June is Bike Month in Waterloo region
Bike lights, a website, and public input on the Iron Horse Trail is being promoted
Kevan Marshall thinks you can get to intimately know your community by hopping on a bike and discovering the various trails and neighbourhoods in Waterloo region.
The cyclist and transportation planner with the region is encouraging two wheel activity for this June's Bike Month by promoting bike lights, a new website and public input that will see the extension of the Iron Horse Trail.
Marshall, the principal planner, transportation demand management with the region, told Craig Norris on The Morning Edition, the Bright On campaign is an attempt to raise awareness that bike lights are a provincial legislation a lot of people may not know about.
"30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunlight you must have a white front light and red rear light or red rear reflector on your bike," said Marshall.
"We will be giving out free front and back lights at bike events this month."
Marshall also talked up a new website for cyclists www.BikeWR.com which he describes as a one stop shop location with local information from city bike events to community rides.
The region partnered with the cities to pool resources to make it easier to find cycling related events and they also want the community to add events to that website.
As an active cyclist himself (he cycled to CBC's downtown Kitchener studio), Marshall calls the region "a really encouraging place to bike, especially for a new rider" with many riders using trails. The Region and Kitchener are holding a public consultation Tuesday June 6 at the Tannery Event Centre to discuss the Iron Horse Trail Extension that will eventually connect to the future King-Victoria Transit Hub in downtown Kitchener.
He points to the City of Waterloo statistics which saw some encouraging numbers on the use of the Spur Line Trail after placing a counter near Roger Street last spring.
From May 30, 2016 to May 30, of 2017, the traffic count shows 95,867 cyclists with an average 265 per day used the trail. Marshall said data shows peak commuter times were between 7:00 a.m and 9:00 a.m and 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m..
He also applauded the Tric-Cities Transport Action Group (TriTag) for collecting and mapping cycling infrastructure projects taking place in the region.