New signs on Sooke River Bridge/ HWY 14; SHARE THE ROAD

Part of the work we are doing with MOTI is trying to get some signage on the highway. This is one of the first steps at the Sooke River Bridge and Ayum Creek Bridge. I believe this will help with awareness and hopefully help legitimize the presence of bicycles on the highway. (Some people still think that they aren't allowed or shouldn't be there)

And here is a photo that helps remind us why we need to be vigilant...and sometimes downright scared riding on the shoulder of highways!

Yikes! Glad I wasn't riding there!

Sharrows

Here are a couple of articles from Mia Birk's Blog regarding Sharrows. Timely as we hope to see what the District of Sooke will be doing regarding Sharrows and Bike lanes. The plans for a bike lane on Rhodonite were nixed by residents, and council was supposed to be looking into trying sharrows.
Here are  the two articles; Seattle's Sharrows; Love Em or Hate Em? and
Four Solid Uses for Sharrows

Pave highway shoulders for cyclists, Ontario urged

Pave highway shoulders for cyclists, Ontario urged.
Some interesting statitics!

Great videos on Cycling infrastructures

HWY 14 road works

Many of you will have noticed that work has begun on HWY 14 between Sooke and Luxton.
We will not be having bike lanes all the way, but here is what will be happening as per Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure;

The Asphalt Resurfacing contract which is about to get underway will be focused on specific areas which the ministry has identified for asphalt resurfacing. In these locations shoulder widths suitable for the area will be constructed or rehabilitated as needed. The areas under the current Major Works contract are;

· Fullerton Road to west of Luxton Rd.

o 2 meter paved shoulder

· Gillispie Road intersection area

o 1.5 meter paved shoulder

· Ludlow Rd (Coopers Cove) to Kaltasin Rd

o 1.5 meter paved shoulder

· Kaltasin Rd to Charters Rd

o 1.8 meter paved shoulder

At the approaches to Sooke River Bridge the following improvements are planned;

· Asphalt shoulder to be widened to 1.8 meters in width, the most noticeable improvement in this location will be seen east bound from the bridge to the bus pull out near the new park-n-ride where there currently there is little to no existing shoulder.

· Replacement of the existing low concrete roadside barrier at the approaches with a newer standard Concrete Roadside Barrier with proper approach flares/offsets approaching the bridge.

· The project has requested advice on and will implement additional signing which will alert both cyclist and drivers that the shoulders are narrowing at the bridge and to alert drivers to watch for cyclists.

I have also requested that the drainage grates on the bridge be fixed, since the way they are now, they can easily catch a cyclists tire. This will be looked after when the paving contract is complete.

Globe & Mail Article on Cycling Infratructure in Vancouver

This article shows that we need politicians and municipal officials with vision and guts to move things in the right direction for our future!

New Approved Bike Signs in the US

Here is something that we might want to start seeing on some of roads to help drivers share their precious road space!
This comes from The Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTDC) in the US

Chip Sealing of our roads

The Comox Valley Cycling Coalition is dealing with a very important issue on the treatment of our rural roads. Check out their website for more info. This will very much affect the ride-ability of many of our roads for cyclists, but the effects on motor vehicle traffic is also significant. It increases wear and tear on tires, increases noise levels on the road, and it decreases fuel economy due to higher rolling resistance. (That will also make it harder to cycle longer distances) Why are they wanting to do it? It is about 20% cheaper than the existing method. So the government will save money and the citizens will have to spend more! We need to talk to our MP's and MLA's on this one!

Scientific American Articles

I have received an email about an article in Octobers' Scientific American about"how cycle paths have to be safe enough for the risk averse female of the species and organized around her usual destinations: "to the supermarket, the school, the day care center". The piece says the female cyclist is the "indicator species" for bike-friendly cities." Well ladies, I bet you never thought of yourself as an "indicator species" !
Here is that article online. Also I came across this short clip worth reading or listening to.
The bottom line is get out there on your bikes and start making yourself seen! Way to go Cyclopaths and all you other folks getting out there!
Thanks for that Heather and Brian!

E & N Rail

I have copied a letter from Dave Beer of the Nanaimo Cycling Coalition regarding the rail trail concept. It's worth a read and also please go to this Ministry of Transportation site and voice your opinion on the Feedback link

Feedback - E&N Corridor Study

I believe that the founding members of the Island Corridor Foundation have done a terrific job securing the E&N railroad right of way for public use. Prior to their involvement the probability was that it would be broken into smaller parcels for commercial development, something we don’t need nearly as much. We must seize the opportunity to redevelop the E&N right -of - way to maximize the benefit for the citizens of B.C. It may be a long costly process, but it will be well worth it in the end.
I would like to see the easement contain a multi - use path to be used by walkers, cyclists, roller bladers (non - motorized transport in general). I think that there are possibilities for using the existing railway system in ways so they can be commercially viable, so I am not suggesting a rail to trail conversion. Instead, I would like to see a rail with trail conversion, similar to the E&N Trail in Nanaimo. Pedestrians and cyclists share the right of way along the railway easement and where this is not possible the trail moves to adjacent roads. I believe that the railway easement is 33 meters in many places, so there should be plenty of room for both. My understanding is that there is currently a plan in the CRD to do just this in the most southerly part of the E&N Railway easement. (Times - Colonist story July 7, 2009)
British Columbia currently has three rails to trails corridors. They are the very successful and well used Galloping Goose Trail on the Island and two on the mainland, the Kettle Valley Railway Trail and the Great Northern Trail (Nelson to Salmo.) While these are significant, it should be pointed out that the much smaller province of Nova Scotia has made eighteen rail to trail conversions. The only trail with rail conversion in the province is the E&N in Nanaimo. It is a worthy goal to continue this trail for the full length of the E&N easement.
Can you imagine a safe, scenic recreational trail from Victoria to Courtenay - Comox and also across the Island to Port Alberni. This would be a giant boost to eco-tourism and would provide more jobs in many communities. The E&N Greenway (or whatever you choose to call it) could become a world class destination for hikers and cycle tourists as well as providing a wonderful recreational trail for B.C. families. We hear a lot about healthy lifestyles and this is one way that governments can support citizens developing a healthy lifestyle.
The provincial government spent millions off dollars to rebuild the trestles in the Myra Canyon on the Kettle Valley Railroad trail after they were destroyed by the wildfires in 2003. Vancouver Island deserves their support as well. This is also an initiative that should get support from the federal and municipal Governments. The provincial government can assure this happens by setting it as one of their priorities and encouraging the other levels to participate.
I would also like to see that the trains that use the existing railway have the capacity to carry bicycles. This is common in Europe, where cyclists use the train to travel to destinations and then use a bicycle while there. I could see myself travelling to Victoria by train and then using their trail system and roadways to explore the city. This would be a beautiful trip and would be one less car travelling over the Malahat ! Such trips could also be made to Duncan, Nanaimo, Courtenay - Comox, or Port Alberni. All it would require is greater frequency, a more sensible schedule and the capacity to carry bicycles.
Although these views are mine I have heard similar feelings expressed by other members of the Greater Nanaimo Cycling Coalition and members of the Parksville chapter of the Cross Canada Cycle Touring Society. I look forward to seeing positive steps being taken to make a recreational corridor / greenway a part of the existing E&N railroad.
Regards,
Dave Beer

Rumble Strips

Here is a copy of an email received from one of our members, Don Brown, regarding rumble strips on the highway. It's something I haven't encountered myself, but it's worth being aware and keeping in mind when we advocate for cycle routes.

"I would just like to share with you a couple of near death experiences I had the other day riding down the Malahat to Victoria.

While coasting at a speed of 40+ km/hr down the Malahat I found the shoulder I was riding on was becoming narrow. It was made worse by the rumble strips along the shoulder. As I rounded a corner I came upon some debris on the shoulder. Normally I would have dodged the material by either moving momentarily onto the road after checking my rear view mirror or dodging it on a wider shoulder. On the narrow shoulder I had no where to go. The rumble strips I have found to be very dangerous for me to ride on with my recumbent bike and the alternative was the ditch which would have resulted in serious injury. I had no choice but to hit the debris and try to stay upright. I barely managed to keep my balance and avoid serious injury or worse. This happened to me twice in one ride - the debris included rocks and loose gravel and the other was pieces of tire and broken glass.

As the Ministry continues to add rumble strips, know that it adds a risk for bicycle riders and at the very least, it would be adviseable to have wider shoulders where the rumble strips are used."