Cycling in Waterloo Region - Printable Version +- Waterloo Region Connected (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com) +-- Forum: Waterloo Region Works (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=14) +--- Forum: Transportation and Infrastructure (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=25) +--- Thread: Cycling in Waterloo Region (/showthread.php?tid=186) Pages:
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RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-04-2019 (11-04-2019, 11:36 AM)megabytephreak Wrote:(10-28-2019, 10:05 PM)megabytephreak Wrote: Does anyone know the story with the bike signals at the intersection of King and the Eastbound 85 Exit ramp/Manulife? I don't think there are many things in our region which more concretely demonstrate how little idea engineers have about ped and cycling infra, than having tactile plates in a bike lane. RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - ijmorlan - 11-04-2019 (11-04-2019, 12:22 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't think there are many things in our region which more concretely demonstrate how little idea engineers have about ped and cycling infra, than having tactile plates in a bike lane. Those are mostly for the blind, right? So a blind pedestrian won’t necessarily be able to tell where the bike trail is vs. the sidewalk, and might actually be on the bike trail. So as they approach the street they get the warning that they’re about to enter the street. Ideally, bike trails would be like streets from the point of view of indications for blind people — tactile strips, curbs, etc. At least I think I believe that. Essentially, bike trails would be roads, just with much narrower lanes and a prohibition on motor vehicles. That’s my theory anyhow. I’m more concerned about inconsistent or incomplete application of tactile strips. In some locations, I wonder if the tactile strips shouldn’t be wider, or if they really catch all the ways to enter the street. RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-04-2019 (11-04-2019, 02:42 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:(11-04-2019, 12:22 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't think there are many things in our region which more concretely demonstrate how little idea engineers have about ped and cycling infra, than having tactile plates in a bike lane. If that was the case the tactile strip should be between the bike lane and the pedestrian area. Basically, we have to decide if we are segragating bikes and peds or not, because in this situation we are and also we aren't at the same time...oh and for a bonus, we have a poorly placed post. Of course, for some level 10 insanity, we also have a place where we absolutely ARE segregating peds and cyclists and we still have tactile plate: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4927898,-80.5128655,3a,75y,266.38h,93.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sY24Xyx9wRB-IbtxGzzsGbg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Of course, everything about that intersection is broken, and someone should lose their job as a result of how bad it is, but that's another issue.... RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - timc - 11-04-2019 The tactile plates should only be used at pedestrian crossings. It seems to me that putting them in a bicycle crossing sends the wrong message to pedestrians. Those plates on Lexington are baffling. The ones near the bus stops along Columbia aren't much better. RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - ijmorlan - 11-04-2019 (11-04-2019, 03:48 PM)timc Wrote: The tactile plates should only be used at pedestrian crossings. It seems to me that putting them in a bicycle crossing sends the wrong message to pedestrians. In both of those cases, they are placed across the line where a blind person could step into motor vehicle traffic without stepping down a curb. So I think I understand why they are there, but at the same time I agree they’re weird. In the Lexington Rd. case there is also a weird bit of concrete joining the sidewalk to the area near the transition from on-road lanes to off-road trail. I don’t know why there is any concrete there — couldn’t the asphalt bicycle lane just separate from the rest of the road in much the same way that a freeway ramp separates from the main roadway? I agree putting the tactile strips in a bicycle crossing sends the wrong message to pedestrians in general, but I think the theory of their installation is that no one can enter a motor vehicle roadway without either stepping down a curb or crossing a tactile strip. Unless we’re going to build bicycle routes as roads (i.e., no one can enter them without either stepping down a curb or crossing a tactile strip) or have exceptions, there will have to be oddities of this nature. Of course I think it would be great if bicycle routes were given the same respect as motor vehicle routes. OK, I just took another look at the Columbia St. example, and there is a huge driveway entrance where the sidewalk goes across the driving route into the Sobey’s mall. By my theory, there should be tactile strips across the sidewalk at either side of the driveway. But I guess the idea is that the driveway is a driveway, not a place where people have to cross the road. I don’t know. I agree it’s a mess. I’m not convinced the problem is specifically with the placement of tactile strips in these locations. RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-04-2019 (11-04-2019, 05:17 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:(11-04-2019, 03:48 PM)timc Wrote: The tactile plates should only be used at pedestrian crossings. It seems to me that putting them in a bicycle crossing sends the wrong message to pedestrians. On Lexington the concrete is there because cyclists are expected to dismount and walk to the sidewalk. Basically it's the traffic engineering equivalent of "I have no fucking clue" But yeah, you point out the driveway example, blind peds could walk off the sidewalk there, and there is no tactile strip. On Columbia the tactile plates are in the path of cyclists, walking off them would not put you on the road, nor is it where someone SHOULD cross, which is the other thing they are supposed to indicate.... Like I said, nothing demonstrates the complete lack of understanding of bike and ped infra as tactile plates. Its literally just flailing about... RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - jamincan - 11-16-2019 (09-14-2019, 04:47 PM)panamaniac Wrote: That seems to read too much into it. In initial media reports, the reporter will often have no confirmed information as to possible culpability and, pending charges, is limited in what can be reported even if culpability seems obvious. Those constraints seemed obvious in the initial reports on this accident, which happened "in the vicinity of the IHT" (the reporter likely had no confirmation that the cyclist was riding the trail). He or she will, on the other hand, know whether the bicyclist was wearing a helmet, because that information can be shared immediately (and in a case of head injury it is pertinent information, although some may disagree). I doubt there's anything more to it than that. It is true that subsequent reports about charges, and the outcome of those charges, often do not seem to have the same prominence as the initial collision reports. Following up on this conversation, there is some actual research out about how editorial decisions influence perceived blame by readers: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198219300727#t0005 Quote:Abstract RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-24-2019 The Homer-Watson Blvd. MUT is almost complete, it's rideable (around the closed signs) from Ottawa to Schneider's Creek. The Budd Park section is still gravel, but I don't know if there are plans to improve that section as part of this project or not. But it's still passable. I recorded the ride, with a few notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lMX4Etcvrg&t=63s RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - jeffster - 11-25-2019 Watching that video you would think that MUT's are a great alternative to bikes sharing the road, IMHO. For sure I'd prefer this over the other options: riding the bike on sidewalk or on the roads themselves. RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - KevinL - 11-25-2019 (11-25-2019, 03:59 PM)jeffster Wrote: Watching that video you would think that MUT's are a great alternative to bikes sharing the road, IMHO. For sure I'd prefer this over the other options: riding the bike on sidewalk or on the roads themselves. It's certainly a fine alternative on Homer Watson, which is one of the most cardiac of arterials you'll find - almost no pedestrians make any use of it. This provides very few conflicts when cycling. Other streets do not succeed as well with MUTs only, in place of sidewalks. The Region's judgement on what to put where has generally been good, but far from perfect. RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Bob_McBob - 12-02-2019 Christ, I cannot believe how many people think "the mess" (i.e. the bike lane pilot) is a reasonable excuse for drivers going the wrong way and pulling any number of other dangerous maneuvers. Apparently because there is no "malicious intent" it's perfectly reasonable for someone to break the law and put others in danger. War on cars though, right? RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Acitta - 12-03-2019 Here are the top 10 collision hot spots for pedestrians and cyclists in Waterloo region Social Sharing RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Acitta - 12-03-2019 Better bicycle infrastructure would be a benefit to city RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Acitta - 12-18-2019 Fresh steel for the Iron Horse Trail RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - clasher - 12-19-2019 (12-18-2019, 07:54 PM)Acitta Wrote: Fresh steel for the Iron Horse Trail About time! |