1.The Province of Ontario is…

1.The Province of Ontario is to be commended for the actions taken to support cycling as part of Ontario’s transportation and climate change action strategy.

2.The City of London supports the overall direction outlined in MTO Discussion Paper on Cycling Initiatives.

3.The Province of Ontario is to be commended for the actions taken to support municipalities developing local cycling infrastructure.

4.On the questions regarding a plan to improve commuter cycling networks and local cycling infrastructure:

a.The MTO should consider funding on-road cycling routes that are designed in accordance with Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18.

b.Intersections present conflicts for cyclists and improvements should be a consideration of future infrastructure programs.

c.The MTO should consider including off-road multi-use pathways for inclusion in future funding programs. These systems form the backbone of local cycling infrastructure in many municipalities, as they provide desirable routes with limited cycling travel disruption due to stop signs and traffic signals.

d.The MTO should consider providing funding support for municipalities to rehabilitate and update existing, aged cycling infrastructure.

e.The MTO should consider providing funding support for municipalities to establish summer and winter maintenance for existing and new cycling infrastructure considering that the draft Municipal Act Minimum Maintenance Standards are considering establishing winter levels of service and enhanced summer levels of service.

f.The MTO should consider providing funding support for municipalities to establish cycling counters along major cycling commuter networks in order to promote the utilization of these networks and quantify greenhouse gas emission reductions.

g.On the questions regarding provincial cycling infrastructure, the MTO should recognize that the provincial Kings Highways around London are not preferred for cycling routes for regional cycling routes. The provincial freeways are restricted to cyclists and create barriers. The funding of new or improved grade separated multi-use pathway crossings of highways and railways is a way to improve connectivity across barriers. The MTO should mandate that all new provincial interchanges or rehabilitation to existing structures accommodate cycling facilities as per Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18 for Cycling Facilities.

5.On the questions regarding bicycle parking:

a.The MTO should consider establishing province-wide design criteria for suitable bike parking facilities at various types of transit hubs (e.g., BRT stops, major BRT terminals/hubs, etc.) in order to provide guidance for municipalities and public transit authorities.

b.The MTO should consider the bike sharing systems as part of an overall bike parking strategy, including providing guidance on how the financial costs for the establishment and operation of bike sharing systems can be incorporated into provincial funding structures similar to transit.

c.The MTO should consider working in partnership with municipalities in providing funding assistance to establish secure bike parking facilities at publicly-accessible private properties such as major commercial retail (e.g., shopping malls & plazas) and commercial office buildings for use by both visitors and employees. Existing bike parking facilities, such as bike racks, can be underutilized due to user concerns regarding theft and vandalism.

d.The MTO should consider working in partnership with municipalities in providing funding assistance to major employers to establish secure bike parking facilities at workplaces. The City of London currently provides employers with bike racks at cost through its Business TravelWise program, with additional costs for providing security being born by the employer.

e.The MTO should consider establishing and/or working with an existing organization to create a catalogue of existing bike parking examples (e.g., best practices) including technical details to assist other municipalities in designing local solutions.

[Original Comment ID: 203006]