Cycling and Active Transportation in Edmonton

[Daveography]

Edmonton woman taking to the streets studying a 'hostile' cycling environment
A local woman is peddling against the grain to learn more about what she has observed as a “hostile” bike culture in Edmonton.

...

“I guess the question behind (my research) is: what makes Edmonton less safe, and more hostile towards cyclists compared to other cities?” she said.

Magnusin has been working on her study for a little over three months, but already has enough findings to suggest answers to that question.

Part of her research has included interviews with “hostile” motorists she shares the road with, and anyone who identifies as “anti-cycling,” a large contingent in Edmonton, she notes.

“I’ve found that the opposition is cultural not physical,” she said. “It’s related less to issues about ‘Cyclists are taking up my road space, slowing down my commute,’ and more ‘This is my road, roads are build for vehicles.’”

Full Story

 

[Always_Biking]

^Interesting article. I hope she has success with her findings. Changing bike culture in North America seems like an uphill battle these days, but it's getting better.

 

[bennessb]

Can you imagine trying to interview a hostile driver? It's a great undertaking though, there are a lot of weird cultural assumptions around cycling/driving/road use.

 

[Daveography]

Site crowdsources for Edmonton bike, walking routes
An Edmonton advocacy group is allowing you to suggest where the city needs walking and cycling paths.

Paths for People’s new online map launches Wednesday and asks you to comment on what's needed, whether it be a new path or an improvement to an existing one.

And the reason, said Conrad Nobert, chair of the group, is that Edmonton has changed.
Some previous bike lanes weren’t embraced by Edmontonians — think the 95 Avenue bike lane, which the city spent almost half a million dollars removing last year — but Nobert said that was because the public wasn’t very involved.

“The consultation was done at a time (2009) when no one in Edmonton had even seen a bike lane before. Now we are a much more savvy constituency,” he said.

Nobert hopes the new crowdsourcing project kick-starts the conversation about locations into another gear.

Full Story (Metro Edmonton)

 

[Daveography]

New community bike routes proposed
The City of Edmonton is hosting an open house to share proposed new bike route locations for 40 Avenue between 106 Street and 119 Street.

Date:
Saturday, March 19, 2016

Time:
1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (presentations at 1:30 and 3 p.m.)

Location:
Royal Gardens Community Hall (4030 - 117 Street)

City staff will present cycle track and shared-use path options for 40 Avenue and 43rd Avenue, connecting communities and cyclists to the wider bike network. These proposed bike route locations are an alternative to the on-street bike lanes along 40 Avenue which were removed in August 2015.

The proposed bike route locations are based on feedback the City received from local residents. The City consulted with residents to get their input on how to balance community needs with the installation of bike routes in the area.

City staff will be on hand to answer questions and gather residents' thoughts on the location options being presented.

For more information:
edmonton.ca/engaging40Ave

Media contact:
Catherine Kloczkowski
Communications Advisor
780-495-9904

Source: http://www.mailoutinteractive.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=779649&q=1004860816&qz=511d49

 

[bennessb]

Bikelanes!

 

[Daveography]

@bennessb Hopefully proper ones this time. I doubt I'll attend this meeting, I'm very rarely that far south on my bike anyway.

 

[Daveography]

Cost of south Edmonton bike lane options range from $2 million to $17 million
A pricey overhaul of 40 Avenue or a cheaper, less conveniently located path are the options for separated bike lanes in a cluster of southwest Edmonton neighbourhoods.

After declaring its first attempt at bike lanes in Duggan, Rideau Park, Royal Gardens, Greenfield and Aspen Gardens a flop, city representatives came offering cookies and new options at a standing-room-only meeting Saturday.

“There was just no buy in. People didn’t feel safe,” area Coun. Michael Walters said of the previous attempt at a bike route, which ran down the curb lanes of 40 Avenue and 106 Street.

It prompted conflicts between cyclists and transit buses, school buses, and parents pickup up and dropping off children at school, Walters said.

Full Story (Edmonton Journal)

 

[Daveography]

Temporary bike lanes for downtown commuters under consideration
The city may build temporary bike lanes along 102nd Avenue to help cyclists in the west end get downtown before permanent lanes are put in place.

Construction of new shared-use bike paths along parts of 102nd Avenue will begin in June, but separate bike lanes between 136th Street and 111th Street, won't be completed until 2018.

However its east of 111th Street that critics say is the most crucial.

"Right now it's extremely dangerous to ride downtown," said Conrad Nobert with Paths for People, an advocacy group for cyclist and pedestrian friendly infrastructure.

Full Story (CBC Edmonton)

 

[Daveography]

Edmonton opening up to temporary bike lanes downtown, but LRT still major factor
The city is quickly responding to criticism by entertaining the idea of building temporary cycle tracks through downtown, but future LRT construction could still delay their arrival.

Metro first reported last week that the permanent, segregated bike lanes slotted for 102 Avenue, approved back in 2014, could take until 2017 or 2018 to be completed west of 111 Street — and potentially years after that for the section through downtown.

City staff said last week they weren’t considering temporary lanes as a stop-gap, but Daniel Vriend, the city’s general supervisor of urban transportation, said that's changed.

“We have heard form some of the community that they’re interested in pursuing that,” he said.

Full Story (Metro Edmonton)

 

[Daveography]

Plan for replacing erased bike lanes a year away
The city won’t have a plan to replace the bike lanes it removed last year until at least next spring.

Planners are targeting April 2017 for a plan for the 106 Street bike lanes between Whitemud Drive and 34 Avenue, as they continue to work through community consultation.

City workers erased the painted lanes in June 2015, after council voted to remove them, along with similar lanes on 40 Avenue. Cyclists in the community were disappointed by the decision, while many other community residents said the lanes had been poorly designed and implemented.

Full Story (Metro Edmonton)

 

[Daveography]

Guerrilla bike lane created, city of Edmonton quickly removes it

KEVIN TUONG / FOR METRO
The bike lane appeared early Thursday morning and city crews were sent to remove it.

A guerrilla bike lane installed along Saskatchewan Drive is coming out not long after it was created.

The lane, painted and marked with pylons along the south side of the road, just past 109 St., was first noticed Thursday morning.

Full Story (Metro Edmonton)

Here's what it looked like this morning:

Conrad Nobert ‏@conradnobert 6 hours ago
So happy to see this at 109 Street and Saskatchewan Drive. Wasted asphalt has become useful. #yegcc #yegbike

 

[bennessb]

This is GREAT.

 

[Daveography]

City moves quickly to remove guerilla bike lane
A new bike lane mysteriously appeared on Saskatchewan Drive overnight, winning praise from cyclists and a stern warning from city officials on Thursday.

"I think it's important to have a space for cyclists that's safe," said cyclist Debbie Bellerose.

"Unfortunately someone took it into their own hands, but I don't see any harm in it and perhaps it'll make a statement for the city to take a more proactive stance."

Full Story (CBC Edmonton)

 

[Das Ponto]

Probably didn't cost 2 million dollars either.