Cycling in Ottawa

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by Rathgrith

nyways, this is what I am talking about when I want to see some dedicated routes (ROW) like this in Montreal:

Luton

This is what I hope will happen on either Albert or Slater when the transit tunnel is resolved. This concept of a two-way bike boulevard is a bit trickier to implement on downtown Ottawa's one-way streets, however, since crossing traffic would tend to look only one way, increasing the possibility of collisions. One-way bike boulevards on the left-most lanes of both Albert and Slater would work well though, and integrate well with the left side bike lanes on the Mackenzie King bridge. I wish this city would have enough guts to do this right now, and simply remove the on street parking there.

[Dado]

I'm not convinced by these two-way bike boulevards on one side of a road, especially a two-way road. If you're cycling in the 'wrong' direction and approach an intersection in which someone in a car is heading in the same direction is making a left-turn, they're not going to see you and you might not see them either. It's the same problem as cycling the wrong way, either on the road or the sidewalk.

Another thing is that they're likely to fill up with snow and ice in the winter and not be cleared either at all or in a timely fashion.

I actually rather like the idea of left-side cycling lanes on one-way roads and roads with medians. The fact of being on the left makes you more visible and, moreover, with all these strange-designed curvy cars in which drivers now have no idea where the right side of it is anymore, far less likely to be hit from behind since you're next to the driver. The practical difficulty is in getting to them in the first place since it would always involving crossing over same direction traffic (from the right side of a lane to the left) on a regular road near an intersection.

[Kitchissippi]

I was thinking a mid-grade between sidewalk and roadway could work well downtown so there is proper definition:
from worldchanging.com



In terms of snow clearing, all it really takes is a commitment from the city to clear the sidewalks and bike lanes properly -- they do this in a lot of cycle-progressive cities like Boulder CO

[waterloowarrior]

Suburban arterials could also use the bi-directional paths with signals, instead of bikelanes + sidewalks on high speed roads, or multi-use paths where you are supposed to walk to cross at each intersection.

here's an example from an English cycling blog in the NL (the context is re: traffic lights)

• Video Link

[waterloowarrior]

I tried Bixi today... it was easy to use. It's great for going out at lunch (just for a ride or for an errand)

[Dado]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Suburban arterials could also use the bi-directional paths with signals,

It can work if the signals control against conflicting movements. This is what is done in Edmonton and Calgary for LRT that run alongside roads. But that's the key: the separate signalling must be in place, otherwise it's equivalent to the dangers of wrong-way riding.

If they do build these things, they should make them wide enough that a pick-up truck with a snowplow can operate along them for snow clearing (it would probably be best to clear in the same direction as the traffic in the nearest lanes). Cycling infrastructure should not be placing additional demands on the existing fleet of sidewalk plows. Using pick-up truck plows means that the cycleways should be able to be cleared quickly due to the large fleet of such vehicles in public and especially private use.

instead of bikelanes + sidewalks on high speed roads, or multi-use paths where you are supposed to walk to cross at each intersection.

Those are actually illegal. Any engineer who puts one of those up is violating the law since one can't go around designing facilities for vehicles (bicycles) that direct a vehicle to cross or enter another road within the confines of a crosswalk. There's no way to legally operate a vehicle (i.e. by staying on one's bike) using a facility designed in that way. There is also no legality to signs that require cyclists to dismount since there is no law that permits the government to require the operator of a vehicle to dismount said vehicle and push it across a road.

[Rathgrith]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

I tried Bixi today... it was easy to use. It's great for going out at lunch (just for a ride or for an errand) since the first half hour is free.

Don't you have to pay a deposit?

[Kitchissippi]

$3 access fee, but technically there is a pre-authorized amount of $250 on your credit card for 24 hours.

[waterloowarrior]

^ Thanks for the clarification Kitchissipi (sorry for the confusion) yes, it's $3 per day as the base fee and trips under half hour are free ... for me basically the same price as a spontaneous bus trip and cheaper than moving the car from an all-day lot. they had someone doing a survey asking about prices, usage etc for the real deal.

[rodionx]

Saw the bike rack on Sussex today. Nice looking bikes, but they are in a rather bike-unfriendly locale. Casual users might be scared off by the dodgy traffic around there.

[Kitchissippi]

If they decide to get serious about this next year, we need to get rid of some on-street parking and have some decent bike lanes downtown. They could even be seasonal bike lanes, say from April/May to September/August when bicycle commuting really spikes, then return them to parking lanes in the winter. I figure we could lose a couple of hundred spots to make room for a couple thousand cyclists.

It's actually quite remarkable how much of an effect cycling has during nice days. Traffic on the roads is lighter, and there is a lot more room on the buses.

[Radster]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

If they decide to get serious about this next year, we need to get rid of some on-street parking and have some decent bike lanes downtown. They could even be seasonal bike lanes, say from April/May to September/August when bicycle commuting really spikes, then return them to parking lanes in the winter. I figure we could lose a couple of hundred spots to make room for a couple thousand cyclists.

It's actually quite remarkable how much of an effect cycling has during nice days. Traffic on the roads is lighter, and there is a lot more room on the buses.

Exactly, they will have to do what Montreal did over the last few years. I was just in MTL on the weekend, staying with friends close to Marche Jean Talon. Previously I would take my car or metro everywhere when in Montreal, but this time I parked my car by my friend's place for the entire weekend and just used the BIXIs. So for the first time ever, I discovered how amazing Montreal's bike system is! The on-street bike paths even have their own traffic lights at many intersections (similar to Amsterdam). The amount of people biking in Montreal is crazy! From the few locals I talked to, they all said that Montreal needs more bike paths, which I found funny, because they are already light years ahead of Ottawa. While Ottawa has many bike paths, they are often more of a scenic nature and not too effective for a commuter who is trying to make good time. Montreal's bike paths however, get you from point A to B to C to D very quickly! Really, all it takes is a little effort to analyze which streets would be best suited for seasonal bike paths, and just DO IT. Designate a couple East-West, North South streets in the core for bike paths, provided they are wide enough to retain car traffic and parking, add some traffic lights for the bike lanes, install BIXI stations at each intersection along these streets and voila, you got less cars on the road! Montreal only started the BIXIs this year, and already have 300 stations and 3,000 BIXIs! And they are available 24hrs a day! Screw taking a cab from the bar, just take a BIXI, hehehe. Granted, Montreal was better prepared for their implementation, thanks to all the on-street bike paths which were already in place.

Maybe one day, Ottawa-Gatineau will have a similar density of BIXIs and stations as this :

http://www.bixi.com/the-stations

I see this week they started a trial in Vancouver for the BIXIs.

[umbria27]

Hey Kitchissippi,
Now those are bike lanes! Somehow I don't feel protected by the painted white line. Those are very European streetscapes, but it's a great model for Ottawa intensification. It doesn't have to be one extreme or the other (highrises or single family). Mid height buildings densify just as well and encourage people to actually get out on the street.
Imagine the streets in Ottawa that could look like those picture, Carling, Bronson, Montreal Rd....
Interesting too how there's on street parking in both those pictures with the parked cars actually providing a barrier between cyclists and other traffic.

[Radster]

No need to look so far for examples. Check this pic of a Montreal bike path :
http://ebent.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/167108z.jpg

This could be easily implemented in Ottawa/Gatineau too, as there are quite a few streets around downtown with available extra space for such bike paths. But for this to work, these bike paths would need to have their own designated traffic signals at the bigger intersections, like in Montreal.

[Radster]

Another Montreal example. Notice the traffic lights, one for the cars, one for the bike lane, one for the pedestrians.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sport...n?size=620x400

[waterloowarrior]

Public Consultation: Greenbelt Pathway, Bruce Pit Section
The proposed 56-kilometre Greenbelt Pathway is designed to provide a continuous and varied recreational and educational experience along the complete length of the National Capital Greenbelt, from Shirleys Bay in the west to Green’s Creek in the east. The pathway will connect many attractions, and link with other pathways within the National Capital Region.

To date, 21.5 kilometres of the Greenbelt Pathway have been completed. The next section of pathway proposed to be completed is a 1.4-kilometre pathway link between Hunt Club Road and Bruce Pit (east of Cedarview Road), via Siskin Court.

The goal of this project is to provide a cost-effective, environmentally and socially responsible route for the proposed three-metre-wide stone dust pathway, which will showcase the natural features and rural character of the Bruce Pit area, while providing a link between Cedarview Road and Hunt Club Road.

As indicated below, the proposed alignment for the pathway will be at least 30 metres from houses, and will primarily follow existing informal trails, thereby minimizing the impact on the natural environment. Very few trees will have to be removed; a thorough study was done to ensure that mature healthy trees will be safeguarded, while smaller, sick or dead specimens will be removed.

We would very much like to hear your comments. Please contact us before June 30, 2009.

Email: info@ncc-ccn.ca

National Capital Commission
Public Consultations and Community Relations
202–40 Elgin Street
Ottawa ON K1P 1C7

Tel.: 613-239-5000
TTY: 613-239-5090

Related Link:

Map of the proposed pathway (pdf - 1.3 Mb)

[Rathgrith]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Public Consultation: Greenbelt Pathway, Bruce Pit Section
The proposed 56-kilometre Greenbelt Pathway is designed to provide a continuous and varied recreational and educational experience along the complete length of the National Capital Greenbelt, from Shirleys Bay in the west to Green’s Creek in the east. The pathway will connect many attractions, and link with other pathways within the National Capital Region.

To date, 21.5 kilometres of the Greenbelt Pathway have been completed. The next section of pathway proposed to be completed is a 1.4-kilometre pathway link between Hunt Club Road and Bruce Pit (east of Cedarview Road), via Siskin Court.

The goal of this project is to provide a cost-effective, environmentally and socially responsible route for the proposed three-metre-wide stone dust pathway, which will showcase the natural features and rural character of the Bruce Pit area, while providing a link between Cedarview Road and Hunt Club Road.

As indicated below, the proposed alignment for the pathway will be at least 30 metres from houses, and will primarily follow existing informal trails, thereby minimizing the impact on the natural environment. Very few trees will have to be removed; a thorough study was done to ensure that mature healthy trees will be safeguarded, while smaller, sick or dead specimens will be removed.

We would very much like to hear your comments. Please contact us before June 30, 2009.

Email: info@ncc-ccn.ca

National Capital Commission
Public Consultations and Community Relations
202–40 Elgin Street
Ottawa ON K1P 1C7

Tel.: 613-239-5000
TTY: 613-239-5090

Related Link:

Map of the proposed pathway (pdf - 1.3 Mb)

I love how the NCC uses these descriptions and adjectives to highlight their push for the environment enough through they just had a 4 lane highway build through the south end of Gatineau Park.

[Dado]

Agreed.

I think it's great that the NCC is building this path, and using existing informal paths where possible is eminently sensible, but as you point out the irony is dripping. I mean wow... we saved a few big trees to build a recreation path. How many trees got wiped out for the Limebank Rd widening that the NCC sold land to the City for?


If I were really really cynical, I might point out that the NCC wouldn't want to remove many big trees anyway to build a path because they wouldn't be able to get the big equipment in to do it efficiently and inexpensively. Basically you wouldn't want to use anything bigger than a large chassis pick-up truck with added dumping capability along with Bobcats and mini-backhoes. Go bigger than that and the cutting has to be enlarged and the strength of bridges increased.

[waterloowarrior]

Ottawa Morning CBC story audio on cycling on Ottawa roadways.. another story tomorrow morning

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Ottawa Morning CBC story audio on cycling on Ottawa roadways.. another story tomorrow morning

Guess not only the forumers think Montréal is better for cyclists:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/stor...-montreal.html