Bike Lane Buzz
Consultation has concluded
What’s all the buzz about?
You may have heard that we’ve installed bike lanes on four streets in Alcona – Anna Maria Ave., Jans Blvd., Leslie Dr. and Webster Blvd. These lanes are a new pilot project to promote physical activity and see whether residents use them as a way to get around town.
Provincial Partnership
The Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program (OMCC) is a multi-year funding program allowing the Province of Ontario to invest in municipal cycling infrastructure. In the fall of 2017, the Town applied for this funding in support of PKS213 - Implementation of the Trails Master Plan.
The Town has been successful in obtaining a grant of $137,994.47.
Active transportation is one of the lynchpins of any municipal transportation network. The funding received as part of the OMCC program will support the Town’s efforts to become more cycling and pedestrian-friendly. The proposed improvements will benefit the health and well-being of residents, provide environmental benefits, reduce greenhouse gases and form an important part of our future trail network.
Why are we doing this?
This bike lane pilot project is a result of community feedback collected over the course of our Transportation Master Plan in 2017. You told us that you wanted more bike lanes in town, and now we’re making it happen. Rather than implement them all over town, we decided to start with a few in order to measure how successful they are first.
As the lines were not painted correctly in 2019 the Town repainted the lines during the Summer/Fall of 2020.
What are the next steps?
Public Engagement
The below Q&A is provided so that we are able to hear from the community throughout construction and through the pilot period. The pilot is currently scheduled until the end of 2021.
The Town wants to hear the good and the bad related to the bicycle lanes. Are they being used? Do cyclists feel safer using them versus riding on the road as it was before the bicycle lanes were implemented?
Public Education
The Town will be utilizing automated bicycle counters to monitor the usage of the bike lanes. The counters will allow Town Staff to collect data to showcase actual usage versus perceived usage. Once this information is collected Town Staff will conduct a full review of the pilot and present the information to Council who will either extend the project permanently, or let the paint fade out naturally.
Attached to this page under the Bike Lanes Educational Resources tab are information sheets for each roadway that will be receiving bike lanes. Please review and provide any feedback that you may have under the Q&A section of this page.