Trails

[Pheidippides]

Final layer of asphalt is in from Regina to William on the spur line trail. The pole support in the middle of the trail at William looks to be gone as well.

[plam]

Final layer of asphalt is in from Regina to William on the spur line trail. The pole support in the middle of the trail at William looks to be gone as well.

Yeah. I still noticed a couple of missing curb connections but the trail is substantially complete. Lights aren't on yet. And yes, no more pole in the middle of the trail. There were some cones still on the weekend though.

[Pheidippides]

 Lights aren't on yet.  

Someone told me that was because the wiring was stolen after it was initially installed; does anyone know if that is true?

[zanate]

The dogleg in the trail at Union has been corrected! The asphalt was torn up and relaid, the new configuration meets the curb cut properly. Nice to see.

Also, some of the missing concrete curbcuts are being poured today.

[rangersfan]

The Laurel Trail is mired in countless detours at the moment, everyday is a new route.

[rangersfan]

Kitchener to invest in the Iron Horse Trail. I really wish there was a greater appetite for expanding the trail past Ottawa. The article says that the section near Ottawa is the least used, I think this is partly because the trail becomes a little more disjointed there as well as the trail just abandons the user.


http://m.therecord.com/news-story/607926...orse-trail

[plam]

Kitchener to invest in the Iron Horse Trail. I really wish there was a greater appetite for expanding the trail past Ottawa. The article says that the section near Ottawa is the least used, I think this is partly because the trail becomes a little more disjointed there as well as the trail just abandons the user.


http://m.therecord.com/news-story/607926...orse-trail

The streetscape is also pretty hostile down near Ottawa. The proposed bike lane on Ottawa connects to Iron Horse, yes? There's also the proposed cycle path on Homer Watson. But getting from Iron Horse to Homer Watson is terrible.

[clasher]

I think there is a plan out there somewhere to pave the existing pseudo-trail that runs along the golf course and courtland under the 7/8 at least to Hayward. Now if there was a bike lane on Hayward, or even a trail that followed Schneider Creek it could connect to Homer Watson through part of St. Mary's. I never ride on H-W as my preferred route going anywhere in south Kitchener is to head down Wilson Ave. and through the park there, Old Mill is a nice quiet road though it's a bit hilly.

[highlander]

Work was started today on the short section of trail that goes from the south end of Belmont into Lakeside park.

This was paved late last week. Should be a big improvement especially in spring and fall.

[Andy]

Does anyone know what is happening with Len's Mill's parking on the Spur trail? I found this report, but nothing is conclusive: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...5-0811.pdf . I went there yesterday and the parking lot is right on the trail. It's well used and requires driving right down the trail to reach the parking spots. Is this going to change? It seems like a horrible idea as is.

EDIT: Ok, so it looks like this was discussed on the previous page. Doesn't look like any conclusion has been met. That's disappointing.

[plam]

Does anyone know what is happening with Len's Mill's parking on the Spur trail? I found this report, but nothing is conclusive: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...5-0811.pdf . I went there yesterday and the parking lot is right on the trail. It's well used and requires driving right down the trail to reach the parking spots. Is this going to change? It seems like a horrible idea as is.

Yeah, I would concur with "horrible idea" and add "accident waiting to happen". I don't think anyone knows what the best solution is yet. Although I'm not in favour of minimum parking requirements it does seem like Len's Mill would have a problem without that parking, since it's not that easy to park nearby.

[timio]

It seemed that part of the Laurel Trail between Columbia and University was getting prepared for paving yesterday. A roller was flattening the terrain.

[timc]

I've been using the new and improved Laurel Trail in Waterloo, and I enjoy the bicycle crossing at Bridgeport Road. I hope that a plan can be made for a similar crossing at Erb Street. But the really difficult crossing is at Weber Street.

This is the beautiful trail crossing: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4719094,-...6656?hl=en

I am interested in knowing whether there is any plan to make it better. It seems to be too close to Lincoln to add a pedestrian signal, but also far enough to make one not want to walk to Lincoln to cross. Crossing mid-block on Weber Street is dangerous at the best of times, and impossible at the worst of times. Is a pedestrian overpass feasible at all at this location? How much would it cost? Is there enough room on either side to build one?

[clasher]

I used to use that trail to ride to work up past Conestoga Mall. Using the lights at Lincoln was kinda dangerous too, many drivers roll through the green without yielding to pedestrians using the light. A bridge would be really nice but I think the best we could realistically hope for would be a pedestrian island.

[tomh009]

A pedestrian bridge doesn't need to take much space at all if you build it Tokyo-style, with stairs parallel to the road.

But I can think of only a single pedestrian bridge in Kitchener and Waterloo (across University avenue, between UW and the parking lots). Is there political will to build more? Would bicyclists be willing to carry their bikes up/down the stairs?