What infrastructure should…

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?
Cycling infrastructure in the form of off road bidirectional cycling paths need to be the priority in Northeastern Ontario in order to promote safe active transportation between rural communities.

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?
Supportive cycling routes, signage and end use facilities would best support local commuter cycling. As there are a variety of roadways in our community, there could be three infrastructure supports that enable safe commuter cycling including i) designated shared roadways, ii) paved shoulders with rumble stripes and/or iii) separated bike paths. Signage identifying bicycle routes and shared roadways will be required. End use secure bicycle parking and facilities e.g., lockers and showers will also encourage cycling as a transportation choice.

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?
In Northeastern Ontario there are a number of rural communities separated by provincial highways that would benefit from the development of bidirectional separated cycling infrastructure and safe crossovers including overpasses, bridges or tunnels. The creation of this type of bike path would create opportunities for residents and visitors to safely connect to key destinations e.g., workplaces, retail, tourism, etc. Worthy examples include:
•The Trans Canada Trail connection between Greater Sudbury and North Bay is a well-travelled highway that is frequented by numerous motorized vehicles that expose cyclists to collisions. A separated bike path along Hwy 17 would provide safe connections for residents and tourists between many of the rural communities like Markstay to Warren and Verner to North Bay.
•The Trans Canada Trail is the only convenient active transportation route between Greater Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. A separated bike path along Hwy 17 would provide safe connections for residents and tourists between many of the rural communities, for example, Webbwood to Massey.
•Hwy 6 from the intersection at Hwy 17 to Little Current would support the bike travel and tourism industry that is exponentially growing in this area. This specific route supports safe connections to the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry connecting to Southern Ontario. A priority section includes connecting the intersection of Hwy 17 and Hwy 6 into Espanola. This specific section enables residents to actively commute to the town core for retail, employment, school and other recreational opportunities.
•Hwy 69 S (Hwy 400) from Sudbury to Hwy 637 to Killarney would provide safe connection between two key tourist centres - Greater Sudbury and Killarney - which houses one of Ontario’s most popular provincial parks.

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?
We recognise that there are two different types of bicycle parking that will i) need to endure our weather challenged climate and ii) encourage cycling in our community. These include:
•Short term parking (less than two hours) will need to be located in close proximity to a destination and be easy to utilize. Parking would be in the form of a rack or corral holding 8-12 bicycles or bike hangers if space is limited. The parking area would need to be protected from weather, be free to utilize and support users’ locking systems.
•Long term parking (more than two hours) would include bicycle lockers that provide shelter and anti-theft and/or vandalism protection. These would be modular in nature and be pay as you use.
Both types of identified parking will require supportive infrastructure such as illuminated walkways connecting the parking area to the destination. In addition, supportive policies e.g., bylaws that enable destination establishments to provide bicycle parking to be erected, would be necessary to facilitate concept to practice.

What types of government-owned, publicly accessible facilities should have bike parking?
All types of government-owned and publicly accessible facilities should provide free, safe and secure bicycle parking for its employees and clients. The type and amount of bicycle parking should be based on the number of staff and clients that access the facility. Educational institutions, libraries, museums, parks, arenas, recreation/community centres and housing complexes are all examples of facilities that should routinely have inclusion of bicycle parking. Various types of parking will be required at all locations due to nature of the visit (e.g., less or more than two hours). Bicycle parking should also be a mandatory infrastructure requirement as new facilities are built and/or retrofitted to become more energy efficient. Greater Sudbury has a bicycle parking bylaw that identifies size, location, and quantity requirements based on use (http://www.greatersudbury.ca/content/div_planning/documents/2010-100Z%2…)

What types of transit or transportation stations should have bike parking to support improved cyclist access (e.g., GO Stations, LRT stations, bus terminals)?
In the Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts, Greater Sudbury is the only community that provides public transit transportation. The buses have bicycle racks that enable bicycle portability, however secure bicycle parking should be made available at most transit stops. In specific locations, e.g., high volume ridership and/or high density destination, bike lockers may be an ideal choice. In addition to this, many communities in Northeastern Ontario are serviced by National Bus Lines e.g., Grey Hound. It would be advantageous that bike lockers are provided at key locations to enable users of these bus services to travel in a multimodal manner.

What types of private facilities could potentially be eligible to receive provincial funding for bicycle parking facilities?
All types of private facilities should be eligible to receive provincial funding to support the creation of bicycle parking facilities. The provision of bicycle parking at private facilities enables and encourages active transportation behaviour of their employees and clients. Locations for these could include food establishments, retail establishments, and workplaces. A fair and equitable process of selection for funding will be necessary to identity which facilities are chosen – the selection should take location, need, impact and capacity into consideration.

[Original Comment ID: 202794]