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Calgary Bike Lanes and Bike Paths

Does anyone know the rationale for these new sidewalk/cycletrack hybrid zones? Seems to be increasingly a standard we are building

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What's wrong with keeping the bicycles at street level? There's a similar issue on the Bow River pathway for the new areas on the riverwalk where the asphalt just disappears into a "mixing zone" with other pathway users. This seems opposite of what we should be doing which is clearly delineating the traffic by speed.

And we still can't seem to get corners lined up for bicycle or pedestrians! What's so hard about making a sidewalk continue straight to a crosswalk?
 
Maybe too many cyclists and other wheelers aren't stopping for pedestrians, so they put pedestrians in the way to force people to slow down? just seems silly
 
CBBarnett said:
Does anyone know the rationale for these new sidewalk/cycletrack hybrid zones? Seems to be increasingly a standard we are building

View attachment 608355
What's wrong with keeping the bicycles at street level? There's a similar issue on the Bow River pathway for the new areas on the riverwalk where the asphalt just disappears into a "mixing zone" with other pathway users. This seems opposite of what we should be doing which is clearly delineating the traffic by speed.

And we still can't seem to get corners lined up for bicycle or pedestrians! What's so hard about making a sidewalk continue straight to a crosswalk?
Click to expand...

It creates a few big problems - say lights are green E-W, you may have pedestrian(s) waiting to cross N-S exactly where the bike wants to travel. I've recently experienced it where two peds and a dog made it impassible.

Another issue I see is that it essentially puts cyclists onto the pedestrian crossing signals instead of the big red-yellow-green lights. It sucks as an active user to arrive near the end of a cycle with a solid DON'T WALK (based on geriatric crossing times), but the main light is still green, especially when there is traffic wanting to turn across that line. Hopefully there are good bike signals, but they are often not obvious to drivers. On 12 Ave turning traffic is on a separate signal, but I can't see that happening here (maybe turns prohibited?)

And each of these creates 4+ opportunities for a rough connection to develop between pavement and curb
 
lemongrab said:
It creates a few big problems - say lights are green E-W, you may have pedestrian(s) waiting to cross N-S exactly where the bike wants to travel. I've recently experienced it where two peds and a dog made it impassible.

Another issue I see is that it essentially puts cyclists onto the pedestrian crossing signals instead of the big red-yellow-green lights. It sucks as an active user to arrive near the end of a cycle with a solid DON'T WALK (based on geriatric crossing times), but the main light is still green, especially when there is traffic wanting to turn across that line. Hopefully there are good bike signals, but they are often not obvious to drivers. On 12 Ave turning traffic is on a separate signal, but I can't see that happening here (maybe turns prohibited?)

And each of these creates 4+ opportunities for a rough connection to develop between pavement and curb
Click to expand...
That's the stuff I am getting at - seems like some pretty obvious problems - in addition to routing the cycling routes over and around sloping wheelchair ramps, tactile strips etc. Even if it doesn't materialize in any increased danger, it's certianly awkward, confusing and non-standardized - all things a transportation system should be trying to avoid.

But that's the downside, what are the upsides? If the downsides are so obvious, why did they propose it? Surely there's some logic or combination of rules that create this sub-optimal outcome in a design?
 
CBBarnett said:
That's the stuff I am getting at - seems like some pretty obvious problems - in addition to routing the cycling routes over and around sloping wheelchair ramps, tactile strips etc. Even if it doesn't materialize in any increased danger, it's certianly awkward, confusing and non-standardized - all things a transportation system should be trying to avoid.

But that's the downside, what are the upsides? If the downsides are so obvious, why did they propose it? Surely there's some logic or combination of rules that create this sub-optimal outcome in a design?
Click to expand...
Upside(s) I can see are:

1. reduces crossing distance for pedestrians + increased visibility


The question I have for the planners is do they want motor vehicles to use 15th for anything other than local access (ie. 1-2 blocks)? Currently there is a stop sign or light at every single intersection, so I'd think the answer is no (though I might also ask if they expected anyone to use the current bike lanes for an extended distance ...)

These plans eliminate EB stop signs at 10th, 6th, and Centre St, and opens more access at Macleod.

There are lights at 8th, 5th, 4th, 2nd, 1st SE - I would think that installation of bike signal lights would also come with some revision to give a little bit more green time to 15th...or will it be beg buttons? no info on the web page. That's probably not enough to make a huge difference for vehicle traffic, but who knows? At least it wouldn't be too hard to do some traffic calming if it ever does become an issue.
 
Tell me you have spikes on your tires?!

Unfortunately these are "must-bus" days. I can do snow and the cold, until about -15, but the ice this created is a no go. I started biking because of frustration with CT buses in winter.

Yesterday was a brutal wait for the 20 and then the max yellow. Standing at my stop for the 20, the max yellow went by twice (max yellow doesn't stop near me). I use to take the 7 or the 13 but can't stand the number of stops on those routes. Hilariously I saw the 7 (normally goes down 33rd Ave and 14th Street) going northbound on Crowchild past 33rd. 14th must've been in impassable.
 
Winter bike tires are a game changer. wet slush and car driven half compressed snow-dirt are the worst - not much can mitigate those. .
 
Studded tires turn the ice to asphalt, i'm not sure how anyone would winter commute without them, there is so much freeze/thaw here.

But yeah I'm the same, good to ride until -15 then its just too hard to keep the hands/head warm. Takes me 15 minutes to get to work by bike, or 45 minutes by bus. Easy choice
 
No studded tires yet, trying to find a new rear wheel for my winter bike, apparently quick release 27.5" wheels are tough to find. My summer commuter is a MEC gravel bike, debating whether to throw studded tires on that and ride it all winter. I ride the glacier path in winter and studs are definitely the key.
 
Mountain Man said:
No studded tires yet, trying to find a new rear wheel for my winter bike, apparently quick release 27.5" wheels are tough to find. My summer commuter is a MEC gravel bike, debating whether to throw studded tires on that and ride it all winter. I ride the glacier path in winter and studs are definitely the key.
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N+1 is always the answer. Winterize your gravel bike, and start searching for a new gravel bike.
 
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