Town to add 31 km of new pedestrian and cycling ways

Tue, 01 Apr 2014

Town Council’s approval of the 2014 Active Transportation Capital Program at last night’s meeting just made getting around Oakville on foot or by bike even easier.

“This Council approved an Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) to provide residents and visitors a safe and healthy alternative to get around our town,” said Mayor Rob Burton. “Our commitment remains firm to offer both on-road and off-road cycle and pedestrian paths that create north-south and east-west linkages to neighbourhoods and businesses throughout our community.”

By the end of this year, implementation of over 31 kilometres of new cycling and pedestrian paths will have started for a number of different uses. Projects approved for 2014 include:

• On-road and off-road cycle lanes
  • along portions of a new roadway north of Dundas Street, Sixth Line between Upper Middle Road and Glenashton Drive, Rebecca Street between Morden Road and Forsythe Street, Merchants Gate between Heritage Way and Third Line, Postmaster Drive between Heritage Way and Upper Middle Road, Bishops Gate between Pilgram’s Way and Upper Middle Road, Grand Oak Trail between Upper Middle Road and Dundas Street, North Service Road from Joshua Creek Drive to Ford Drive, Hydro corridor on the north side of Upper Middle Road between Neyagawa Boulevard and Sixth Line.
• Signed bike routes
• New and improved sidewalks (along portions of a new roadway north of Dundas Street)
• Rehabilitation of the Bronte Road underpass/trail

A major initiative for this year will be to review and assess the entire existing active transportation network in order to develop a larger scale capital rehabilitation program to ensure our paths and trails remain in good condition. Two improvement projects also slated to start in 2014 include an upgrade to an asphalt surface, along various sections on the north side of Upper Middle Road to allow for year-round use, and rehabilitation of the Trafalgar Road overpass at the QEW by the Ministry of Transportation. The town will work with the ministry on this project to improve the existing sidewalk width for pedestrians. Eighty-five bike racks will also be installed between Kerr Village and Bronte Village. Town staff will continue to implement a number of public educational and outreach initiatives such as the Cycle, Walk Oakville map, Clean Air Commute program, Carpool incentives and Active and Safe Routes to School program.

Funding for the active transportation program comes from several sources including annual capital budget for new facilities, other capital budgets relating to road projects, sidewalk and multi-use trail budget, and capital maintenance budget for existing facilities.

The Active Transportation Master Plan recommended an extensive network of facilities composed of on-road and off-road paths designed to respond to the needs of a range of active transportation users, age and skill level. Since 2011, a total of 65 kilometres of pathways were implemented as well as 38 bike racks along Lakeshore Road in downtown Oakville.

A detailed list of upcoming active transportation projects for 2014 and completed/ongoing projects from 2013 can be found on the March 24, 2014 Community Services Committee agenda.