Fredericton seeks ways to improve cycling

Survey asks people about challenges on trails and bike paths and what improvements could be made

Image | nb-fredericton-cycling-study

Caption: Fredericton officials are asking for ideas on how to improve cycling in the city. (CBC file photo)

Fredericton is hoping a new survey will help official find new ways to improve cycling in the capital, according to the city's chief traffic engineer.
"We have some areas that we know there's some concern about — biking through the downtown, for example," said city traffic engineer Jon Lewis.
"We've got good trail connections to the fringes of downtown, but we don't have dedicated facilities through the downtown."
The survey asks people to list challenges related to the existing trails and bikeways in the city and also what they like about them and what upgrades should be the top priority.

Image | Jon Lewis

Caption: Jon Lewis, the Fredericton's chief traffic engineer, wants to make the city more friendly to cyclists. (CBC)

Lewis said he hopes cycling in the city becomes a more viable choice for people once the survey is con
"I suspect there's a lot of people out there, like myself, that enjoy cycling but certainly have concerns about cycling with traffic," he said.
"We have a great trail system, how do we better connect our bike lanes to destinations where people want to go?"
The city will use the results of the survey to add to a plan to upgrade the city's cycling infrastructure in the next five to 10 years, said Lewis.
"This will ... direct where the next moves are for us," he said.
"We've done the easy moves, but now it's time to start making more connections and where are those connections?"