Shared Bikeway with Traffic Calming

advantages: implementation cost, safety (pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, pets) pleasant experience, quiet, increased property value, mechanical vehicle efficiency, winter route, connectivity, smoother flowing local traffic

disadvantages: not suitable for application on motor vehicle arterials, difficult to use when retro-fitting newer areas

Bike Lane (with painted buffer)

advantages: safety & comfort, low implementation cost, increased driver awareness, connectivity, destinations (workplaces, shopping) enroute

disadvantages: few existing streets with adequate road width esp. in older areas, driver confusion (drivers believe cyclists must use lane, i.e. left turns, surface hazards), lane markings are invisible in winter, noise, smell

Bike Lane (curbside without parking)

advantages: perceived safety, driver awareness, implementation cost, efficiency, connectivity, destinations (workplaces, shopping) enroute

disadvantages: space required, near fast moving traffic, lane markings are invisible in winter, noise, smell, debirs accumulation (requires more street sweeping), driver confusion (drivers believe cyclists must use lane)

Bike lane - (on road /with parking)

advantages: perceived safety, implementation cost, connectivity, snow plowing ease, lack of debris, driver awareness, destinations (workplaces, shopping) enroute

disadvantages: possbility of dooring, few existing streets with adequate road width esp. in older areas, driver confusuion (drivers believe cyclists must use lane, i.e. left turns, surface hazards), comfort (next to fast-moving traffic), lane markings invisible in winter, noise, smell

Bike Lane - (on-road with barrier)

advantages: safety, comfort, manitenance, winter travel, aesthetics, pedestrian safety, destinations (workplaces, shopping) enroute

disadvantages: connectivity (left turns), cost, noise, smell

Raised Shoulder Bikeway

advantages: safety, comfort, efficiency, destinations (workplaces, shopping) enroute

disadvantages: cost, connectivity (left turns), noise, smell

Rails with Trails

advantages: safety, pleasant experience, very efficient over long distances, added walking facilities, makes use of an abundance of underused & efficient corridors,

disadvantages: connectivity (access points), cost (note: a permanent high-level partnership with railway companies could help alleviate some of the financial pressure

Rails to Trails

advantages: safety, pleasant, quiet, very fast & efficient over long-distances, added walking facilities

disadvantages: availability & cost of abandoned railway property, connectivity (access points)

Diamond Lanes (shared bus/bicycle)

advantages: implementation cost, benefit to mass transit, fulfills the need to create curbside travel lanes for bicycles on transit routes

disadvantages: sharing road with large vehicles, forced detours around stopped buses, noise, smell,

Sharrows (share-the-road arrows)

advantages: driver awareness, cost, intuitive to use because it mirrors current situation, connectivity, flexible application,

disadvantages: limited improvement to existing infrastructure

Regular streets (status quo)

advantages: implementation cost, connectivity

disadvantages: likelihood that cycling numbers will not increase, accumulation of debris in areas where bicycles are forced to travel, high speeds means cyclists have trouble merging, winter danger, exposure to 'dooring', noise, smell, imminent planetary ecosystem collapse

Sunday Street Closure

Indicates that the route (or parts of the route) are currently closed to all but local traffic on Sundays only.

Green Signed Bike Route

History: These signs were installed using funding associated with the Pan-Am games and were intended (primarily) to show possible cycling routes to athletic venues.

Some of the routes still represent safer cycling routes with slower traffic (Desmeurons, Wolseley, etc.) .

Unfortunately, they do not consistently indicate a safe cycling route (esp. for inexperienced cyclists, see Redwood, Wellington at rush hour, Taylor, etc..).

The use (in terms of safety) of these signs is sometimes defended by asserting that they raise driver awareness by indicating, to motorists, that cyclists may also be using this route.

Unfortunately, this is cause for alarm for those people who are currently cycle under the impression that motorists are aware that cyclists may be using all of the streets.

Underpass

Statistics show that well-designed undepasses, built to accomodate the particular needs of cyclists (esp.the inexperienced ones), greatly increase the odds that a person who must travel through such a junction will opt to use their bicycle

Similarly, a poorly designed underpass will become a permanent discourgement (if not an insurmountable barrier) by, at best, forcing users to illegally use the sidewalk (if provided), and, at worst, by discouraging them to venture out on a bicycle at all.

Idea/Suggestion Stage

All innovation starts as an idea. Some ideas come from one person, some are so obvious that they are shared by a community as a whole.

Community Consultation Stage

Community consultation is provides access to a treasure trove of local information, initiative and participation.

Examples of community consultation includes open houses, focus groups, forums, etc...

Planning Stage

This is reserved for projects that have begun the process of flowing through "official channels", from either a line on the map to a detailed architectural drawing.

Construction Stage

Indicates projects that are in (or are about to enter) the construction stage. Sometimes, construction may mean an expensive project like a $400/m road widening to make room for a bike lane, but more than than not, they should indicate inexpensive route creation, such as paited symbols, or traffic calming along existing infrastructure.

Traffic Calming

Indicates the presence of cycling-friendly traffic calming examples include speed humps (not to be confused with speed bumps) bie bollards, roundabouts, etc...

Shared Road

Infrastructure where cars, trucks, buses and bicycles are meant to jockey for room on the same strip of real estate.

Shared Sidewalk

Indicates area where a pedestrian/cyclist shared sidewalk is suggested or exists

School Zones

Indicates the presence of school zones

Sections subject to flooding

Shown on routes that have impassable sections due to seasonal flooding. Usually found on routes that contain sections of 'recreational trails'.

Poor road conditions

Indicates dangerous potholes in the curb lane, tire-trpping sewer grates or the accumulation of debirs, glass, etc..

Multi-use Pathway (asphalt)

The minimum width of a multi-use path that is suitable for use by both pedestrians and cyclists is 10'.

advantages: safety, comfort, safe, winter route, aesthetics,

disadvantages: connectivity (with on-road infrstructure), cost, noise, smell,

Multi-use Pathway (dirt/limestone)

AKA 'monkey trails' or paths.

Lighting

Indicates the need for increased lighting.

Intersections requiring improvement

Indicates routes where the major intersections would require improvement to expedite bicycle traffic. Various designs/changes are possible.

Fast moving vehicles

Indicates the presence of vehicles traveling at speeds of 50 km/h or more, a speed at which even a glancing collision with a 1000+lb. vehicle can easily kill a cyclist traveling on a 25lb. bicycle.

Currently reflects the situation on most city streets.

Informal trail

A informal route used often enough by cyclists to have left a permanent mark.

Curb Cut

Indicates an area where a simpe curb cut can make all the difference. Curb cuts into the medians at strategic points can be excellent ways of creating a major cycling route where once there was an annoying and impossible barrier.

Bridge

Statistics show that well-designed bridges, built to accomodate the particular needs of cyclists (esp.the inexperienced ones), greatly increase the odds that a person who must travel through such a junction will opt to use their bicycle

Similarly, a poorly designed bridge will become a permanent discourgement if not an insurmountable barrier - at best forcing users to illegally use the sidewalk (if provided), at worst discouraging them to venture out by bicycle at all.

Bike Lane Ends

Indicates areas where a bike lane or "shy lane" ends unexpectedly and with no signage to indicate where a cyclist should proceed. Very confusing/discouraging esp. for novice cyclists.

Max 30Km/Hr

The implementation of this speed limit levels the playing field between cyclists and drivers, making cycling more competitive and safer. It does not mean than, overall, motor vehicle flow is reduced. Often, the current prevalence of stop signs along the most appropriate routes means that the implementation of other forms of traffic calming would allows regular vehicle traffic to flow smoothly and at the same pace.

Unnecessary Stop Signs

A form a traffic calming, stop signs have the disadvantage of being irritating to both cyclists and drivers. They are a cause of unnecessary idling and structural degradation of all mechanical vehicles, and cause alot of wasted time.

Tight Squeeze

Although an argument could be made that this symbol could apply to all streets, this symbol is meant to indicate an area where cyclists and motor vehicles are forced to come into particularly close contact esp.bridges & underpasses.