Saskatoon seeks feedback on protected bike lanes before pilot project ends this fall
Test lanes installed on 23rd Street and Fourth Avenue in past 2 years
The City of Saskatoon is looking for public feedback on protected bike lanes that were installed as part of a pilot project that ends this year.
The Protected Bike Lane Demonstration Project was approved in March 2015 and a lane opened on 23rd Street later that year.
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Another lane on Fourth Avenue was opened in May last year.
The lanes are separated from motor vehicle traffic by a buffer of posts and parked cars.
With the pilot project ending after this summer, the city is looking for public input on whether the the bike lanes are meeting their goals.
Changes planned this summer
City director of transportation Angela Gardiner said some changes to the existing protected bike lanes are already being planned based on feedback from cyclists and downtown businesses.
The changes will attempt to improve alignment along Fourth Avenue, which changes width as it passes through adjacent intersections.
The city will also be moving signs for motorists from the curb to the buffer, and increasing its education campaign on how to use green cyclist "boxes" painted on the road at intersections.
"We want to make sure that we get the balance right in our city between people driving, taking the bus, walking or using their bike," said Gardiner.
"Protected bike lanes have been adopted permanently in other city centres but every city is unique. We need to find the right transportation mix for Saskatoon."
Cycling on test streets increases
Gardiner said the number of cyclists using 23rd Street had tripled since the project started, and the number of cyclists using Fourth Avenue was four times higher.
She said an average of more than 300 people per day are using the lanes, which is in line with what other cities such as Calgary and Vancouver experienced during their demonstration projects.
The city said a report and a recommendation on the future of the project will be prepared for city council in fall of 2017.
For more information visit the city's website or go to the Shaping Saskatoon website to provide feedback.
