of the operations committee that they were ready to add 13 kilometres of bike infrastructure on a number of streets, representing six per cent of the goal contained in the Transportation Master Plan (TMP).
“And we have plans for even more next year,” Talarico said.
The bike lanes take different forms, depending on where in the city they have been installed, and on what type of road.
Some are paved shoulders along highways, conventional bike lanes on existing streets, raised cycle tracks and multi-use paths for riders and walkers.
Talarico said MR55, MR84 and MR15 all have paved shoulders. And bike lanes are in place along sections of Westmount Avenue, Moonlight Avenue, Second Avenue in Coniston and Southview Drive.
Perhaps the most visible bit of new infrastructure is along Paris Street up to Notre Dame Avenue, where the boulevards have been modified to allow for bike use.
“This 8.3 km bikeway, recommended as a short-term priority in the TMP will form a north-south spine of the city's growing commuter cycling network once complete,” said a report on the new infrastructure.
“This project is being designed and completed in sections, as funds become available. The first 1.4 kilometre section was completed this year between York Street and Walford Road connecting with existing cycling routes to key destinations and employment areas.”
There's now a raised cycle track along the west side of Paris Street from York Street to Ramsey Lake Road and from Centennial Drive to Walford Road. There's also a multi-use path along the west side of Paris Street from Ramsey Lake Road to Centennial Drive, and a raised cycle track along the east side of Paris Street from Ramsey Lake Road to Walford Road.
Crossrides – basically a crosswalk for bike riders – have been installed at the intersections of Paris Street and Ramsey Lake Road and Paris Street and Centennial Drive.
The work was paid for by the federal and provincial governments, which are matching the city's investment of $367,500.
Talarico said there will be more biking infrastructure when Second Avenue is completed.
Ward 11 Coun. Lynne Reynolds said she was impressed by the work, but wondered whether walkers, drivers and cyclists will be able to understand all the new signage and lanes. Crossrides, for example, are largely new to the city.
“I hope we will the extend the education from us to the community,” Reynolds said. “There's a lot of chevrons, a lot of lines, so there's a lot of information.”
Ward 10 Coun. Fern Cormier wondered whether some instructional videos could be created to explain to everyone how it all is supposed to operate.
“I've received emails from cyclists asking about the singage they're seen going up along the Paris corridor,” Cormier said. “Getting that information our there is critical.”
Talarico said instructional information is being added to the city's website, and liked the idea of using videos.
“We are planning to put more content up there,” she said. “And we are working with corporate communications.”
See the full report here.
