## Plan to Improve Commuter…

## 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?*

Particular care needs to be taken wherever multiple modes converge -- especially at intersections. Building safe “island” spaces, with cars set back to have a clear line of sight of waiting cyclists, is critical.

Also important is the timing of lights. Where separate cycling controls are implemented, they should have a few seconds of advance green to further allow drivers better visibility of cycling traffic moving through the intersection. An equal amount of delay can be introduced for car traffic after the cycling signal has gone red to allow waiting motorists to complete their right turn if they haven’t had a chance to.

*What evidence can demonstrate the impact of cycling infrastructure investments on the number of cyclists and on GHG emissions?*

Capture data in key destination hubs. Establish a baseline for riding behaviour, including any occurrences of running red lights, riding on sidewalks, and other infractions. Use that data to infer what the best cycling facility application is to address the desire lines of the street, and also adjust traffic signal timing as necessary.

Capture emissions data, but also take particular note of vehicle composition of the street. How many buses, cars, trucks, bicycles, and pedestrians? Improving cycling infrastructure might also translate into an uptick in transit use, which should also be noted and considered in emissions data.

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?*

Direct, safe facilities.

That said, “safe” doesn’t always have to mean “separated” -- it really depends on how the road is designed. If it’s designed and signed to be a low-speed street, separated facilities might not be required.

Regardless, the perception of safety, and convenience, is paramount to the success of any cycling scheme. Also consider that if cycling becomes frequent enough, there needs to be room to expand the cycling facility to ensure safety of it’s users as ridership density increases. Especially when considering the different speeds that people of different abilities and circumstances will travel.

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?*

Highways? That’s a wonderful idea!

Without question, due to the immense speed differentials, the cycling facilities must be well separated, and cannot be impacted in the event of a automobile collision on the highway.

There needs to be appropriate space incorporated into the design to allow cyclists slowing down to turn onto a local road to not impede the movement of faster, overtaking cyclists continuing on.

Again, safe design of intersections is critical here. Not only does this need to consider mixing modes, but different modes at mixed speeds.

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?*

Bike racks cannot be restrictive to certain kinds of bicycles. Many racks have a horizontal cross-member that restricts secure locking to bike frames of cargo bikes, or bikes with porteur style front racks.

Rather, they need to accommodate all bikes to be able to pull up to alongside them, and lock securely to the bike frame. A grouping of "ring and post" type bike racks is one example that accomplishes this.

*What types of government-owned, publicly accessible facilities should have bike parking?*

All of them.

Any place that has parking for automobiles should also have comparable accommodation for bicycles.

*What types of transit or transportation stations should have bike parking to support improved cyclist access (e.g., GO Stations, LRT stations, bus terminals)?*

Again, all of them. Why should bike parking be considered any differently than parking for cars? One key difference is that you can fit a lot more bikes in the same space as one car. This might be a great way to hold off purchasing more land for automobile parking, instead converting existing land to bike parking.

*What types of private facilities could potentially be eligible to receive provincial funding for bicycle parking facilities?*

Any facility that converts parking allocation for automobiles to allocation or bicycles, using non-restrictive racks.

[Original Comment ID: 196548]