City unveils two routes for new protected bike lanes

CTV Edmonton: Two new protected bike lanes City cyclists should have safer rides soon, at least on a couple of routes – as bike lane designs showed how bike traffic will be protected.

The City of Edmonton unveiled designs for protected bike lanes, slated for Old Strathcona and the city’s core.

Officials said the two protected bike lanes would be installed on 83 Avenue, between Mill Creek Ravine and 111 Street, and 102 Avenue between 96 Street and 136 Street.

The City said the plan for protected bike lanes came following a year-long consultation process with Edmontonians.

“We’ve consistently heard from Edmontonians that this is the type of high quality bicycle infrastructure that they’re looking for,” Tyler Golly, General Supervisor of Sustainable Transportation said.

The bike lanes will leave cyclists physically separated from parked cars, pedestrians and motorists with barriers.

“It’s not just a barrier to prevent people from veering out of their lanes, it really is a barrier that says ‘Here is designated spaces for cyclists to be in’,” Christopher Chan with the Edmonton Bike Commuters Society said.

City Council has already approved funding for both routes in the capital budget: the 83 Avenue bike route is slated to cost $4.4 million, while the 102 Avenue route is slated to cost $8.8 million.

The City is holding two public workshops to present design plans for the two routes:

Officials said the designs will be formally presented at 5 and 7 p.m., followed by a question and answer period.

It’s expected the new bike lanes will be completed in 2016.

With files from Susan Amerongen