Category Archives: cycling in Ottawa

Counting cyclists — err, path users

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may 31, 2013 188

 

Regular users of Ottawa’s pathway network soon notice the tell-tale under-asphalt loops that connect to counters. We saw pictures of the newest ones under the new OTrain path just a few weeks ago. For the first time there will be counts on a pathway from day one. But only for cyclists. The counters don’t count pedestrians, dog walkers, strollers, and other users.

Our counters are also buried flush with the ground, in a miniature traffic man-hole.

So the one above intrigued me when |I came across it in London, On. There’s the tell-tale cut in the asphalt sure, but look closer and there appears to be an electronic eye at the upper level, which could include an optical counter.

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City Hall employees should not read this

This blog has a number of readers in the municipal bureaucracy.

So I have to be careful with this story, because I don’t want someone rushing out to “undo” what some citizen has done. So, a Holiday Monday posting might help it slip through. And the exact location must remain a secret.

We know that the bureaucrats want cycling and walking paths to “end” at a controlled intersection. Same thing when these paths are crossed by a street.

So users of certain popular facilities get frustrated when a path ends at a curb that hasn’t had a curb cut, or depression, to help one cross the street or join the street. A curb cut won’t be installed because there isn’t the budget for a signal (apparently stop signs aren’t good enough…).

In my view this promotes a worse situation, where cyclists and wheelchair users ride down the street sidewalk looking for a curb cut, and then cross the street at a bad angle, with bad sight lines, and maybe only after leaving one walkway discovering there is no corresponding curb cut on the opposite side. Beech Street is one such location that comes to mind.

Evidently frustrated by the lack of a curb cut, some enterprising citizen built his own curb crossings. Out of concrete no less. Now they may not survive winter snowplowing, but until then they will provide considerable convenience to cyclists. Note also that there is even a blue painted cycle symbol on the walkway so that the approaching cyclist knows where the ramp is before s/he can see over the lip of the curb. How complete.

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I used these ramps today.Saturday.  I must admit I would prefer a broader curb cut, but these ramp-ettes allowed me to cross a deserted street without dismounting. The wife cyclist made it down the ramp on her bike, but rolled her bike up the opposite one.

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more on this story:  The comments received are interesting, as always, readers are so insightful. To repeat here: there is a curb cut at Gladstone, but as far as I know a traffic signal is planned for that crossing, just not yet installed.

As for the concrete rampettes, several people emailed me to say the ramps were widened since I took the picture. Here is that story, as contributed by a reader:

Hey Eric, I noticed your review of the ramps on Beech.
I talked with a few people at City Hall  about the curb cuts there. They said they would fix Beech! In 2014. This temporary fix should give users access to the path across Beech for 2013 (provided they last).
Apparently a group of three cyclists went out at 1am on Thursday and invested some spraypaint, a $9.83, 30kg bag of fast-set cement and an hour or so of their time. I understand they mixed the cement on site and weren’t noticed by any of the local dogwalkers or taxi drivers. Then on Friday they realized that the ramps were a little small for 6.5″ and 6.0″ curbs.
You might want to check out the ramps as of 1:45am early this morning. It looks like they went back and put down another two bags to widen them.

Ahh, my new superheros !

And here are some pictures showing what a lovely cement patti-cake Queen Victoria can make when so inclined:

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Signs of cycling

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The new OTrain public pathway is open for cycling, with the added challenge of dodging leftover construction vehicles.

The path, even unfinished, is wonderful. And I am absolutely delighted to see the signage along the path. There are signs directing people towards the path, such as the one pictured above, on the Somerset Viaduct.

There are signs giving directions, so you know which way you are going:

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I do have one quibble, and feel guilty for saying it, instead of just being thankful we got the path. These signs are made using street name sign blanks. But they are rather crudely bolted onto a utility post. The backs are especially … utilitarian. Motorists get signs mounted on round poles. The NCC uses round poles for cycling signage:

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Picky picky, I know, and I sort of regret biting the hand that is getting us such nice infrastructure. Things are improving. Cyclists will be accorded motorist-class treatment when paths are accorded the same quality standards as road signs.

GPS systems are the foundation of ever-more modern tools. They help us in wayfinding, they locate us for help when calling 9-1-1, they suggest where we can stop for coffee, icecream, or a pit stop when on the road. But public pathways are removed from this system.

If each of the lighting poles along the path was given a stick-on number, which could be logged as an address, then 9-1-1 geolocating would work, and your GPS could direct you to your destination the same way as it does for motorists. I suspect it will take some sort of “can’t find” public safety incident before that gets implemented.

On a more cheerful note, I also noticed the “yield” signs and directional signage are mounted at cyclist and pedestrian heights, easily visible. Too often, signs are mounted too high, designed to be seen from a greater distance by motorists and thus missed by those employing active transportation means.

Here is a snap from yesterday of a hybrid cyclist, riding on the sidewalk, balanced with a sack of groceries on each arm, leaving the Westboro Loblaws. Very brave. And a bit of what makes living on the west side so interesting.

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One path opens, another closes

The new OTrain multi-user path runs from the Ottawa River thru Bayview Station to Young Street at the Queensway, in the heart of Little Italy.

South of Young it resumes as the circa 1964 path constructed by the NCC, which is now pretty much a cow path (pictures were in post a few days ago). As we get nearer to the Carling OTrain Station, we pass Pamilla Street which is opposite to Hickory Street, site of the new Hickory Street pedestrian overpass, which is supposed to be constructed while the OTrain is down for the summer.

hickory bridge rendering

Perhaps it is in this regard that this spray-painted giant frame was painted on the slope at Pamilla:

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The spray painted text says: OK to Drill…

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…inside the box…

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I am hoping this designation shows the immanent start of construction of the new ped-cyclist link over the OTrain.

Or it could be some other utility installing something that will bugger everything else right up.

 

OTrain bike path nears completion

OK, it is multi-user path, not just a bike path, but it still feels silly calling it a MUP.

I was walking down the path on Saturday doing my best impression of a sidewalk  MUP superintendent  I had to walk since the path is still officially closed. The ribbon cutting is Tuesday 7 May at 2pm. It will be held on Young Street by the Queensway, since that is closest point limos can drive very important people to track. And if it rains, they can cut the ribbon under the Queensway overpass, err, graffiti art installation site. Presumably the path will be open to all users at that point, although there is still work to be done…

It would be an interesting challenge to see how many councillors and dept heads can actually ride a bike, since doing so would give me more confidence they understand what a facility should include.

Back to Saturday. Hot and sunny. And lo, in the distance, a worker. Working on a Saturday:
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As I got closer, I realized it was Zlakko Krstulich, of our hardworking cycling facilities dept at City Hall.

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He was getting the bike counter in place, so we will know how many users there are from day 1 when the new brownfield MUP opens. It doesn’t count pedestrians, unless you are wearing steel shoes.

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Another bike variation

The latest innovations in small electric motors has revolutionized e-bikes. I am particularly impressed by those e-bikes that offer pedal-assist (for hills, headwinds,  or worn-out riders). I am particularly unimpressed by e-bikes as just another way for lazy people to have a cheap motor-bike.

Nonetheless, when state-side a while ago I tried out these CAT SCOOTERS at a street fair. CAT stands for Compact Adult Tricycle, and that is exactly what it looks like, a slightly bizarre child-size tricycle with a very long seat post and extended handlebars. Retailing for just over $2000 they are much cheaper than the Segway, which was still-born right out of the gate when so many municipalities restricted their use. The CAT is being promoted as a mobility-assist device, so it doesn’t (yet) require any licence to use (like a motorized wheelchair).

It can be used standing up or sitting down. Accessories include little wagons — just like the one you had as a kid — to tow behind, with groceries, pets, or grandkids.

We live in a strange world when adults pay big bucks to ride kiddy-size trikes. I hear they are making a movie: Rambo Rides a Trike.

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Preston “extension” bike path going, going … gone

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The Preston Extension (shown above),  the leftover bit of pavement that runs north from the Preston-Albert intersection, that takes cyclists out to the Aqueduct bike path (now remediated into a pit) and eventually the  Sir John A Mcdonald (JAM?)  Path, is due to be closed this spring.

It won’t reopen in a hurry. The surrounding brownfields will be remediated. For a clue as to what that will look like, examine the Damascas-like terrain out by the War Museum. Then the Confederation Line LRT track will replace the transitway. It will be bordered on both sides with six-foot chain link fences. No overpasses.

There might be a two year respite in the middle, though, if the LRT contractor decides to use the Preston Extension as a detour route around the Booth-LeBreton construction site. But that detour won’t include an overpass, and is “throw away” infrastructure to be removed once Booth reopens.

This week, the NCC closed the section of the bike path running north from the transitway:

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Here’s the sign:

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And bizarrely, there is a City sign advising people to use the OTrain multi-user path that runs between Bayview Station and the Parkway near the Prince of Wales railway bridge. Unfortunately, that path isn’t yet open. And the sign faces the wrong way, and is located at the Preston-transitway closure point rather than well before cyclists and peds get halfway across the Flats:

feb-march 2013 041I think that wavey thingy below the Ottawa wordmark is supposed to be transportation infrastructure, but it always makes me wonder what obscure third-world country’s flag it might be.

All is not lost, though, as the OTrain MUP opens May 8th . Cyclists are a tough lot, and many are using the OTrain MUP pathway now.  Never let a few concrete barricades or high fences get in the way of cyclists, pedestrians, or dog walkers. Others are getting around the NCC closure of the Preston extension by deking around the west side of the fence:

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Maybe, if we are lucky, the city will move their sign to a more useful location for the opening of the pathway.