Fore! Multi-Use trail skirting the greens come spring!

Good things keep happening, although too many projects get held up by objections and politics. In the case of the multi-use trail to carry cyclists and pedestrians through the civic golf course to link Kirkendall neighbourhood to the newly completed extension of the Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail, some neighbours objected to the trail in 2010, and appealed to the Niagara Escarpment Commission. The NEC has just denied the appeal meant to stop the trail, so word is that spring and summer will mean construction of the missing link through the links...only two years behind schedule!

Bike Repair

Detroit Bike City from Alex Gallegos on Vimeo.

TLC January Meeting

Transportation for Liveable Communities (TLC) will meet at 7pm, Thursday, January 26 at the McMaster University Student Centre room 220.
We will be discussing sustainable transportation issues and planning action. Meeting is open to all with an interest in taking action on pedestrian, cycling, transit, traffic calming, etc.

Cancelled

From the City of Hamilton Cycling Page: the following Shifting Gears Cycling Plan projects have been cancelled, a situation made possible by a council amendment to the cycling plan upon adoption, allowing Ward councillors to veto projects. Projects are mapped by TLC here.

• Mohawk Road (McNiven Road to Filman Road) - wider asphalt platform was not included in the resurfacing [project #127 in Shifting Gears; Councillor Ferguson, Ward 12]
• Nash Road - as Councillor approval was not granted [project #76 in Shifting Gears; Councillor Collins, Ward 5]
• Barton Street (Nash Road to Centennial Parkway) - relocation of utilities/poles impeded the project [project #13, Councillor Collins, Ward 5]
• Queensdale Avenue - as Councillor approval was not granted [project #83 in Shifting Gears; Councillor Jackson, Ward 6]

Not There Yet...

Some observations based on the "Bike Friendly" article from the Hamilton Spectator, January 9, 2012 (copied below).

"delayed" - while it's understandable that delays with specific projects will occur, the big delay not mentioned is the potential 40-year timeline to implement the cycling network based on city council spending.
"$300,000 per year" has been the amount annually budgeted for cycling since well before the updated Shifting Gears Cycling Plan, and has had years where this amount was cancelled (most notably in 2003 during World Cycling Championship in Hamilton). This rate would mean the cycling network would have trouble being completed even in the long 40 year time frame quoted. The city would need to spend $1.25 million a year to complete only the urban portion, or $2.5 million to complete the urban and rural plan in 40 years.
"Patchwork, disconnected" is an ongoing complaint with bike lanes ending abruptly and leaving cyclists to contend with multiple lanes of vehicles including transport trucks.
"high speed traffic" is one of the unaddressed problems in the city, and traffic calming, like two-way traffic on what are now fast and wide one way streets, should be implemented sooner rather than later to make streets safer for all users.
"better parking facilities" - nothing says you're not welcome like a lack of bike parking at key destinations.
"separated infrastructure...along major roads" - while other cities like Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto are moving toward physically separated lanes to encourage more people to cycle, there is nothing in Hamilton's cycling plan acknowledging this latest innovation. Major roads have not been included in the Shifting Gears cycling plan and cyclists feel this is to keep cars moving as fast as possible while relegating bicycles to back streets along disjointed routes.
"new lanes currently planned" - the list given here are lower city streets primarily west of downtown; are other city wards getting lanes, or are they getting cancelled?

2 years of Pedestrian Accident Locations Mapped in Open Data

Open Government Data Initiative

2008-2009 Pedestrian Accident Locations in Hamilton ON

Up Front About McMaster's Main Entrance

January 3, 2012

Councillor Brian McHattie,

City of Hamilton

Dear Brian,

I am writing on behalf of Transportation for Liveable Communities (TLC) to formally request that the city of Hamilton take an active role in McMaster University's proposed changes to traffic patterns at the Main St. Entrance to McMaster University. The area of concern is a city property under your jurisdiction, yet there appears to have been little information shared in the planning.

As we understand, McMaster University has retained the MMM Group to assess the traffic situation at McMaster’s Main St entrance with the goal of enhancing safety. We applaud McMaster’s intention of improving safety at this dangerous location, which we have discussed with you numerous times over the past several years. Nevertheless, we would like a more open and transparent consultation with local residents and stakeholders to ensure overall City and McMaster transportation priorities emphasizing pedestrian, bicycle and public transportation are met. Dealing with the front entrance in isolation, as a McMaster University issue, will present difficulties for a satisfactory outcome.

Sincerely yours,

Randy Kay

For TLC

cc - TLC

Daryl Bender

tlchamilton.org

Previous TLC articles
Back to Front Entrance
Main Concern
Related Articles:

Related Articles:

http://ppims.mcmaster.ca/construction/entrance.htm

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=4340

http://www.mcmaster.ca/opr/html/opr/our_campus/campus_plan/mac_univ_front_entrance.html
http://www.mcmaster.ca/mufa/newsfeb8.htm [re: original intent to have cars use internal campus pedestrian zone]
http://www.mcmaster.ca/opr/html/opr/media/main/NewsReleases/2005/NR_mainst.html (Daily News re: announce construction]

cars are dangerous and roads are chaotic: proof

The Spectator is reporting that

"Allan Maki, who was convicted of dangerous driving causing three deaths when he went into diabetic shock, has been handed a suspended sentence without jail time. The judge called the ruling exceptional, because Maki has Type I diabetes. The judge said he had no intent of causing harm. The Crown was seeking a reformatory sentence. Maki was given three years' probation, a 10-year driving prohibition and has to complete 240 hours of community service within 18 months - all of which are the maximum allowable."

The original tragic story unfolded here, in Hamilton on York Blvd.

Bike Lanes 2.0

On the Right Track from Mayor Sam Adams on Vimeo.

plains plans

Functional Design Analysis of Plains RoadThe City of Burlington is currently studying how Plains Road should be re-designed in the next ten years.  For more information about this important project click on link and visit the Plains Road Corridor Functional Design and Implementation Strategy web page. Tell Burlington what changes you would like to see along Plains Road.  To participate, complete the online survey or fill out the Comment Form (Word document).

December Meeting

TLC is having a meeting Thursday, December 15 at 7 pm to 8:30pm at the McMaster University Student Centre room 311 - we will discuss recent initiatives, and plan for future actions around sustainable transportation in Hamilton - pedestrian, cycling, transit etc.
If you have ideas and are willing to put time and energy into seeing ideas become actions, then please attend!
You can contact tlchamilton@gmail.com for more information.

Anti-Bus Bias?

Transit in the Media: as Hamilton tries to remake itself into a more "balanced" transportation city, the local media can perhaps try unloading the cars-first bias, subtle as it is: why not begin the article with "transit riders, take note: your commute is about to get a bit faster." 
This kind of setting the tone is not without precedent when the topic is cars - but then again, car ads are an important revenue stream, so perhaps the bias is partly self preservation?
Regardless of the motivation, be it conscious or unconscious, the world is presented to readers in a certain light: cars are to be inconvenienced by transit, or cyclists, or pedestrians. It follows that a perceived "war on the car" can be announced at any time and gain traction in the media, despite the obvious fact that cars have been having their way in the city for generations.
In the interest of democratic give-and-take, we all have to learn to share the existing roads. Can we get the media to spin a little without internal combustion engines turning the wheels?

Free Lecture November 7

Coroner review of Cycling Deaths in Ontario

First there was the Coroner's report on Toronto, now an Ontario-wide review into cycling fatalities:
- - - -
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/10/24/ontario-coroner-cycling-death-review.html

ONTARIO CORONER TO PROBE CYCLING DEATHS

Ontario's chief coroner will investigate an increase in cycling deaths across Ontario during a five-year period, it was announced Monday.

Dr. Dan Cass, a regional supervising coroner based in Toronto, leads the review and will look into all cycling-related deaths from 2006-10, searching for some common factors.

If Cass can see any similarities between the deaths, he will make recommendations to help increase cycling safety across the province. A final report should be released in spring 2012.

The investigation was initiated because of a concern surrounding cycling safety. The coroner estimates between 15 and 20 cyclists die on Ontario roads every year from accidental collisions.

Toronto cyclists union already on board
Toronto's cyclists union, which estimates a total of 35 pedestrians and cyclists die each year on Toronto roads, has already commended the coroner for undertaking the probe.

The coroner's office has also already met with Toronto lawyers Patrick Brown and Albert Koehl, who are both on the cyclists union, concerning the review.

"Safety improvements for one group of road users benefit other users. Any decrease in collisions will also reduce health care costs, suffering and family grief, which makes this initiative very important for the entire community," said Brown.

According to the cyclists union, there has been a reported 30 per cent increase in the number of people riding to work across Canada.

A 2009 poll cited by the union also revealed 60 per cent of Ontarians would cycle more but are afraid to do so.

Toronto cycling last reviewed in 1998

Toronto's regional coroner completed a review of cycling safety in the city in 1998 and made a long list of recommendations.

The final report asked for more detailed reporting of collisions, more education for cyclists and motorists and increased awareness surrounding helmet use, among other recommendations.

The report also called for more bike lanes and safer areas for cyclists to ride in Toronto.

This latest investigation also comes two weeks after an Ottawa woman — who was cycling to work — died after she was knocked into moving traffic by someone opening a car door.

Official Opening of Rail Trail extension over Highway 403

Councillor McHattie's office is extending an invitation to cyclists to attend the official opening of the new rail trail extension from Kirkendall to West Hamilton, past the railyard and over Hwy 403. A formal ceremony to celebrate the opening happens Wednesday, October 26 at 10 a.m. on the west side of the railyard at Stroud - so show up to celebrate cycling style!

Note that the city is still waiting for a decision from the Niagara Escarpment Commission about the cycling path link between Studholme and Glenside, across the Chedoke Golf Course.

Back to Front Entrance

The problematic front entrance at McMaster University's Main Street entry point that went from bad to worse with a major re-design and construction in 2007 is back on the drawing board at the University.

While we couldn't locate anything about the project on the McMaster web site page for the front entrance, or parking and transit, we did receive a copy of the pdf document prepared by consultants on the project for the university.

TLC will be following up with the university and city council about this major intersection that currently presents a dangerous situation for cyclists and pedestrians.

With the newly paved rail trail connection south of Main Street, there needs to be a way for cyclists to access the campus with some specific infrastructure in any new design at this location.

Improving the pedestrian crossings is also a priority for TLC, as the current design attempts (and fails) to serve automobile traffic at the expense of all other modes.

The McMaster University Faculty Association has been monitoring the situation, and some details about the project can be found in their newsletter.

Cycling City Style: Minneapolis Midtown Greenway

Minneapolis' Midtown Greenway: Good for Biz, Good for Bikes. from Streetfilms on Vimeo.
Look at the strides a city comparable in size to Hamilton has done for cycling!

Smooth Ride for West Enders Tomorrow

The extension of the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail is being paved today, and will make for a smooth ride for west end commuters tomorrow.

This significant and long-awaited cycling link is nearing completion, with lighting and landscaping and some fencing to follow the paving.

They city will maintain the trail all year, removing snow in winter, which will make this a popular trail for cyclists, hikers and joggers.

Built on an abandoned CP rail line, the trail extends from Studholme Road in the east, to the Main West Fortinos plaza and the Hamilton to Brantford trail head at Ewan Road to the west (Project #3 on TLC's Shifting Gears Cycling Master Plan map: click here to view) providing a safe, car-free crossing over highway 403.

A link to Glenside Avenue through the Chedoke Golf Course will further strengthen this connection linking South West Hamilton to neighbourhoods south of McMaster University, and into Dundas. 

Congratulations to the city staff and councillor Brian McHattie for seeing this through to its conclusion.

Bike Box in Ottawa (photo R.K.)

"The first bike-box in Hamilton is about to be installed on Studholme Road at Aberdeen Avenue. A bike box is used at intersections to designate a space for cyclists to wait in front of cars at a red traffic signal so cyclists are more visible to auto drivers. A bike box minimizes confussion between left-turning cyclists and right-turning cars as well. The City of Guelph has created an informative video to explain how both bicycles and automobiles are to operate at bike boxes.  Click here to get informed." (source: City of Hamilton)


The installation of the bike box accompanies the installation of a traffic light of course (pictured during installation), which will make this intersection safer by addressing poor sight-lines at the rail bridge.


This intersection will be significant for cyclists seeking to connect from Aberdeen and Studholme to use the new addition to the Hamilton to Brantford Rail trail.


These projects in the city's Ward One will be augmented by recently announced Bike Lanes for Dundurn Street North between King and York Blvd. 

What: Pedestrian Mobility Master Plan PIC #2
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2011
Time: 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (open house format) & presentation at 6 pm
Location: Central Library, Hamilton and Wentworth Rooms, 555 York Blvd, Hamilton

The purpose of this study is to undertake a comprehensive Pedestrian Mobility Master Plan for the City of Hamilton. This plan will establish a 20 year (2031) framework to improve the pedestrian environment and increase the opportunity for walking as a mode of transportation (active travel) and recreation that is efficient, comfortable, safe inclusive, accessible and improve health of communities and economic development.

The first round of PICs held earlier this year identified the opportunities and constraints to walking and mobility in the City. PIC #2 will present the alternative solutions based on public and agency input gathered from PIC #1.

More information about the Master Plan, including the Boards from PIC #1 can be viewed athttp://www.hamilton.ca/PedestrianMP.

A second meeting, which will present the same information, is scheduled for September 10, at Turner Park Library, Main Foyer & Program Room, 352 Rymal Rd. E., 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Open house/drop-in format, presentation at 2:00 p.m.