Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

There's a short stretch of Northfield that I was riding on today for the first time in years, between Davenport and University, it looked pretty recent. The design is the same as Blair Road with the occasional bollard and some paint but it was far smoother than the car lanes along there.  Turns out TriTag wrote about it last year so I guess that is why it's news to me. Traffic wasn't busy so going back into mixed traffic wasn't a problem but it could get tricky if it were busy. Still it's a nice connector

But connector to what?  One end is at University which has bike lanes, the other end connects to nothing though.  This is what confused me about this section.  Even the new bike lanes they built for the LRT end a few hundred meters before that starts.  Worse, because it's a two way piece, it's even worse going the other way, you end up at the wrong side of the road with no safe way to cross.

[Markster]

But connector to what?  One end is at University which has bike lanes, the other end connects to nothing though.  This is what confused me about this section.  Even the new bike lanes they built for the LRT end a few hundred meters before that starts.  Worse, because it's a two way piece, it's even worse going the other way, you end up at the wrong side of the road with no safe way to cross.

Can confirm.  The separated multi-use-trail is nice while it lasts, and is way better than riding on Northfield itself, but the ending going westbound is extremely unceremonious. And c once you cross to the correct side of Northfield, you get to contend with potholes and fast cars for a few blocks until the bike lane starts.

Oh, the "one end" is at Bridge, not University. It's hard to get on to the trail there, approaching from Bridge heading northbound. You can either choose to be a "left turning car" that turns way tight into the crosswalk, or you can wait for the light and be a pedestrian. Either way, it's weird, and I'm sure all the cars around be are cursing me.

[danbrotherston]

...

Oh, the "one end" is at Bridge, not University.  It's hard to get on to the trail there, approaching from Bridge heading northbound.  You can either choose to be a "left turning car" that turns way tight into the crosswalk, or you can wait for the light and be a pedestrian.  Either way, it's weird, and I'm sure all the cars around be are cursing me.

Ahh, you're right, my mistake. And yes, but I do that tight left turn maneuver enough around town I'm used to it . I'm still wary of right turning cars from the left though.

[clasher]

Well I came up King Street on that trail thing then I stopped to look at the LRT construction at the conestoga mall stop and went right onto Conestogo road and through the roundabout on Northfield and there was a little bit of bike lane before Davenport but then you're back to road and a traffic lane disappears after Wissler so there's a bit of traffic to contend with. I rode all the way to University because I didn't feel like going all the way to Conestogo. It really isn't too useful right now I guess.

[timc]

I wish they would experiment with the Copenhagen-style of bike line here in Waterloo Region. It has a number of advantages: being inside the parking lane (and also typically having a reasonable buffer between parked cars and the bike lane) reduces the risk of dooring, being inside of the parking lane and having a curb in other situations reduces the chances of vehicles parking in the bike lane, and being inside the parking lane provides separation from car traffic making the lane feel safer.

Whenever I ride on Margaret, I kind of wish they had tried something like this. Keeping the bike lane along the curb seems like a nicer idea than going out and around the empty parking spaces.

[danbrotherston]

I wish they would experiment with the Copenhagen-style of bike line here in Waterloo Region. It has a number of advantages: being inside the parking lane (and also typically having a reasonable buffer between parked cars and the bike lane) reduces the risk of dooring, being inside of the parking lane and having a curb in other situations reduces the chances of vehicles parking in the bike lane, and being inside the parking lane provides separation from car traffic making the lane feel safer.

Whenever I ride on Margaret, I kind of wish they had tried something like this. Keeping the bike lane along the curb seems like a nicer idea than going out and around the empty parking spaces.

I don't think it would work with a painted bike lane.  I don't think drivers would be comfortable parking 1.5 meters out from the curb, just because there's a line there, I think they'd just park in the bike lane.  Further, you really need more space for such an arrangement because there needs to be a buffer for doors, and obstructions in the gutter.  the other problem is because you are behind cars, there needs to be a buffer between parked cars and driveways, so that turning vehicles have a chance to see you, and that isn't possible with a street lined with homes.

I'm frequently torn on these issues, but I do think some things aren't really worth doing unless they're done right.  It leads to infrastructure which doesn't get used, and that just gives people another argument against putting in more infrastructure.  That being said, in that regard, I don't know if a wandering painted bike lane is worse than the situation that would occur with the bike lane at the curb.

[Pheidippides]

It is too bad that winter isn't more consistently and predictably cold. It would be an interesting experiment in tactical infrastructure to have the street plow first clear a street, for example university, and then have a smaller plow then clear a bike lane and push the snow back into the street leaving the snow windrow between the driving lane and the bike lane for an instant, but fleeting, segregated bike lane. It would probably provide some protection from an encroaching motorist by slowing them down if they happened to drift in to the cycling lane, but would create problems with visibility and ice and ponding in the bike line.

[Canard]

I'd read on twitter that the City of Kitchener is now ploughing the Spur Line Trail (thanks to WRC's very own Zanate)!

My other half has a beater mountain bike with knobby tires so I thought I'd give it a go.

   

   

I've never ridden a bike in the snow before, so was pleasantly surprised at just how little I was sliding around, even on the hard-packed snow of some of the side streets around where we live.

Now I just have to figure out why my lungs feel like they're on fire, and I'll be able to go more than a couple of kilometres...

[danbrotherston]

@Canard Kudos! Winter Biking can be great fun.

[plam]

I've never ridden a bike in the snow before, so was pleasantly surprised at just how little I was sliding around, even on the hard-packed snow of some of the side streets around where we live.

Now I just have to figure out why my lungs feel like they're on fire, and I'll be able to go more than a couple of kilometres...

Nice! I always watch out for when I make a turn. Gotta not turn on ice or you'll find yourself on your butt. The lungs has something to do with the coldness of the air. Using a scarf or a balaclava helps a bit, but it's just hard.

[clasher]

I got a solid 50km ride in today since it was so sunny, the roads were almost all clear except a few spots in the country. My lungs are fine but I work outside in the winter a lot so I'm used it I guess.

[plam]

I got a solid 50km ride in today since it was so sunny, the roads were almost all clear except a few spots in the country.

The part of my commute on Elgin St was treacherous this morning with the black ice.

[clasher]

I got a solid 50km ride in today since it was so sunny, the roads were almost all clear except a few spots in the country.

The part of my commute on Elgin St was treacherous this morning with the black ice.

It was ideal black ice weather this morning, all that rain yesterday and a cooling overnight. I miss winter commuting when I'm forced to work out of town.

[Pheidippides]

The small section of bike lane on Park from Union to William (both sides) is being used completely for snow storage; and that was before the latest dumps and dustings.

[danbrotherston]

The small section of bike lane on Park from Union to William (both sides) is being used completely for snow storage; and that was before the latest dumps and dustings.

Sadly this seems to be par for the course.  Despite city operations protestations, I generally consider bike lanes as closed during the winter.

Personally though, I don't mind it too much.  Given roads are slippery, I'd rather ride in the traffic lane where it's clearer, and also, I'd rather not have a third of a bike lane that drivers can feel entitled to try and bully me into.