Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

[steveintoronto]

Lis: You forgot to mention on the third pic down what it's about, and I'm incredibly impressed, I never thought North Am would do it, but there are *four* examples underway.

Here's for that pic:

The protected intersection, also known as a Dutch junction, applies simple design techniques to foster an enhanced travel experience for bicyclists and pedestrians. The protected intersection features many of the same safeguards and comforts that cyclists enjoy while riding in the on-street bike lanes of Davis – dedicated travel ways and separation from automobile traffic – to allow for safe passage through intersections. Inspired by Dutch traffic designers and new to the United States, the protected intersection represents an advancement in safe multi-modal intersection design for Davis.

In a collaborative effort between the City of Davis and the New Home Company, the concept of the protected intersection is being applied to the intersection of E. Covell Boulevard and J Street, the primary gateway to The Cannery neighborhood. Upon completion, Cannery Junction will improve bicycle and pedestrian travel to The Cannery and other destinations along the E. Covell Boulevard corridor. The project demonstrates a continued commitment to active transportation throughout the Davis community.

http://cityofdavis.org/home/showdocument?id=3296

Council to weigh Cannery bike path options
By Felicia Alvarez From page A4 | May 01, 2016
On Tuesday, the Davis City Council is set to weigh options for a new bike path leading out of The Cannery, including several grade-separated improvements for the bike tunnel near H Street.

While The Cannery’s development agreement originally favored a path that would travel through several adjacent apartment complexes, a lack of compromise between the city and the landlord is leading city staff to recommend a pathway connecting to Covell Boulevard, instead.

The original “Preferred Option” would have placed a path running south from the Cannery through the neighboring Cranbrook and Pinecrest Apartments and down to the H Street tunnel. City staff and the landlords never were able to come to an agreement on the path, however.

“A lot of it was design considerations,” said Mike Webb, assistant city manager. “There’s entryways to apartments and trees that would have to be worked in. It’s a considerable design challenge.”

The council had the alternative of condemning the land before the December 2015 — the deadline set by the development agreement — but decided against initiating the proceedings. The cost of acquiring the land would have fallen on the city, not the developer, Webb said.

With the December deadline passed, the Preferred Option was taken off the table. Instead, city staff is recommending that the council adopt “Bike Path Option 1,” which also was analyzed under the project’s environmental impact report

This second option would see the new bike path start from the southwest corner of the Cannery and run south along the railroad tracks, before sweeping eastward to connect to Covell Boulevard bike path.

Before siding with Option 1, the city initiated a study of several under and over crossing alternatives near H Street. The over crossings would have cost about $7 million while the under crossings would have incurred $10 million in costs, all of which would be covered by the developer.

The developer is only required to pay $1.4 million for the path — the approximate cost of Option 1 — and the city would have to pay the difference if the council decides on one of the alternative bike paths, Webb said.

In May 2015, city staff amended the Cannery’s development agreement to make time for the alternative bike path study. The amendment removed the requirement that a bike path be put in before almost a hundred Cannery units could begin construction.

http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/council-to-weigh-cannery-bike-path-options/

Four U.S. cities are racing to open the country’s first protected intersection
May 27, 2015
[...access link below for story...]
Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer

http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/...-open-the-countrys-first-protected-intersecti

Cycle Montreal wrote a year ago:

The bicycle- friendly City of Davis, California has built the first protected intersection for bicycles in North America. The intersection is, for the moment, one-of-a-kind on this continent in that it offers cyclists passage through the intersection that is both physically- and time- separated from vehicles. An article in the Davis Enterprise highlighted some of the aspects of the design as well as some reactions from locals using the intersection.

As I mentioned in previous posts, protected bike lanes (that protect cyclists from vehicles along segments between intersections) are not enough to ensure safe passage for cyclists on major arterials. Most interactions between different road users occur at intersections, which is where the “protected bike facility” ceases to offer protection. In order to create infrastructure that is safe and comfortable for cyclists both road segments and intersections must be protected.


Protected intersection recently built at E. Covell Blvd and Cannery Ave in Davis, California – diagram taken from the Davis Enterprise
There are many great design elements in the protected intersection – they can be summed up in four features:

1. A forward waiting area gives cyclists stopped at a red light a leg-up on motorized vehicles. This feature makes cyclists considerably more visible to motorists and allows them to enter the intersection before the first motorized vehicles after a red light. This feature is similar to the bike boxes (the green painted rectangles located at several intersections in Montreal including: Milton and University, Laurier and St. Laurent and, more recently, Villeneuve and St. Urbain), however it offers even more comfort and security because cyclists are protected by a curved concrete structure creating a corner refuge island.
2. In addition to creating a safe place for cyclists to wait, the corner refuge island has a number of other safety benefits. Firstly, it narrows the road making it virtually impossible for motorists to take a right turn at reckless speed. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of a right-hook collision between cyclists traveling through the intersection and right-turning cars. The presence of the refuge island also creates space for a waiting area for turning motorized vehicles. This area allows turning cars to clear through the intersection enabling vehicle flow through the intersection and gives the turning motorist full visibility of cyclists before clearing the waiting area and completing the turn.
3. The setback crossing gives physical separation between pedestrians/cyclists and turning vehicles and allows all users more time to react to the presence of other users in the intersection.
4. A dedicated bicycle signal phase further reduces potential conflicts between cyclists and turning vehicles. There are several ways to incorporate this feature into a protected intersection – each way offering a different level of protection. Firstly, a leading bicycle interval gives cyclists a three to five second head start before turning vehicles get a green, when paired with the forward waiting area, this gives cyclists both space and time to clear the intersection before vehicles can enter the cycling space. A more secure option, the fully protected signal phase, fully separates conflicting movements between through travelling cyclists and turning vehicles. A third option, the green scramble phase, gives all vehicles movements the red-light while allowing all cyclist movements through the intersection. This type of phase programming exists for pedestrians in many cities across the world and has the added benefit that left-turning cyclists can complete the turn in one stage rather than two.

The City of Montreal would be wise to look to the City of Davis as inspiration and pilot some protected intersections where highly-used protected bicycle facilities cross major arterials, such as: De Maisonneuve at Peel, Rachel at Saint-Denis and Rachel at Papineau.


August 18, 2015 cyclemontreal

https://cyclemontreal.org/2015/08/18/first-protected-intersection-for-bicycles-in-north-america/

"Ahead by a century" - The Tragically Hip

 

[ADRM]

Included in the federal Liberal's infrastructure announcement today:

- $8.9M for Eglinton Connects streetscape improvements and cycle tracks
- $11.75M for West Toronto Railpath extension
- $11.25M for East Don Trail
- $1.25M for Bike Share TO expansion at 50 TTC stations
- $425K for bike parking at 40 TTC stations
- $541K for Eglinton Avenue East bike lanes
- $1.5M for Flemingdon Park-Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood cycling connections
- $700K Dufferin Street North Trail/cycle track

 

[DKsan]

Feds have announced funding for Toronto cycling initiatives (link here):

• Eglinton Connects Streetscape Improvements and Cycle Tracks = $8,900,000
  
• West Toronto Railpath Extension = $11,750,000
  
• East Don Trail = $11,250,000
  
• Bicycle parking at 40 TTC stations = $425,000
  
• Bike Share Toronto Expansion at 50 TTC stations = $1,250,000
  
• Flemingdon Park-Thorncliffe Park Neighbourhood Cycling Connections = $1,500,000
• Eglinton Avenue East Bicycle Lanes = $541,000
  
• Burnhamthorpe/Renforth Boulevard multi-use trail to Kipling Station = $1,045,000
  
• York University Cycling Connections = $111,500
  
• Dufferin Street North Trail/Cycle Track = $700,000
  
• Midland Avenue Multi-Use Trail = $4,500,000
  
• Signalized Crossings for Cyclists = $90,000

 

[amnesiajune]

What's the East Don Trail? There's already a set of trails that run from Lakeshore up to John Street in Thornhill. The only part that doesn't have a trail is a few blocks along York Mills (with bike lanes), Lesmill and Duncan Mill.

 

[Northern Light]

What's the East Don Trail? There's already a set of trails that run from Lakeshore up to John Street in Thornhill. The only part that doesn't have a trail is a few blocks along York Mills (with bike lanes), Lesmill and Duncan Mill.

East Don Trail would run from the Forks of the Don, @ Don Mills/DVP to the Gatineau Hydro Corridor and a trail connecting it to the existing bike trail which currently terminates in the west @ Victoria Park Avenue.

A further phase would connect it the trails at Milne Hollow (Lawrence/DVP)

 

[steveintoronto]

East Don Trail would run from the Forks of the Don, @ Don Mills/DVP to the Gatineau Hydro Corridor and a trail connecting it to the existing bike trail which currently terminates in the west @ Victoria Park Avenue.

A further phase would connect it the trails at Milne Hollow (Lawrence/DVP)

That would be very handy! I've figured out a route that is mostly off-road, and only a short stretch on a major road (St Clair) that ties Rouge Hill to Taylor Creek, but there's a golf course sitting in the way just north of Vic Park Station. You can get around it by the walkway next to the station, but it's a serious gap in what would be an otherwise wonderful link.( a segment goes through a cemetery, and other stretches through creek valleys, Massey Creek Park, short stretch on Bellamy, through deserted fields) Is that part of it, or further north?

Edit to Add: I'm off by miles!
https://www.google.ca/?client=ubuntu#channel=fs&q=East+Don+Trail&gfe_rd=cr

 

[jaybe]

More information on the East Don Trail is at: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=3a178dd3f2ce1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD.

This path will also allow for a connection at Moccasin Trail/Greenbelt Drive. Riders will be able to safely cross over Don Mills road and ride the Leaside Spur Rail Trail to York Mills Road, follow the bike lanes over to Les Mills Road and connect to the Betty Sutherland trail and all things north of the 401. It is a very nice addition to the network.

 

[Northern Light]

That would be very handy! I've figured out a route that is mostly off-road, and only a short stretch on a major road (St Clair) that ties Rouge Hill to Taylor Creek, but there's a golf course sitting in the way just north of Vic Park Station. You can get around it by the walkway next to the station, but it's a serious gap in what would be an otherwise wonderful link.( a segment goes through a cemetery, and other stretches through creek valleys, Massey Creek Park, short stretch on Bellamy, through deserted fields) Is that part of it, or further north?

Edit to Add: I'm off by miles!
https://www.google.ca/?client=ubuntu#channel=fs&q=East+Don+Trail&gfe_rd=cr

The golf course you referred to is Dentonia Park golf course.

It is somewhat popular, but loses some money most years, as I understand it.

There is already a bike trail route penciled in through it by transportation, but the golf people have not been told and are adamantly opposed.

There is increasing support in the community to remove this course and restore the creekside area to nature while adding some new cultural/athletic areas at the tops of the slopes (adjacent flat areas).

However, the City just this year installed a new irrigation system. (sigh)

****

The cemetery is Pine Hills, its part of the same cemetery group as Mt. Pleasant. They welcome through traffic by bike or foot and have done a mostly respectable job on keeping their bit of ravine healthy.

The challenge of course is safe separation of bike traffic from their internal road system w/o having to relocate or trample grave sites, as well as their desire to limit after-hours access to the property.

I suspect there is a deal to be made here.......but its way down the list of priorities.

****

Taylor-Massey Creek does cross the Gatineau Hydro Corridor (the same one that meets the East Don and the Rouge) between Eglinton and Lawrence , just west of Birchmount.

 

[steveintoronto]

...There is already a bike trail route penciled in through it by transportation, but the golf people have not been told and are adamantly opposed.

There is increasing support in the community to remove this course and restore the creekside area to nature while adding some new cultural/athletic areas at the tops of the slopes (adjacent flat areas).

However, the City just this year installed a new irrigation system. [...]
I suspect there is a deal to be made here.......but its way down the list of priorities.

****

Taylor-Massey Creek does cross the Gatineau Hydro Corridor (the same one that meets the East Don and the Rouge) between Eglinton and Lawrence , just west of Birchmount.

Thanks for that! I was looking at Jaybe's link, and as much as I'm a distance cyclist (rail-trails, they're exquisite in most cases) there is a time and place to meander around Toronto, and in doing so, find viable *mostly green* corridors in from outside the GTA. From the Goodwood and north region as a portal back into Toronto from the east, White's Road is as best as I've found, but is getting crazy busy, if you or others are aware of a parallel greener route, please post it, as it ties the back roads just east of where it meets Steeles down to Petticoat Park, which is getting more bike friendly as time goes on. From there, passage across the Rouge is always a delight, and then you can guess the routing in from there, you've got a clear grasp of my method. Under the Bluffs as far as Bellamy and then up to Eglinton Station, along the park trail to the immediate south, and then west as you intuitively understand is a *civillized* way in, especially after doing 50-100 km and 'being in the zen-zone' (mostly endorphins), the last thing one wants to do is fight traffic, so tying together do-able trails, with failsafes for cycling partners to get on GO or TTC if their legs finally give out, is highly desirable.

That East Don extension might just offer another series of ways in and out of Toronto, not by themselves, but by ending in proximity to other segments that do.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Lis: You forgot to mention on the third pic down what it's about, and I'm incredibly impressed, I never thought North Am would do it, but there are *four* examples underway.

Here's for that pic:

http://cityofdavis.org/home/showdocument?id=3296

http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/council-to-weigh-cannery-bike-path-options/

Four U.S. cities are racing to open the country’s first protected intersection
May 27, 2015
[...access link below for story...]
Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer

http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/...-open-the-countrys-first-protected-intersecti

Cycle Montreal wrote a year ago:

https://cyclemontreal.org/2015/08/18/first-protected-intersection-for-bicycles-in-north-america/

"Ahead by a century" - The Tragically Hip

Cut and pasted the video:

 

[steveintoronto]

Cut and pasted the video:

Thank you! Right off the bat, the vid makes the point that was impossible for some other posters to understand last week. I got called for my being an 'egoist' and "holier than thou" for pointing out the absurdity of dealing with the conundrum of bike lanes (albeit not even proper lanes, but marked sharrow guideways) across the traffic flowing west then north off of Richmond onto Bathurst, where I stopped to let a car turn, since he had arrived there first (as prescribed by the HTA)(and common sense) and the bunched up group of cyclists behind me when I stopped flowed around both ends of the car as he was turning right. The inferred bike lane continuance to straight ahead is marked by sharrows at *exactly* the angle discussed and shown in that vid.

What amazes me with the Dutch, and the narrator of these videos, who has become noted in US cycling infrastructure circles, is how *pragmatic* they are with pointing out how this *rationality of design* (in movement, in sight lines, in choreography of kinetics) can be fit right into a typical North Am intersection.

Just watching those vids calms me! I can understand many motorists 'not getting it'. What boggles me is that so few cyclists get it either.

And not a word back from Cnclrs Cressy and Layton, or any other their staff that I sent an email to on Monday...well other than from one assistant to electronically inform me that they wouldn't be in until Tuesday.

Perhaps they all have flats?

 

[W. K. Lis]

How to NOT design bicycle lanes.

From this link.

Eyes on the Street: Drivers Can Now Park All Over the E 38th Street Bike Lane

Mere weeks after installing a parking-protected bike lane on East 38th Street in Marine Park, DOT removed the protection, caving to complaints about the narrower roadway even though the motor vehicle lane was still a roomy 12 feet wide.

Streetsblog reader Jeffrey Diamond shot this video of how the bike lane, which is part of a project designed to improve bike access to the Jamaica Bay Greenway, is working now that it’s not protected. (Diamond also has video of the entire Marine Park bike lane project.)

As you can see, 38th Street has resumed its function as a drop-off zone free-for-all by the park, rife with sloppy, illegal parking and standing. Odds are, losing the ability to easily double-park was what stoked the complaints to DOT in the first place. Diamond warns that once recreational sports start back up in the fall, the bike lane obstructions will only get worse.

The irony is that more people could safely access Marine Park by bicycle instead of driving — if they had good bicycle infrastructure connecting them to it. Instead, the neighborhood keeps its double-parking zone.

 

[W. K. Lis]

 

[W. K. Lis]

Instead of
Separate bike lanes headed downtown
how about
Separate bike lanes headed everywhere in the GTA?

The Toronto suburban arterial roads have the space (AKA sprawl) available to improve bicycle infrastructure everywhere.

 

[andrewpmk]

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/ottawa/cyclist-struck-lyon-laurier-crash-1.3744035

Someone just got killed on Ottawa's only separated bike lane. Are these bike lanes really safe?