PROTECTED BIKE LANE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT UNDERWAY – 23RD STREET LANE NOW OPEN
City of Saskatoon (City) officials gathered in Civic Square today with representatives from Saskatoon cycling groups to launch the City’s Protected Bike Lane Demonstration Project and to officially open the 23rd Street Protected Bike Lane.
A Protected Bike Lane is a dedicated, marked lane for use by people riding bikes. The lane is physically separated from people driving cars by a painted buffer and flexible posts.
The new 23rd Street Protected Bike Lane runs between Idylwyld Drive and Spadina Crescent East in both directions. As the lane runs through the downtown transit terminal, people using the lane will continue to walk their bikes through the terminal, as per existing rules. A second lane will open in the summer of 2016, on 4th Avenue from 19th Street East to 24th Street East and will connect to the Broadway Bridge.
“Protected Bike Lanes provide another safe option for people to move around our downtown and are part of our continuing efforts to make Saskatoon an attractive, vibrant city, and to improve quality of life,” said Alan Wallace, Director of Planning and Development, for the City. “We also hope the lanes will bring more people into the downtown area so that local businesses can benefit as well.”
In March 2015, City Council approved a recommendation to proceed with a Protected Bike Lane Demonstration Project downtown. The goal of the project is to create a vibrant and healthy downtown by improving cycling as a strategy to increase the attractiveness of the downtown for businesses, residents, visitors, employers and their employees.
Saskatoon Cycles was represented at the event by Hilary Gough. "Cycling infrastructure, such as bike lanes, is a critical component of a bikeable city. We’re excited to see this important step being taken in our downtown and look forward to further improvements that will help make Saskatoon more accessible, and safe, for everyone."
The project will be evaluated over the next 18 months to determine the impact of the lanes on the downtown area. A report, and a recommendation on the future of the project, will be prepared for City Council in early 2017.
According to research conducted prior to the start of the demonstration project, 95% of people surveyed on this topic said they believe the lanes will increase the comfort level of people riding bikes; 85% believe they will improve the accessibility of downtown; 84% believe they will make the downtown more attractive; and 60% also said they would ride their bikes more if they felt safer downtown.
Visit www.saskatoon.ca/cycling to watch an instructional video as well as a short video about the project.
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