On Friday, July 13, 2001 at 8:39, Ayton, Mark (MTO) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote on "Paving Highway Shoulders," saying..
> Dear Mr. Trottier:
>
> Your e-mail to the Honourable Brad Clark suggesting various measures
> to make our highways safer and more inviting to cyclists was forwarded to me
> for response.
Thank you for your response. I have some comments, below.
>
> As indicated in the response to you of June 4, 2001, the Ministry of
> Transportation recognizes the needs of cyclists, and that bicycle routes and
> facilities along our highways are considered on an individual project basis.
Is there no co-ordination with Ontario Tourism as well? Does any
office co-ordinate *all* bicycle routes across the province?
Many other provinces and states offer cycling routes and maps to
encourage tourists and residents to improve their health and our
environment.
> We work with organizations such as the Ontario Cycling Association to seek
> their advice and suggestions on the demand for and safety of bicycle routes,
> bicycle network continuity, alternatives for cyclists, specific design
> features of cycling routes, and the potential costs involved in establishing
> routes. We also invite input from the public at the outset of specific
> bicycle route projects by placing advertisements in local newspapers. We
> encourage cyclists to participate in these public consultation
> opportunities.
This is good for specific "cycling routes", but bicycles are vehicles
entitled to the use of almost all roads in the province. Cyclists are
persons who cycle for recreation, commuting, and many other reasons,
much the same as motorists drive for many reasons. So cyclists need
input not only on special "cycling routes," but on the design of all
roads that accommodate cycles.
> With respect to your suggestion about mandating a full metre of
> paved shoulder for all King's Highways, where bikeways are justified, the
> ministry's 1996 Ontario Bikeways Planning and Design Guidelines for Shared
> Road Bikeways, Shoulder Bikeways, Bike Lanes and Bike Paths recommends
> minimum bikeway widths. The widths are dependent on roadway speed, traffic
> volumes and total truck volumes. On low volume roads, no additional
> pavement is recommended, whereas on higher volume facilities with trucks,
> paved shoulder widths from 1.0 m to 3.0 m are recommended to accommodate
> bicycle travel where demand for bikeways are justified.
That's great! I assume that bikeways also have signage promoting
sharing the road and take into account intersection handling and
other safe bikeway practices, as well as an wider paved shoulder.
> When sections of King's Highways are being rehabilitated and demand
> for bikeways is not justified, partially paved shoulders (0.5 m)
> are generally provided.
How is the demand for bikeways "justified"? Is it the number of
cyclists in the area, number of cyclic groups, availability of
alternate routes, number of cyclists' deaths, count of cyclists
currently using the route? The last number may be biased, since many
cyclists avoid dangerous roads.
Some questions:
By what method or procedure do you determine a bikeway is justified?
Is this determination made for every road reconstruction?
Do you solicit cyclists' comments for every road reconstruction?
What percentage of our highway miles have bikeways?
I would suggest that _all_ roads open to cyclists should have a metre
of paved shoulder as a general rule. This would benefit motorists and
truckers as well as cyclists, at a fairly minor cost, the cost of
increasing the paved shoulder from .5 metre to 1 metre when work is
done.
Thank you,
Tom Trottier
> For future reference, a copy of this guideline is available from
> our publisher, Ronen House at: 505 Consumers Road, Suite 910,
> Toronto, Ontario, M2J 4V8, telephone (800)856-2196, web site
> www.ronenhouse.com .
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Mark Ayton, P. Eng.
> Senior Engineer, Highway Design
> Highway Design Office
> Ontario Ministry of Transportation
> Garden City Tower, 2nd Floor North
> 301 St. Paul Street
> St. Catharines, Ontario
> L2R 7R4
>
> Phone: (905)704-2295
> Fax (905)704-2050
> E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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