Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

I didn't watch the virtual meeting, so I was unaware of what was happening with the region's portion of Duke, though I can see now it's obviously missing from the current plans. If anyone knows where I'll be able to find this meeting that would be appreciated (I seem to be saying this a lot lately).

I actually misread the map legend on the earlier information package, and thought a MUT was planned for David St, but it's actually a "neighbourhood bikeway". This is my fault for misreading this originally, but still very disappointing. The first time I took my partner out cycling we tried to take David St to the IHT, and she aborted by the time we got to the stop signs. From then on we had to go through Victoria park to the IHT, which takes about 7 minutes longer trying to not run children over. So it's very disappointing that what is essentially the only connection to the IHT aside from going through the park is listed as "All Ages and Abilities" when I have an adult uncomfortable riding on it. The IHT and Spur Line connections are really going to be my primary uses of this grid and David St and Duke St really complicate both of those now...

A question for anyone who attended the virtual meeting: Was there any mention of this MUT between Victoria Park and the Mike Wagner green? (Light blue on this map)

Wonderfully, CoK (and Region) have their videos on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtqS3dPa...fkitchener

This was the Community & Infrastructure Services Committee...I have no idea what that means, but the net result is on Monday the issue will be back at Council which probably won't reverse the decision.

Being aware of these meetings...there isn't a good option, you literally have to either read the news meticulously, or worse, read the agendas...it's all public, but it's not exactly accessible.

The MUT on Mike Wagner Green is not part of the downtown grid project but has been a project that the city has wanted to work on for a while now, it's still in the planning phases and I don't really expect it to be funded for at least a few years.  It's just shown as part of the planned downtown infrastructure.

For Duke, yes, quite a shame.  For David, I agree in part, to me, it depends a lot on the section and the day...when the park is busy David as a whole is a terrible street, I mean, leaving aside the traffic, there's lots of parked cars, and lots of drivers distracted by trying to find a space and getting angry about not finding one. I would hate to live there, and if the people in that neighbourhood had any sense that would be their top priority, instead of killing sidewalks in the park.

But on week days, Duke David west of Courtland is reasonably pleasant, I ride on it with my little one with no fear.  East of Courtland...definitely a different story...but it also depends on when you tried it, usually I find that the Courtland intersection is unpleasant but otherwise, it's pretty tolerable, only the occasional aggressive driver, but when something is closed on Queen...as it was several times this summer, all the traffic is routed on David and it was truely dangerous.  I'm also uncertain how it will be affected by the traffic. There is a whole heck of a lot of traffic cutting from David to Joseph. That will only be able to happen in one direction now, so probably it will be significantly reduced. The only other major traffic generator is the Drewlo building.  It could be that David gets better.  Or it could be that because of Joseph being one way, it gets worse. The traffic study probably makes an educated guess, but ultimately, we'll have to wait and see.

I do wish that they had planned some traffic calming measures, or more separation for David between Courtland and Joseph, but ultimately, I can understand why it wasn't a top priority. Of course, totally possible the VPNA would have killed it anyway.

[catarctica]

Wait Duke is reduced seriously? I lived in Duke and was very hyped for the bike lanes. I even went to virtual meeting to endorse it. This is so disappointing...

[tomh009]

The MUT on Mike Wagner Green is not part of the downtown grid project but has been a project that the city has wanted to work on for a while now, it's still in the planning phases and I don't really expect it to be funded for at least a few years.  It's just shown as part of the planned downtown infrastructure.

For Duke, yes, quite a shame.  For David, I agree in part, to me, it depends a lot on the section and the day...when the park is busy David as a whole is a terrible street, I mean, leaving aside the traffic, there's lots of parked cars, and lots of drivers distracted by trying to find a space and getting angry about not finding one. I would hate to live there, and if the people in that neighbourhood had any sense that would be their top priority, instead of killing sidewalks in the park.

But on week days, Duke west of Courtland is reasonably pleasant, I ride on it with my little one with no fear.  East of Courtland...definitely a different story...but it also depends on when you tried it, usually I find that the Courtland intersection is unpleasant but otherwise, it's pretty tolerable, only the occasional aggressive driver, but when something is closed on Queen...as it was several times this summer, all the traffic is routed on David and it was truely dangerous. 

That short piece of MUT would be very, very nice to have.

But ... intersection of Duke and Courtland? Maybe some other street? Benton and Courtland?

[danbrotherston]

The MUT on Mike Wagner Green is not part of the downtown grid project but has been a project that the city has wanted to work on for a while now, it's still in the planning phases and I don't really expect it to be funded for at least a few years.  It's just shown as part of the planned downtown infrastructure.

For Duke, yes, quite a shame.  For David, I agree in part, to me, it depends a lot on the section and the day...when the park is busy David as a whole is a terrible street, I mean, leaving aside the traffic, there's lots of parked cars, and lots of drivers distracted by trying to find a space and getting angry about not finding one. I would hate to live there, and if the people in that neighbourhood had any sense that would be their top priority, instead of killing sidewalks in the park.

But on week days, Duke west of Courtland is reasonably pleasant, I ride on it with my little one with no fear.  East of Courtland...definitely a different story...but it also depends on when you tried it, usually I find that the Courtland intersection is unpleasant but otherwise, it's pretty tolerable, only the occasional aggressive driver, but when something is closed on Queen...as it was several times this summer, all the traffic is routed on David and it was truely dangerous. 

That short piece of MUT would be very, very nice to have.

But ... intersection of Duke and Courtland? Maybe some other street? Benton and Courtland?

Ugh...sorry, David and Courtland...

[danbrotherston]

Wait Duke is reduced seriously? I lived in Duke and was very hyped for the bike lanes. I even went to virtual meeting to endorse it. This is so disappointing...

Yeah, it is a big disappointment.  The region, ultimately, owns Duke St. and they feel that they are unable to move transit operations off the street. They seem excessively greedy on this given that they refuse to give up space on Weber or Duke and thus are essentially holding the entire North/East side hostage.

That being said, city staff seem very confident that the region will eventually come to an arrangement. I don't know why they are confident in this, I certainly see no reason for it, but city staff ultimately would know better than me. I do recall they had at one point speculated about running buses in the LRT ION right of way. Which I think frankly, would be cool and a good use of resources, but I can also believe that Keolis would just say no to that without even considering it. So, who knows, we'll just have to wait and see.

Even if they do come around and allow transit on that section, there will still be an unfortunate outcome, which is the section they are building north of Water instead of being built in the roadway, (taking one lane and making it one way), is being built in the boulevard where there is space (there is no boulevard space south of Water) which means all the trees will be removed.

[jamincan]

Is King regional as well? It seems to me that King and Duke really shouldn't be regional roads based on their function in the regional road network. Yeah, transit runs on Duke, but it runs on all sorts of city streets.

[timc]

If I read this correctly, the part of King between Francis and Ottawa is CoK.

https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/livin...y-Name.pdf

[danbrotherston]

Is King regional as well? It seems to me that King and Duke really shouldn't be regional roads based on their function in the regional road network. Yeah, transit runs on Duke, but it runs on all sorts of city streets.

IIRC it wasn't a regional road until it was transferred for the purposes of running ION. It isn't a regional road where ION does not run. I'm not sure why it was necessary to make it a regional road to run ION, or if other roads (say Francis) are also regional roads now.

[danbrotherston]

If I read this correctly, the part of King between Francis and Ottawa is CoK.

https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/livin...y-Name.pdf

This is correct, this is *WHY* the road has things like Sharrows. The region does not use sharrows on their (two) lane roads, that was a city initiative.

[ijmorlan]

IIRC it wasn't a regional road until it was transferred for the purposes of running ION. It isn't a regional road where ION does not run. I'm not sure why it was necessary to make it a regional road to run ION, or if other roads (say Francis) are also regional roads now.

My understanding is that all roads the Ion runs on are (have been made) Regional roads. Which leads to the following fun fact: what is the shortest Regional Road? I believe it is Allen St. between Caroline and King (the rest of Allen is City of Waterloo as one would expect given its nature).

[Bob_McBob]

Temporary bike lanes boosted cycling traffic 41 per cent

[panamaniac]

Temporary bike lanes boosted cycling traffic 41 per cent

Is that boosted 41% City-wide, or 41% on the streets with temporary lanes?

[tomh009]

Temporary bike lanes boosted cycling traffic 41 per cent

Is that boosted 41% City-wide, or 41% on the streets with temporary lanes?

That’s about 41 per cent more cyclists on those roads, the report said. But on some roads the temporary bike lanes encouraged a much bigger increase. An average of 102 cyclists used the lanes on Coronation Boulevard in Cambridge every day, compared to about five cyclists a day before the pandemic.

[danbrotherston]

Is that boosted 41% City-wide, or 41% on the streets with temporary lanes?

That’s about 41 per cent more cyclists on those roads, the report said. But on some roads the temporary bike lanes encouraged a much bigger increase. An average of 102 cyclists used the lanes on Coronation Boulevard in Cambridge every day, compared to about five cyclists a day before the pandemic.

Now Cambridge, which saw a 2040% increase...that would be where they ended the project early right? Because it was just too successful?

In all seriousness, this is a great news report, thanks for posting. Its a really strong result.  Keep in mind, we're looking at an increase of 41% in a context where traffic in general is down 30% and the university (which is the primary driver of cycling in most of the study area) had few or no in person classes.

That's an absolutely remarkable showing...

Of course, some poeple still do not get it.  You can hear it in Michael Harris, who thinks we can just pave over the entire city...

[tomh009]

Now Cambridge, which saw a 2040% increase...that would be where they ended the project early right? Because it was just too successful?

In all seriousness, this is a great news report, thanks for posting. Its a really strong result.  Keep in mind, we're looking at an increase of 41% in a context where traffic in general is down 30% and the university (which is the primary driver of cycling in most of the study area) had few or no in person classes.

That's an absolutely remarkable showing...

Of course, some poeple still do not get it.  You can hear it in Michael Harris, who thinks we can just pave over the entire city...

Well he is from Woolwich...