Trails

[danbrotherston]

As for alternatives, they still have the protectedish bike lanes on Queens and Belmont right?  Usually I would use them to connect to the trail into downtown. You can also go across Stirling and go up the trail or even Cortland depending on where in DTK you’re headed.

Yeah Queen still has the decent protected lanes. Unless I misunderstood though you mean to take Belmont there, and that has essentially a painted bike lane across the Sobeys driveway, and a slip lane to cross just past that at Highland. Not ideal for my spouses comfort level.

The new Highland Road East bike lanes connect to Stirling now, so that isn't a bad option either. But is it just my luck, or is something stupid always happening at Pleasant Ave? Like a car always hanging out on the bike lane trying to shoot a gap in traffic, not checking both directions properly.

....

Yes, I did mean going up Belmont. I do agree the slip lane is pretty uncomfortable there. But at least in the Northbound direction it's pretty decent I think (the biggest challenge is the left turn off Highland then, which when I wasn't brave enough, I would do as a two stage turn, but I now realize you can also cut off the lakeside trail right to the stub end of Belmont where it's a side street and then just go straight through the lights). But of course your comfort may vary.

Oh yeah! I forgot about the Highland lanes, they were built since I left (although I remember they were proposed). I should check them out next time I'm in town. If you want to avoid the Stirling/Pleasant intersection, you can also turn right onto Mausser Ave. and avoid making a left onto Highland as well.