Comments from the Town of…

Comments from the Town of Halton Hills regarding the MTO Discussion Paper on Cycling Initiatives under the Climate Change Action Plan

1.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?

a.Infrastructure that eliminates dangerous bicycling conditions and increases the convenience of cycling is needed:
i.Continuous cycling path networks (eliminate dead-end cycling paths) linking paths to transit areas, large business areas, and linking between municipal areas.
ii.Minimizing conflicts between motor vehicles and bicycles through designated and/or separated cycling paths (i.e. painted “sharrows”) and other measures such as designating truck routes to get them off small streets.
iii.More room: where designated paths are not possible, require wider paved shoulders on highways, expanded bridge widths, wider road rights of ways
iv.Enhanced cycling path finding signs
v.Increased driver and cyclist education
vi.Increased infraction enforcement
vii.Enhanced lighting for paths

b.Infrastructure that greatly reduces the risk of bicycle theft is also needed:
i.Increased installation of secure bicycle storage options
ii.Enhanced lighting for bicycle parking areas

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

a.A multi-pronged approach will likely be needed:
i.Traffic counters (physical or remote – i.e. wildlife cameras; traffic counters on pathways; recorded volumes of parked cars vs. bicycles at transit stations)
ii.Volunteer behaviour: monitoring the behaviour of volunteer participants
iii.Conducting random surveys
iv.Health statistics

3.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?

a.Undertaking local cycling planning exercises to identify priorities (i.e. high cycling traffic routes and routes that have the potential for higher cycling traffic) and barriers (i.e. narrow bridges, dead end cycling paths) to comprehensively plan for and prioritize cycling in the same way that motor vehicles are planned for.

b.Continuous cycling path networks are needed to eliminate conflicts between cars and cyclists on public roads and private parking lots. Construction of multiple types of paths based on local constraints, opportunities and conditions (on road, off-road paved, multi-use active trails) should be undertaken to realize continuous cycling path networks in a cost effective manner.

c.Enhanced bicycle road signage is needed to enhance safety & identify paths.

d.Enhanced range of bicycle parking options are needed:
i.Cheaper bikes can use racks, although all racks should enable the user to lock the bicycle to the rack by the frame rather than just the front tire.
ii.Expensive bikes need enclosures which would ideally use consistent payment types (i.e. $2 coin, tokens, phone, credit card etc.)

e.The universal installation of high capacity bicycle racks for buses and trains are needed to provide assurances that multi-modal bicycle/transit users will be able to predictably complete their journey.

f.Similar to currently mandated dedication of handicapped parking spaces, the province should require, or enable municipalities to require the dedication and construction of preferred (closest to the entrance) parking for bicycles on public and private parking lots.

4.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?

a.Measures to enhance safety are needed as motor vehicle speed is generally a more important factor on provincial highways than on municipal roads – use incident reports to identify priority areas and inform decisions.
i.Ensure dedicated bicycle riding space (i.e. wider paved shoulders, multi-use separated pathways)
ii.Improve the quality of paving
iii.Install Path Finding Signage
iv.Undertake driver and cyclist education
v.Enhance enforcement for both driver and cyclist infractions

5.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?

a.A variety of parking options are simultaneously needed due to the wide range in bicycle prices and varying risk of component and/or whole bicycle theft.
i.Require the installation of multiple bicycle parking options at each location (i.e. include racks as well as secure enclosures)
ii.Enhance night time parking lighting to reduce theft and increase personal sense of safety.
iii.Require the installation parking facilities in preferential areas (not at the back of the parking lot).

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

a.All government buildings should have bike parking for the visitors and staff to use (lead by example, walk the talk, make a statement), starting with highest traffic buildings.
b.Install shower facilities at work for staff.

7.What types of transit or transportation stations should have bike parking to support improved cyclist access (e.g., GO Stations, LRT stations, bus terminals)?
a.All of the above, as enhancing parking security will increase the appeal of using all forms of transit, and bicycling has a limited range which can be greatly extended through the use of mass transit.
b.In addition to parking, the ability for users to transport their bicycles with them while using mass transit should be prioritized.

8.What types of private facilities could potentially be eligible to receive provincial funding for bicycle parking facilities?
a.Facilities which want to offer secured storage
b.Facilities which want to convert car parking spaces in private lots to bicycle parking.
c.High traffic commercial facilities (i.e. malls and grocery stores).

[Original Comment ID: 202972]