Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback to the proposed Cycling Initiatives under the Climate Change Action Plan.

Our key recommendations:

- Invest the full $225 over the next 5 years; we have a lot of catching up to do and will need significant infrastructure dollars to deal with the current infrastructure deficit and to ensure the safety of cyclists on all of our streets and roads
- Prioritize cycling investment that provides the following priorities: connectivity, continuity, safety, accessibility
- Prioritize retrofits (especially for dangerous roads), and mandate cycling infrastructure for all new projects
- Invest in bicycle parking, based on the APBP Bicycle Parking Guidelines: http://www.apbp.org/?page=publications
- Split the funds 75% for municipalities, 25% for provincial roads
- Prioritize routes that are on the provincial cycling network (through the MTO provincial network study currently being done), and that support local commuter network development (a minimum grid of roads in municipalities).
- Ensure equity for Northern Ontario and for municipalities of different population sizes. Funding in municipalities with shorter distances between key destinations can encourage more people to bike. For example, all of the major destinations in the City of Sudbury's core are less than 15 km away from most core residential areas, and are often much closer than that.
- Aim to reduce private automobile use, especially for single passenger trips and for trips under 5 km. (road transportation = 27% of carbon emissions in Ontario; source: David Suzuki Foundation)

Plan to Improve Commuter Cycling Networks

What infrastructure should be prioritized to make cycling in Ontario safer and more convenient to support commuter cycling between residential communities, major transit stations, employment areas and other destinations travelled to on a frequent basis?
What evidence can demonstrate the impact of cycling infrastructure investments on the number of cyclists and on GHG emissions?

- Prioritize designs aimed at implementing connected, continuous, safe, and accessible commuter cycling routes.

Local Cycling Infrastructure

For local cycling networks, what types of cycling infrastructure would best support commuter cycling between residential communities, major transit stations, employment areas and other destinations travelled to on a frequent basis?

We agree with the list of facilities included in the Discussion Paper: on- and off-road cycling facilities such as painted bike lanes, paved shoulders, cycling lanes separated by a curb, off-road multi-use paths and associated infrastructure (e.g., cycling signals, signs).
- Major roads should be comfortable (not threatening to the majority of cyclists) and should offer direct cycling options (in parity with how current roads are designed to provide direct access to destinations for cars).
- Most high-traffic roads also have important key destinations. In many areas, and especially in smaller cities/towns and in Northern Ontario, alternate options are not available, or if they are, they are inconvenient (more than 1 km away).
- Route designs should meet the OTM Book 18: Cycling Facilities standards.
- Prioritize retrofitting high traffic and high speed roads with key destination points. On these roads, prioritize protected bike facilities to encourage more people to bike, and to ensure their safety. This is especially important to encourage more people who are nervous about cycling in traffic and to encourage children to bike to school.
- Municipalities should build appropriate cycling infrastructure in all of their new road designs and their road retrofit project designs. The challenge to ensuring connectivity and continuity is the need to retrofit existing roads that would not otherwise be reconfigured in the near future (eg 10 years or more). The goal should be to provide separated cycling infrastructure for all roads over 50 km/h; according to many studies, roads with a higher posted speed have a significantly higher risk of collisions that result in severe injury or death.

Provincial Cycling Infrastructure

What types of cycling infrastructure on provincial highways would best support commuter cycling between residential communities, major transit stations, employment areas and other destinations travelled to on a frequent basis?

- We agree with the list of facilities included in the Discussion Paper: on- and off-road cycling facilities (e.g., painted bike lanes, paved shoulders, cycling lanes separated by a curb, off-road multi-use paths), active transportation bridges and associated infrastructure (e.g., cycling signals, signs) that support cycling in urban areas where provincial infrastructure exists.
- Use the funds to retrofit existing provincial roads; new projects should include safe cycling infrastructure by default. All provincial highways that prohibit cycling should have accessible and near-by alternatives.
- The majority of provincial infrastructure consists of higher speed roads. The goal should be to provide as a minimum buffered paved shoulders and as a preference separated infrastructure for roads above 60 km/h.
- In Northern Ontario, there are often no alternatives to provincial highways that connect cities and towns. A priority should be to retrofit those connectors. Priority should also be given to the provincial cycling network routes to encourage cycle tourism and economic development.

Bicycle Parking

What types of bike parking facilities (e.g., bike racks, lockers, fee-based enclosures) are needed to support cycling for commuting and other frequent trips?
What types of government-owned, publicly accessible facilities should have bike parking?
What types of transit or transportation stations should have bike parking to support improved cyclist access (e.g., GO Stations, LRT stations, bus terminals)?
What types of private facilities could potentially be eligible to receive provincial funding for bicycle parking facilities?

- We agree with the list of parking facilities included in the Discussion Paper: bike racks, bike shelters, bike lockers and bike enclosures.
- ALL government owned facilities should provide safe bike parking facilities, and in particular facilities that minimize the risk of theft.
- Key destinations like schools, major shopping destinations and parks should have infrastructure suitable to all types of bikes.
- Safe and covered facilities should be provided at major transit destinations.
- We support grants for employers and businesses to partially pay for bike parking; for profit entities should provide some contributions towards the cost of bike parking.

Again, thank you for the opportunity for feedback.

Rachelle Niemela
Chair, Sudbury Cyclists Union
Greater Sudbury, ON

[Original Comment ID: 202987]