Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

Uptown Waterloo Facebook and Instagram pages are reporting that the Uptown Waterloo *might* be "open" July 10th. What that means isn't clear, what time or if there will be an event, and...most importantly...if they'll have cars parked in them...ha ha.

Edit: Also on twitter, and since Twitter actually gives the ability to link to a post here's a link: https://twitter.com/UpTownWaterloo/statu...8475254784

[bgb_ca]

Uptown Waterloo Facebook and Instagram pages are reporting that the Uptown Waterloo *might* be "open" July 10th. What that means isn't clear, what time or if there will be an event, and...most importantly...if they'll have cars parked in them...ha ha.

Edit: Also on twitter, and since Twitter actually gives the ability to link to a post here's a link: https://twitter.com/UpTownWaterloo/statu...8475254784

https://www.kitchenertoday.com/local-new...day-976956

[timc]

I sure hope that an aggressive ticketing/towing campaign is part of the opening.

[Canard]

Amazing.

https://twitter.com/s_kristoferson/statu...24961?s=21

This is all on you, City of Waterloo, for refusing to break bad habits when you had the chance.

[bgb_ca]

What's up with the white box around the symbols? Poor paint job? It looks really sloppy.

[panamaniac]

Amazing.

https://twitter.com/s_kristoferson/statu...24961?s=21

This is all on you, City of Waterloo, for refusing to break bad habits when you had the chance.

I can't imagine the paint damage to the passenger side of those vehicles, where the cyclists were obliged to squeeze through such a tight space ...

[Canard]

What's up with the white box around the symbols? Poor paint job? It looks really sloppy.

Overspray; they put down a rectangular template with a cutout where the symbol goes, then use spray paint over top. If the template isn't large enough, or there is wind or they're careless, the paint goes over the edges. Very sloppy indeed, and is sad to see considering the rest of the project looks quite attractive.

[chutten]

What's up with the white box around the symbols? Poor paint job? It looks really sloppy.

Overspray; they put down a rectangular template with a cutout where the symbol goes, then use spray paint over top.  If the template isn't large enough, or there is wind or they're careless, the paint goes over the edges.  Very sloppy indeed, and is sad to see considering the rest of the project looks quite attractive.

I remember seeing the rectangles yesterday before they sprayed the decals today. So it might not be overspray but some sort of location marker?

[jeffster]

What's up with the white box around the symbols? Poor paint job? It looks really sloppy.

Overspray; they put down a rectangular template with a cutout where the symbol goes, then use spray paint over top.  If the template isn't large enough, or there is wind or they're careless, the paint goes over the edges.  Very sloppy indeed, and is sad to see considering the rest of the project looks quite attractive.

You think that's bad? Go to Kitchener City Hall and the underground parking, they obviously had drunks painting the lines in there.

[Pheidippides]

What's up with the white box around the symbols? Poor paint job? It looks really sloppy.

Those were there before the symbols went on. I think they were to show the crew where to place the symbols.

I mentioned them on July 4th:

Also, groups of three rectangular patches about 150m apart were cleaned and outlined in rough with white paint on the separated cycling lanes in uptown. I am guessing that is a precursor to the actual lane markings getting applied.

[KevinL]

I think it's leftover reflective powder. They first spray the liquid coloured paint, but then sprinkle a powder of some sort of reflective material (to aid nighttime visibility) before the paint sets. I think the stuff outside the rectangle is that powder, but not sure.

[bgb_ca]

I think it's leftover reflective powder. They first spray the liquid coloured paint, but then sprinkle a powder of some sort of reflective material (to aid nighttime visibility) before the paint sets. I think the stuff outside the rectangle is that powder, but not sure.

I just took a stroll in uptown and had a closer look. The border is spray paint, and the symbols were that plastic they used for the sidewalks, and looked just as sloppy close up.

[welltoldtales]

I was on the lanes Sunday. They are OK. And there wasn't a parked car on any of them. In fact cars very much seemed to know where the lanes was and wasn't.

[clasher]

   
I rode them for the first time this morning and someone was parked in front of the stag shop, guess it was an emergency. There were crews installing some more permanent signs but I didn't stop to read them. I also noticed for the first time the counter in front of King Street Cycles. Personally I don't go uptown very often but my preference remains riding on Regina street, even if/when the lanes go all the way up to University I'd rather just use the quieter roads.

[Pheidippides]

Beat me to it. Still there as of 2:15:
   

Another one:
   


Here is the counter:
   

I think this will be the biggest danger riding in these lanes: vehicles using the lane at a high speed to get around other vehicles, which would be prevented with an actual curb: