Trails

[Canard]

I've been having a blast tweaking my bike ride to and from work on the days when I can do it.  A friend of mine on Strava twigged me to a way I could avoid Wilson, between Wabanaki and Fairway (which is kind of not fun), by taking this trail through the "Schneider Creek Greenway":

   

It's absolute bliss:

   

   

   

[jamincan]

I had thought about that, as I've run on that section of trail a number of times, but I didn't realize there was a connection between Manitou and Vanier - it looks a little ad hoc at the moment?

[razzie13]

I live near there and it it just gorgeous. Although it sucks how the trail just ends at Manitou. A chunk of that way used to be a rail line that linked up to the tracks that run under Block Line, and I'm hoping somehow that right of way is in the public domain as well. It would be nice to use that corridor to eventually link to the iron horse trail.

[danbrotherston]

I had thought about that, as I've run on that section of trail a number of times, but I didn't realize there was a connection between Manitou and Vanier - it looks a little ad hoc at the moment?

Such a connection only exists within the future plans of the trails document.  When it's done, it could prove to be quite nice....if the crossings are improved.  Right now, they're difficult.

The Manitou crossing is near where the cyclist was hit recently, but I don't know if it is related.

[KevinL]

I believe there is some reservation of space along the creek which will allow that, and it's intended to go in over the next couple years. I hope they make it a priority, especially with the LRT station at Block Line.

[Canard]

I had thought about that, as I've run on that section of trail a number of times, but I didn't realize there was a connection between Manitou and Vanier - it looks a little ad hoc at the moment?

It's not too bad. People have trampled down a pretty good "desire line" and it looks like GrandLinq has even packed down the connection with one of those things that look like a giant palm sander

I didn't want to bring it up but I'm also pretty sure I can see exactly how that cyclist got hit about a week ago on Wabanaki. Based on the photos from the news it was exactly at the trail crossing. When I went through, traffic Westbound on Wabanaki was backed up all the way up the hill to Wilson in the left lane (for people turning left onto Manitou) - but the right lane was completely free. So you have a wall of cars not moving that you have to cross... and then someone rockets down the right lane doing 80.

[Viewfromthe42]

That would be interesting reporting by the media if this was the case. It would be like reporting about how a child was killed on a road, but not mentioning that it was because someone did not stop for the flashing lights of a school bus. If you reported that a cyclist was killed at a well-used but unsafe trail crossing, it might suggest to the public and politicians that conditions for cyclists should change.

[Canard]

Well, without trying to sound too negative, that's standard fare for CTV. Their reporting of the impending reopening of the King St. Grade Separation made no mention of pedestrians or cyclists seeing the relief, only drivers.

After looking at the photos again, her bike was laying about halfway between the bridge over Schneider Creek, and the trail crossing - so, about 50m East of the crossing... not exactly at the crossing itself. Although her bike might have gotten chucked that far.

My views on this crossing are only from the standpoint of going through it once (yesterday afternoon) but I'm seasoned enough to know a bad situation and potential for conflicts when I see one.

[danbrotherston]

That would be interesting reporting by the media if this was the case. It would be like reporting about how a child was killed on a road, but not mentioning that it was because someone did not stop for the flashing lights of a school bus. If you reported that a cyclist was killed at a well-used but unsafe trail crossing, it might suggest to the public and politicians that conditions for cyclists should change.

In the interests of fairness, few details were released by police, it may not have been known at the time what happened.  

But yes, the media has issues reporting properly on road safety issues.  Our media isn't as bad as some but...it still leaves much to be desired.

[Pheidippides]

UW grounds truck pre-maturely aging the freshly paved Laurel trail at University:
   

New stop sign in middle of Laurel Trail at Seagram:
   

New access across Ion tracks near the south edge of the park/bridge over Laurel creek/Father David Bauer connecting to the new trail on the west side of the tracks:
   
(still a big ditch to negotiate between tracks though)

[Canard]

I still completely fail to see the point of the "TPSS viewing trail" on the far side of the tracks. It connects nothing!

[Pheidippides]

For now. The park master plan calls for another connection across the creek to the west side of the park.

Also, for active commuters that trail will likely be a lot faster and less frustrating to use than negotiating all the bodies while crossing the Ion tracks/platform further north.

[Markster]

Well that was placed poorly.

[KevinL]

Indeed. The 'Stop' and 'Look' signs could easily have been on the same pole.

[danbrotherston]

Well that was placed poorly.

Who does that?  Do they not care?  Or do they not think?

And *sigh*...crosswalk markings.  Well, now it's illegal to bike across.  Great.