Ottawa-Gatineau cycling news

Envirocentre, the contractor for the City of Ottawa's Bike to Work month has been out and and about with the bike trailer. The bike trailer is actually on loan from Citizens for Safe Cycling, with modified side panels for the Bike to Work month. Did you know that the bike bars in the logo initially had the grips pointing upwards, like a mountain bike? We suggested to make it more city bikey so the designer pointed them towards the cyclist....

The folks have been all over the city this year, actively promoting cycling at (to) the work places.

Here is a quick update that we received today from Envirocentre for those who signed up for the contest already:

We’re adding an extra twist for the final week of this year’s contest: refer and win! You’ve already signed up, but we’re guessing you have family, friends, and colleagues interested in cycling to work that haven’t entered the contest yet. Participants who refer their friends and colleagues to pledge will be entered into a draw to win a $50 MEC gift card! As soon as you’ve convinced someone to participate, simply e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject line “Referral: Name of new participant”. The draw will be held at the end of the day on May 31.

Here are some highlights of the month so far:

• ·         1,260 participants in the online contest
• ·         53 workplace teams
• ·         11 BikeMobile stops, with cycling resources and giveaways
• ·         Media launch and opening of the O-Train Pathway
• ·         10 workplace Lunch and Learns
• ·         Launch of Bike Buddies program
• ·         Launch of Bike-Friendly Business Designation
• ·         Workplace profiles: check the Recent News page for your team photo and write-up!

Thanks again for your enthusiasm and encouragement, and we wish you an excellent last week of Bike to Work Month (although we bet you’ll be cycling all summer!).

The Bike to Work Month Team

Community Sustainability Programs

envirocentre.ca 613-656-0100 ext. 117

enviroboutique 366 rue Rideau Street, Ottawa  K1N 5Y8

The Enviroboutique also sells our bike seat rain covers.

The NCC has been changing the method of keeping unauthorized motor vehicles from entering some of its multi-use pathways.  They are replacing the typical fold-down bollard with what's called a "P-gate"--so named because it looks like the letter "P" when viewed from one side. On a standard pathway, the 'loop' part of the "P" extends from a post (the stem of the "P") at one side to beyond the central yellow line of the pathway.

Concerns

This change is causing some concern for pathway users, due to a reduction in the width of the passageway.  Whereas the bollard allowed simultaneous cycle travel in both directions, the P-gate will allow only one bicycle/pedestrian through at a time.  Plus, the opening feels much more constricted than with the typical bollard because the P-gate is higher and at handlebar height for most bikes.

We have received input from cyclists that these gates are a safety hazard.  The restricted space, and knowing who has the right to pass through first when two cyclists meet are the biggest issues.  (Placement of the opening is not consistent across all the installations; sometimes it's on the side for entering the path and sometimes it's on the side for leaving it.  BTW, if you meet a pedestrian coming the other way, yield to the pedestrian.)  P-gates at the bottom of a grade are also a danger, especially in wet weather.

Ideas wanted

We are looking for suggestions we can take to the NCC on improving the situation.  Do you have a better gate design?  Or some signage or pavement markings that would make things safer?

Note: You should know that the bollards were rejected because their hinging and locking mechanisms would corrode from being so close to the ground (due to snow and rain, and even dog pee!).  They also apparently did not fold low enough to clear certain maintenance vehicles.  The P-gate can be swung fully out of the way when vehicles need to access the pathway. 

Paul Clarke
Director, Citizens for Safe Cycling

paul dot clarke () safecycling dot ca

Photos by Paul Clarke

Here are six impressions of the Ottawa - Gatineau Bike Sundays. Organised for the 43rd time, Ottawa opens 50 kilometers of parkways for non motorised traffic. While outsiders might scratch their heads about how a city can just close its parkways, the population is so used to it that no one ever complains about it. Which goes to show how much more cycling is embedded in Ottawa's local psyche than some people would like you to believe.

Although opening roads for Bike Sundays is not common in North America, Ottawa has been standing out as a positive example since 1970. From Victoria Day in May until Labour Day in September a total of 50 kilometers (31 miles for our many American visitors) of parkways are closed from 9 am till 1 pm.

Despite the gray weather and a threat of rain looming, it appeared that thousands were out on their bikes again.

So when popular speakers on public space concepts proudly show examples of that great Bike Sunday they have once in year since 20xx, Ottawans politely smile, knowing that we have already 43 years of bike Sundays under our belts.

Hartwell Locks has always been a popular Canal crossing, with its scenic setting at the south end of the Arboretum. Just in time for the Bike Sundays, a bike trough was finally installed on the stairs leading up to the Locks (or away, depending where you come from). The vast majority figured out how to use it, with people taking clues from each other. We suggested to one lady to hold the bike by the bars and control the bike's speed by using the hand brakes when going down. Pushing it up the trough, holding the bike seat at the back while pushing the bike up might be a good idea.

Information on the Bike Sundays can be found on the NCC web site.

It took about ten years, but finally it is in there. The trough at the Hartwell locks. We'll spare you the details, but the story is unbelievable. One of the past managers at the City of Ottawa didn't think it was necessary to have a bike trough there, while he was watching seniors struggling to get their bikes down the stairs. He stuck to it for six years. Than finally there was change in management, but as usual in Ottawa, there is always another agency somehow involved, in this case Parks Canada. Parks eventually OK'ed the trough last autumn and then it took another seven months before it was installed. We have been on it for a long time but we are happy it was installed today. 

We watched some cyclists using it but it appeared that others are so accustomed to lifting their bikes that they didn't even notice the trough. Most bikes went through the trough though, we thought. (now there is a tongue twister for non native English speakers).

Although we are pleased, it is kind of sad that in 2013 we are happy with a 4 meter rod of steel in our bike infrastructure while at the other end of the city, $200,000,000 is poured into widening the Queensway in a time that that car boom might be over. 

Next step: a crossing between the Hartwell Locks and Carleton University. Apparently, this is priority at the NCC. On demand lights would be great. It is only a 15 seconds inconvenience for drivers.

Ottawa cyclist Kathleen Wilker adds: "A really great part of this story is that after all the hard work to achieve that particular trough, there are now troughs installed on ALL the steps that are part of the brand new O-Train Pathway, even when there is a ramp close by. I feel like the O-Train Pathway is a new standard in best and cycling-friendly practices that is very exciting and encouraging and is a product of many years of advocacy and education." Well said.

More on the locks and lots of examples of troughs (or channels or ramps) from other cities at the Urban Commuter blog. (our current president)