The stop-light pitch
Here is a stop-light pitch for candidates for City Councillor, a one-line cycling policy. Continue reading The stop-light pitch
Category: cycling in Ottawa
Cycling Along the CBC
CBC Ottawa bikes were spotted at City Hall recently. See the interview on expanding the Ottawa bike paths. Continue reading Cycling Along the CBC
Bike Post on Somerset
The City is reusing about 12% of its retireing parking meter posts as bike posts Continue reading Bike Post on Somerset
Transportation Committee approves Otrain corridor bike path
Transportation Committee approved construction of the Otrain corridor bike path for 2011-12. The path runs from the Ottawa River at the Prince of Wales bridge, south to Carling Avenue and Dows Lake. Continue reading Transportation Committee approves Otrain corridor bike path
Bike parking posts
For the first time I noticed the new bike locking rings and posts. Too few posts are being converted to bike locking posts. I am alarmed by the City’s choice of very high standards for where to locate the posts. It means we won’t get nearly enough of them. Continue reading Bike parking posts
Gov’t Downsizing
These mini-traffic lights were on a post in Gatineau. I could not determine if they were for cyclists. Or pedestrians. Or if they went off and on with the bigger lights. I recall seeing these everywhere in France, but that is because they skip the big light fixtures on the far side of the intersection in favour of big ones over the stop line only. The plethora of push buttons didn’t make it any clearer. I eventually walked my bike across against a red light (I was on a bike path detour that led me to the intersection and abandonned … Continue reading Gov’t Downsizing
Gov’t Downsizing
These mini-traffic lights were on a post in Gatineau. I could not determine if they were for cyclists. Or pedestrians. Or if they went off and on with the bigger lights. I recall seeing these everywhere in France, but that is because they skip the big light fixtures on the far side of the intersection in favour of big ones over the stop line only. The plethora of push buttons didn’t make it any clearer. I eventually walked my bike across against a red light (I was on a bike path detour that led me to the intersection and abandonned … Continue reading Gov’t Downsizing
Sidewalk to No-where
the sidewalk on the west side of Sliddel approaching the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway The sidewalk on the east side of Sliddel Sliddel is a little street that connects the new trafic roundabout at Bayview-Burnside to the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. As shown, it has sidewalk stubs that sort of die as they approach the NCC lands. The City and NCC had no apparent problems with deciding where to put cars, curbs, traffic signals, and sod. They have lots more problems with pedestrians and cyclists. Why dont the sidewalks go right out the traffic lights where people cross? According to … Continue reading Sidewalk to No-where
Sidewalk to No-where
the sidewalk on the west side of Sliddel approaching the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway The sidewalk on the east side of Sliddel Sliddel is a little street that connects the new trafic roundabout at Bayview-Burnside to the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. As shown, it has sidewalk stubs that sort of die as they approach the NCC lands. The City and NCC had no apparent problems with deciding where to put cars, curbs, traffic signals, and sod. They have lots more problems with pedestrians and cyclists. Why dont the sidewalks go right out the traffic lights where people cross? According to … Continue reading Sidewalk to No-where
Metering thoughts
The City continues — with some delays* — to replace parking meters with pay-and-display kiosks. The old meters are not immediately removed, however, since motorists are used to what they look like and seek them out. Instead, each one is converted for six months or so to signs telling motorists to look for the pay-and-display kiosk. After that breaking in period, the old meters are removed. All of them. A small percentage of them — 12% — will be retrofited to become bike hitching posts. The city will then go out to find places to locate these new posts. Some … Continue reading Metering thoughts
Metering thoughts
The City continues — with some delays* — to replace parking meters with pay-and-display kiosks. The old meters are not immediately removed, however, since motorists are used to what they look like and seek them out. Instead, each one is converted for six months or so to signs telling motorists to look for the pay-and-display kiosk. After that breaking in period, the old meters are removed. All of them. A small percentage of them — 12% — will be retrofited to become bike hitching posts. The city will then go out to find places to locate these new posts. Some … Continue reading Metering thoughts
Economical thirst quenching
My bike panniers will each hold a six pack very nicely. It’s a bit too precarious to fit in a 12 pack. If you go to the LCBO, two six packs will cost you the six pack price times two. If you go the Beer Store, their policy is two six packs will cost you a twelve pack (and two twelve packs costs same as a 24). I think the Somerset Beer store is a fabulous place. Except … expect some long lines if you show up at 10am Monday (recycling day). Continue reading Economical thirst quenching
Economical thirst quenching
My bike panniers will each hold a six pack very nicely. It’s a bit too precarious to fit in a 12 pack. If you go to the LCBO, two six packs will cost you the six pack price times two. If you go the Beer Store, their policy is two six packs will cost you a twelve pack (and two twelve packs costs same as a 24). I think the Somerset Beer store is a fabulous place. Except … expect some long lines if you show up at 10am Monday (recycling day). Continue reading Economical thirst quenching
Lemieux Island area (iv)
At the south (Ottawa) end of the Prince of Wales railway bridge over the Ottawa River, the City has installed large gates & fences to keep peds and cyclists from using the bridge as a shortcut to Gatineau. Thwarted peds have kicked down the fence, whose posts were bolted into concrete, etc etc. There is a security guard on the Gatineau side, 24/7. If someone crosses the bridge, he points out the fence is there to keep people off because it is dangerous to use the bridge. So he sends the ped or cyclist back to the Ottawa side. There is … Continue reading Lemieux Island area (iv)
Lemieux Island area (iv)
At the south (Ottawa) end of the Prince of Wales railway bridge over the Ottawa River, the City has installed large gates & fences to keep peds and cyclists from using the bridge as a shortcut to Gatineau. Thwarted peds have kicked down the fence, whose posts were bolted into concrete, etc etc. There is a security guard on the Gatineau side, 24/7. If someone crosses the bridge, he points out the fence is there to keep people off because it is dangerous to use the bridge. So he sends the ped or cyclist back to the Ottawa side. There is … Continue reading Lemieux Island area (iv)
Lemieux Island area (iii)
Lemieux Island has a pleasant park on west and south sides of the Island. Most of the Island is fenced off to guard the water filtration buildings. This vehicle-proof gate and lengthy stone barricade prevents vehicles from accessing a service road around the south side of the Island. The narrow road/path beyond has nice pedestrian-scale lighting and is a popular dog running / dog swimming / occasional-human swimming area. The barrier to prevent unauthorized vehicle access, which is fine. But why does have have to block 100% of the paved surface, forcing peds to walk on the freshly seeded sides? Doesn’t anyone plan … Continue reading Lemieux Island area (iii)
Lemieux Island area (iii)
Lemieux Island has a pleasant park on west and south sides of the Island. Most of the Island is fenced off to guard the water filtration buildings. This vehicle-proof gate and lengthy stone barricade prevents vehicles from accessing a service road around the south side of the Island. The narrow road/path beyond has nice pedestrian-scale lighting and is a popular dog running / dog swimming / occasional-human swimming area. The barrier to prevent unauthorized vehicle access, which is fine. But why does have have to block 100% of the paved surface, forcing peds to walk on the freshly seeded sides? Doesn’t anyone plan … Continue reading Lemieux Island area (iii)
383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements
The pictures above show the Claridge proposal for three residential (condo) towers in downtown Ottawa. As noted in a post a few days ago, they are to be built on the lot between the Crowne Plaza Hotel and 151 Bay condos. The current parking lot location abuts Barabarella’s dancing establishment, which will remain after this project is built. The two 28 storey and one 22 storey towers will have approx 481 apartments. They are located directly above the proposed west downtown LRT station which is under Albert Street. Perhaps those delighted looking ladies in the photomontage just exited the LRT … Continue reading 383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements
383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements
The pictures above show the Claridge proposal for three residential (condo) towers in downtown Ottawa. As noted in a post a few days ago, they are to be built on the lot between the Crowne Plaza Hotel and 151 Bay condos. The current parking lot location abuts Barabarella’s dancing establishment, which will remain after this project is built. The two 28 storey and one 22 storey towers will have approx 481 apartments. They are located directly above the proposed west downtown LRT station which is under Albert Street. Perhaps those delighted looking ladies in the photomontage just exited the LRT … Continue reading 383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements
Street closures unfriendly to cyclists
This is a typical street closure in Ottawa. Closed to cars … open to pedestrians … and closed to cyclists? Cyclists approaching this particular barrier on Spruce Street can choose to ride on the sidewalk (naughty naughty) or squeeze through the centre bollard or side spaces (provided no one is parked close). Why not remove the centre bollards and let cyclists carry on through? Yes, I know some motorbikes would go through too (they already do, on the sidewalk, I watch them daily do this on the Elm closure on the next block). Continue reading Street closures unfriendly to cyclists
Bushwacking for cyclists
Last week a group of concerned citizens participated with the City and its consultants on the routing exercise for the O-Train corridor cycling path (cyclopiste de Preston). Participants represented the NCC, Dalhousie and Hintonburg Community Associations, CfSC and Cycle Vision Ottawa members, a landscape architect, engineer, planner, and others. The cycling arterial will connect the Ottawa River cycling paths to the Otrain at Bayview, run along the tracks behind the City Centre complex, under Somerset via a new underpass, behind the PWGSC complex at 1010 Somerset, and come out at ground level again at Gladstone. Then a short overground stretch … Continue reading Bushwacking for cyclists
Street closures unfriendly to cyclists
This is a typical street closure in Ottawa. Closed to cars … open to pedestrians … and closed to cyclists? Cyclists approaching this particular barrier on Spruce Street can choose to ride on the sidewalk (naughty naughty) or squeeze through the centre bollard or side spaces (provided no one is parked close). Why not remove the centre bollards and let cyclists carry on through? Yes, I know some motorbikes would go through too (they already do, on the sidewalk, I watch them daily do this on the Elm closure on the next block). Continue reading Street closures unfriendly to cyclists
Bushwacking for cyclists
Last week a group of concerned citizens participated with the City and its consultants on the routing exercise for the O-Train corridor cycling path (cyclopiste de Preston). Participants represented the NCC, Dalhousie and Hintonburg Community Associations, CfSC and Cycle Vision Ottawa members, a landscape architect, engineer, planner, and others. The cycling arterial will connect the Ottawa River cycling paths to the Otrain at Bayview, run along the tracks behind the City Centre complex, under Somerset via a new underpass, behind the PWGSC complex at 1010 Somerset, and come out at ground level again at Gladstone. Then a short overground stretch … Continue reading Bushwacking for cyclists
LRT station design
On behalf of the Dalhousie Community Association, comments were submitted on the guideslines for the LRT stations. You can read about them here: http://dalhousiecommunityassociation.blogspot.com/2010/06/dca-comments-on-lrt-station-design.html If you are reading this blog, and interested in some of the nitty-gritty of how stations impact our neighborhood, it might be worth a read. The city’s document on LRT guidelines themselves is a thick document, probably available at their website. Continue reading LRT station design
LRT station design
On behalf of the Dalhousie Community Association, comments were submitted on the guideslines for the LRT stations. You can read about them here: http://dalhousiecommunityassociation.blogspot.com/2010/06/dca-comments-on-lrt-station-design.html If you are reading this blog, and interested in some of the nitty-gritty of how stations impact our neighborhood, it might be worth a read. The city’s document on LRT guidelines themselves is a thick document, probably available at their website. Continue reading LRT station design