Cleardale Highland Area Cycling Plan
Proposal: Connecting our community towards the heart of the city along the Ridout/Upper Queens/Nixon bike corridor
Presented by: The Cleardale Highland Community Association
Align and accelerate along the CMP
When the cycling master plan was developed, rigorous public engagement was utilized to consult as many community members as possible.
However, COVID has disrupted transportation across all modes and residents have rapidly evolving day to day routines, the CHCA wants to identify stakeholders and involved residents who are passionate about their community.
We hope to gather a new set of requirements and a plan that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the current state and contribute to the design of future state that serves the community.
With the requirements and community use cases and stories we will build a broader case for filling gaps along the existing plan and accelerating the benefits. There’s opportunity to leverage existing completed work, already planned work, and routes with low costs and incentives.
We hope to provide balanced, timely and objective information about the impacts and changes that may be required to accommodate transportation in south London.
As an Association we have been engaging and soliciting local knowledge and input from residents, community groups, and other road users to help CoL staff and politicians make informed and educated design decisions in areas where design parameters have to be modified due to local conditions.
Strengths of the community
•Our community connects towards the heart if the city for cyclists along the Ridout/Upper Queens/Nixon bike route. The bike lanes along this route are, according to CoL are the busiest in the city.
•A 19% increase in volume has occurred year over year.
•Our community is also gateway to one of the most common exit points for more serious cyclist to leave the city for long distance rides and athletic training via White Oak Road.
•Other observations have included that where bike lanes exist in the neighborhood cyclist are far less likely to ride on the sidewalks.
•Nearby cycling lanes on busy 4 lane roads are rarely used, but Ferndale has become part of a primary East/West route heavily used for recreational and commuter cycling traffic.
There’s a specific portion of the CMP that can be leveraged along the routes we will detail…
“Schedule A and A+ projects are considered pre-approved and do not require a full Class EA to be completed but require formal public notification at the commencement of the project. Some projects that do not require significant changes to the roadway and where traffic impacts have been studied and mitigation solutions identified (if required) are also considered pre-approved.”
L o n d o n O N B i k e s | F i n al R ep o r t S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6
Weakness & Threats
Gaps
London’s cycling network is often a source of frustration for the city’s cyclists, motorist, pedestrians equally and greater consistency can benefit everyone. When the map is stripped of the street grid, one can quickly see major gaps in the network: bike lanes that start and stop suddenly, disconnected park trails, and a lack of safe East/West routes, especially in the South end. The Cleardale Highland associations mapped these gaps locally. This is by no means an exhaustive list, however these 10 ideas are potentially the most impactful. These gaps are prohibitive to use and we feel that a minimum viable neighborhood grid is required and achievable.
We support a minimum grid of safe bike routes through the suburbs mostly built on city streets. Example: http://minimumgrid.ca
Health and Safety
Municipal governments across Canada are moving quickly to create bicycle lanes in order for people to travel safely through cities. There’s opportunity to complete a lot of work that was meant to be spread out over years, much faster. Expanded outdoor space keeps our neighbors safer, gives people an alternative to the transit system and encourage more local travel and spending while mitigating COVID risks.
●Pedestrian fatalities are increasing with increase traffic volume and speed. Stats Can
●Almost all cycling fatalities and serious injuries are due to collisions with motor vehicles. Infrastructure changes such as bike lanes separated from traffic, lower speed limits for motor vehicles and safer intersections are necessary to protect cyclists from harm.
●With a lack of school comes a lack of accessible outdoor space. Also consider our neighbors in apartments and higher density units. Balancing physical activity and safety will require accommodation that’s equitable.
Economic Strategy
On top of helping keep citizens safe, a completely neighbourhood network will have huge economic recovery benefits, both for the city and residents as safe cycling infrastructure is some of the least expensive and most effective transportation spending.
The cost savings for individuals and families able to cycle more effectively through their neighborhoods, businesses, and work, also will have a positive impact on those struggling with under and un-employment through these difficult times.
CAA calculator: https://carcosts.caa.ca
Transit
The LTC recently made changes to Route 26 and 4 Oxford, eliminating the 26 Jalna and moving the Oxford to the outside of the neighborhood. The feedback that we have received largely identifies the following points:
•The most desired destination for those boarding buses in their area is downtown.
•A recognition that direct service to Western, Masonville and resulting connections would be beneficial, but is not desired if it’s at the expense of direct service to downtown.
•Skepticism in the frequency and safety of transfer points from the proposed 93 into the downtown core.
•Concern of the timing relative to the CN Wharncliffe bridge replacement which would result in a detour of the new 93 for a duration of at lEast 15 months.
Community Requirements of a minimum viable system
10 items if completed would result in a continuous network of bike lanes, paved trails, and cycle tracks for South West London.
We ask the City of London and the Cycling Advisory Committee to take these requirements into consideration and recognize the need for solutions to these problems. As a community we conclude the need for a system based and holistic approach is paramount and there is both opportunity and demand.
#1 Ferndale Westbound
Today there is a bike lane running Eastbound from Homeview to Nixon, while Westbound is reserved for on-street parking. The parking lane could be converted to a bike lane without much difficulty.
We asked: Should Ferndale on street parking lane be converted to a bike lane?
#2 Ferndale > Belmont > Notre Dame > Viscount
Currently from Homeview to the Westmount area there is a designated bike route that runs Ferndale/Belmont/Notre Dame/Viscount. While it is on cycling maps, much of this route is simply not signed as a bike route on street.
We asked: Do you think the Ferndale, Belmont, Notre Dame, Viscount corridor should have on-street parking removed and bike lanes added to create a continuous bike lane network from Upper Queens to Westmount?
#3 White Oak Rd Gateway
Today the White Oak Rd bike lanes are a gateway to leave the city for cyclist. It however does not connect to any other cycling infrastructure. The gap is along Homeview Rd, the most common route to reach these bike lanes.
We asked: Should on street parking on Homeview be removed and bike lanes installed to create a continuous bike lane route from downtown London to south of London?
#4 Gap on White Oak Rd, south of Exeter
There is a smaller gap on this route on White Oak Rd, just south of Exeter Road. The bike lane ends for 400m through an s-curve and resumes again to the South. Closing this gap is scheduled currently for 2022 in the city’s cycling plan.
Should this gap be closed prior to the planned 2022 planned paying of the road shoulder?
#5 The Ridout at the Victoria Bridge
For those heading to and from downtown. The Ridout bike lane ends two blocks from downtown at the Victoria Bridge. While Victoria bridge is scheduled for replacement with bike lanes in 2022, from Victoria bridge to downtown does not have a bike lane scheduled in the 2020–23 bike plan
*Average Traffic: Weekday:100, Weekly: 639, Monthly: 2,699
Maximum Traffic Saturday 06 June 2020: 301. Week of 01 Jun 2020: 1,558.
#6 Bradley from Wharncliffe to White Oak
In 2022 Bradley road from Wharncliffe to White Oak Rd is scheduled to be extended. The extension is to include cycling infrastructure. Currently Bradly from Earnest to the Mall is marked on city maps as a cycling route/lane. However the shoulder width current marking on the road does not meet minimum standards and is dangerous. With the construction and extension of Bradley Rd, an on-curb cycle track could be constructed that would complete continuous safe for all ages infrastructure from Bostwick to White Oaks Mall.
#7 Nixon to Jalna
Nixon/Upper Queens/Ridout bike lane is the busiest bike lane in the city. It ends currently at Southdale road two blocks short of connecting to the White Oaks Parks paved trail network. Ernest Ave. in this ares is indicated as bike route on city maps but does not have signage. Should the 5 lane wide section of Earnest from Jalna to Southdale be re-aligned, and the small section of Jalna to the trail head have on-street parking removed and bike lanes added to connect the Nixon bike lanes to White Oaks trails?
#8 Ridout/Upper Queens
The narrowest area of the continuous Ridout/Upper Queens bike lane is at Commissioners Rd, where the lane is replaced by sharrows for the intersection. This intersection is scheduled for re-alignment in 2023 to carry the bike lane through the intersection. Should the scheduled 2023 work at Commissioners and Upper Queens/Ridout be prioritized to occur sooner to remove this small gap the bike lane network?
#9 Cleardale Highland to Westminster ponds
Currently all East/West routes from Cleardale Highland area to Westminster ponds are either indirect, on very busy roads, or on side roads without cycling infrastructure or sidewalks, and no obvious route exists to travel East for East/West Ferndale cycling traffic. Should on-street parking be removed from Eden Ave. and bile lanes added to connect to Westminster Ponds, including a pedestrian crossing to the ponds entrance?
#10 Westminster trails nature opportunities
Westminster trails creates many opportunities, but the natural trails are not to be used by bikes. Adelaide Street south has been re-aligned to add well buffered bike lanes that currently does not connect to any other cycling infrastructure. Should a paved trail be created that runs along Westminster woods, and is accessible to Dearness Home, and connecting to the Adelaide bike lanes be created to better connect to the East of Cleardale Highland?
Call to action
The Cleardale Highland Community Association:
cleardale.highland@gmail.com
https://www.neighbourgoodlondon.ca/neighbourhoods/cleardale
Cleardale Highland Facebook Page
Please write us letters of support we can add to this document. This is not a final plan but a proposal covering key threats and weaknesses and addressing them opportunities and strengths.
Let us know what you think of the proposal.
Consider contacting your City Councillor if you support our plan and let them know…
Further reading
Strava Local Heat Map
The heatmap is a resource that is updated monthly — both to reflect newly added data to make it more useful.
The heatmap shows the last two years of data for our area.
Insight: Roads and trails with very little activity will not show “heat” until several different users upload activities in that area. The heatmap remains available to the public.
https://www.strava.com/heatmap
Highlights: Put infrastructure where there is use.
•Traffic is as great or greater beside current market routes on Southdale.
- High traffic, high speed roads move pedestrian and bike traffic off the most direct routes to on street residential streets.
City of London Cycling Master Plan
The document is meant to be used by City staff as well as its partners — technical agencies and local stakeholders. The implementation of the plan is meant to be a coordinated and collaborated effort based on the relationships built as a result of London ON Bikes.
Insight: “Master Plan is meant to be used as a guide and a blueprint for future planning, design, development and programming related to Cycling. “
Final Report | September 2016 CMP PDF
Highlights: “Schedule A and A+ projects are considered pre-approved and do not require a full Class EA to be completed but require formal public notification at the commencement of the project. Some projects that do not require significant changes to the roadway and where traffic impacts have been studied and mitigation solutions identified (if required) are also considered pre-approved.”
Ridout Counter Results
Two primary sources of cycling data come from permanent bicycle counters and lastly from intersection counts; collected using a camera over a 24-hour period Average Traffic: Weekday:100, Weekly: 639, Monthly: 2,699
Change: 19% increases in volume in consideration of a reduce office commuter volume. Therefore as commuter volume returns total volume can be expect to increase further and in addition to 19%.
Highlights: Maximum Traffic Saturday 06 June 2020: 301. Week of 01 Jun 2020: 1,558
Our Polling
We polled residents via Twitter and Facebook received measured participation and feedback.
“Saw the map on @ElizabethPeloza s twitter feed and had no idea it existed despite living so close. Will definitely be back to explore more! We also saw lots of ducks and baby ducks. We started at the bottom on ferndale and made it to the second dot before dinner time “
Insight: Majority of feedback was overwhelmingly positive. All results were net promoters and each portion received more than 75% support.
Highlights: Very few people saw the network negatively. The association hasn’t heard of any organized opposition to change.
Letters of Support
