Cycling Updates

I made two cycling-related posts in September, and have some updates on both of them...



New Post-and-Ring racks: are there enough?
(Original post)

At the Copenhagen talk, the City's presentations aid 600 racks would be installed, up from the 550 racks I'd previously reported. After the talk, I spoke with Robin Bennett, the City's cycling coordinator. He said that the 600 figure is final, now that the study is finished, and he described the methodology of the study, which includes a buffer for growth in demand.

Robin gave two important take-home messages:

(1) The City will be holding onto the posts from the removed parking meters, and the rings are cheap--the main cost in installing more bike racks is labour; and

(2) The City will be installing them where their study said they'd be necessary. If there are places that need more racks, the City will add them, but need feedback from cyclists where these places are. Contact 311@ottawa.ca if there are places that need racks.

[Edit: I have since seen the complete list of where existing parking meters are located and how many post-and-ring racks are to replace them, and can confirm that the replacement numbers are grossly inadequate. In response to my complaints, Robin now says that there is no budget to add bike racks. Furthermore, the blue Velocity bike racks have been removed for the season.]

Lyon Street Repaved: Cyclists get their sharrows?...
(original post)

A bike lane has indeed been installed on Lyon Street through Centretown, and Sharrows have been installed at key locations, like here crossing Somerset Street West. (see image above)

Sharrows have a dual goal of directing cyclists along a route (e.g. around turns or through intersections), and of reminding motorists to expect cyclists there (particularly where a lane isn't practical, like through intersections).

Unfortunately, where the bike route turns right onto Arlington to take people over to Percy to continue South, the lane just ends. It needs some sharrows going around the corner and continuing to Bay.

I'm a big fan of sharrows, and I describe their use in Montreal in part 2 of the upcoming series.