I'm conflicted on how to proceed with bike lanes, as I believe it depends
on our objective for the space. I think at this point for the 'pilot
design' I would prefer no bike lanes for two reasons: to allow the space to
truly become an extension/alterative to Carl Zehr square and second to
encourage people to use the already planned (and funded) bike lanes on
Water Street. The current right of way is heavily constrained and bike
lanes would limit programming opportunities - I agree with Darcy's
and Melissa's points.
In the final greenway design when the road is dug up, I think there should
definitely be bike lanes integrated into the design.
Since it is a pilot project to start, we could always revisit the bike lane
topic once we see how the space is used and if there are in fact conflicts
between bikes and users of the space.
Matt Rodrigues
On Tue, Apr 2, 2019 at 11:29 AM Darcy Casselman <dscassel@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Like I mentioned at the meeting, Gaukel doesn't make any sense as a fast,
dedicated cycleway into DTK. There's no easy way to get to it from the
north/east and to get to it from the Iron Horse Trail, you run into all
sorts of pedestrian traffic in Victoria Park on the bridges and paths. And
then there's the grade.
I really want a connection between IHT and Spurline, but it feels like
Water would make more sense for that than Gaukel, and it sounds like Water
St plans are in progress. A David St/Ontario St cycleway also makes a lot
of sense, and that too is in the plans.
I want cycle access on the new Gaukel, but I think a multi-use trail sort
of thing, continuous from the park, makes more sense than a fast two-way
cycleway.
Darcy.
On Mon, Apr 1, 2019 at 2:59 PM Melissa Bowman <dtkmelissa@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
I bike down Gaukel but rarely 'up' it :) I usually choose Ontario going
that way. However, I am usually biking to/around city hall. I don't know if
that's a destination to tons of folks or not. If Ontario/Water get better
cycling infra, I could easily be convinced to switch my route that way
though.
I tend to advocate for bike lanes on all new street renos, however, if we
make this more of a park like setting, then maybe specific cycling infra is
not ideal? I'd still want cyclists to be able to use that space, but maybe
not as a thoroughfare.
On Mon, 1 Apr 2019 at 14:25, Sam Nabi <sam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
We know there is physically enough room for separated bike
infrastructure, but is Gaukel a desirable route for cyclists?
Should separated bike lanes be part of the final greenway design? Should
they be part of the temporary pilot design?
I actually bike down Gaukel street quite a bit, mostly to avoid Queen
Street. I think we should include protected/separated bike lanes in the
proposal for both the pilot and final greenway design.
Sam Nabi
sam@xxxxxxxxxxx
226-988-4137
--
Melissa Bowman
Community Builder
*Building Community Together*
