Post date: Apr 19, 2011 1:21:37 AM

Bike lanes being considered on Wellington Street

From CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/04/18/ott-wellington-street-bike-lanes.html

Thanks to busy traffic, cyclists are often forced to ride on the sidewalk on Wellington Street. (CBC)The National Capital Commission wants to make a section of Wellington Street safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

With cars, buses and taxis barrelling down Wellington Street in front of Library and Archives Canada, many cyclists seek refuge on the sidewalk.

Patricia Prudhomme bikes on the busy street most days and likes the idea of a segregated bike path.

"Well, it's about time, because a lot of people ride here, and there's a lot of pedestrians, and sometimes we have to swerve," said Prudhomme. "But the alternative is to be on Wellington, which is, well, it's a death trap."

Doug Laughlin, a frequent pedestrian on Wellington Street, agrees.

"Well, they can't be on the main road, it's just impossible ... it's a good idea, because, yeah, I've encountered a couple of them. It makes sense to me," said Laughlin.

The NCC will install two bike lanes: a westbound, segregated lane on the north side of Wellington and an eastbound marked lane, on the south side of the road. (National Capital Commission)The NCC will install two bike lanes: a westbound, segregated lane on the north side of Wellington and an eastbound marked lane, on the south side of the road.

Part of the plan includes a short bike lane between Bay Street and the Portage Bridge.

The westbound cycling lane will be a temporary two-year segregated lane as an NCC pilot project, which is designed to coincide with the Laurier Street segregated bike lane, a city of Ottawa pilot project.

Both will link the Portage Bridge to the city of Ottawa's downtown bike lanes.

"Up to date, we've always worked on pathways, more the recreational end of things. But now it's a matter of how to connect this network into the city," said Richard Daigneault, who's managing the project for the NCC.

With the nearby Lebreton Flats neighbourhood growing, Daigneault said the NCC's project also includes adding three pedestrian crosswalks at Portage and Wellington.

Construction should start this summer and be complete by November.