Bike lanes, sharrows coming to downtown residential Kitchener streets

New bike lanes, contraflow bike lanes and sharrows are coming to downtown Kitchener.

The city's community and infrastructure services committee approved the new cycling measures Monday. Staff cited the 2010 cycling master plan, which indicated cycling infrastructure was needed on Young Street and Duke Street.

The recommendations on Tuesday included:

• Install bike lanes on Young Street between Duke Street W. and Weber Street W.
• Install a southbound contraflow bike lane on Young Street between Weber Street W. and Maynard Avenue, and put sharrows within the northbound travel lane. The sharrows means the city will also drop the posted speed limit on Young Street to 40 km/h.
• Install an eastbound contraflow bike lane on Duke Street E., between Cedar Street N. and Pandora Avenue N.
• Reinstate two hour parking on the north side of Duke Street E. between Madison Avenue N. and Cameron Street N.

The staff report noted both Young Street and Duke Street are one-way, local residential streets "that are comfortable for cycling." Contraflow lanes means bikes will be permitted to go the opposite way of vehicular traffic.

"Adding contraflow bike lanes will enhance the connectivity of the streets to the wider cycling network," the report said, including a better way of getting to and from the Olde Berlin Town neighbourhood, which is just east of the downtown core.

The report said the estimated cost for signage, pavement markings, bike signal, sensors and the removal of parking meters will be approximately $56,000.

The committee's decision will still need to be ratified. It will go before city council on Aug. 26.

If approved, the work is scheduled to take place this fall.