Toronto bikeway data

[Richard Weait]

Dear all,

[Nice to see you at DataEh? last week.]

I'm having a look at the bikeway data with an eye to including it in
OpenStreetMap. My first glance at the data found some things I didn't
expect.

I was surprised that the bikeway shapefile appears to include all road
centerlines. I was expecting only explicit cycling infrastructure,
but okay, all of the roads are there. Then I noticed that the 401
express lanes are also included. Rather than taking a cycle along the
401, I'm going to presume that the data set includes cycling data,
plus some other data for context.

I took a quick look for a way to distinguish non-road, cycle
infrastructure that might be interesting. Ah ha! "CP_TYPE = Minor
Multi-use Pathway" Nice place to start.

Let's look at Terry Fox Park, near Warden and Steeles. http://imgur.com/rjtfM

One pedestrian pathway is shown, but without a CP_TYPE. It also does
not connect to the nearby, vertical pathway. Two other, similar
walkways between houses are not included in the shapefile at all.

Has anybody had a look at this dataset in greater depth? Should the
'tween house walkways be marked with a CP_TYPE? are some missing due
to jurisdictional issues?

Best regards,
Richard

[Reham Gorgis-Youssef]

Looking into this. Should have an answer for you shortly.

Reham.

>>> Richard Weait <rwe...@gmail.com> 5/6/2012 3:17 PM >>>

[Reham Gorgis-Youssef]

Received this answer from our GCC folks at the City. Hope it helps.

---

Hi,

 

1. The description and contents of the bikeway shapefile including the cp_type column and other TCL segments is contained on the open data website. The readme file packaged as part of the zip file also contains information relating to CP_TYPE (see attached file).

 

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/open_data/open_data_item_details?vgnextoid=9ecd5f9cd70bb210VgnVCM1000003dd60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=6e886aa8cc819210VgnVCM10000067d60f89RCRD

 

 

The Toronto bikeways data is contained in the CP_TYPE column of the enhanced Toronto Centreline (TCL). The enhanced TCL stores linear features representing transportation corridors and boundaries, address points representing properties, doorways, sites, intersection features and area features.

All features are attributed with feature codes, with the date they were entered into the asset and the date they were removed from the current asset to the archival asset, with identification numbers unique over time and in the city and with name, lineage and accuracy information. The enhanced TCL also contains one-way travel information.

The Toronto bikeways data contains bicycle lanes, signed bicycle routes and pathways. It also shows suggested routes and connections in areas where routes have not yet been designated as part of the Bikeway Network. The suggested routes and connections have been identified in consultation with experienced Toronto cyclists and the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee.

The bikeway information is appended to the enhanced Toronto Centreline file. The Toronto Centreline is a data set of linear features representing streets, walkways, rivers, railways, highways and administrative boundaries within the City of Toronto. Each line segment is described with a series of attributes including a unique identifier, name, feature code, and address ranges (where applicable).

 

 

2. CP_TYPE is used to mark all Toronto Centre Line (TCL) segments that are part of cycling network as defined by City of Toronto, Transportation Services annual cycling map, please see website.

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/map/index.htm

 

 

 

Here are the bikeway types in the file.

 

1 Signed Routes
2 Bike Lanes
3 Minor Multi-use Pathway
4 Park Roads
5 Contra-Flow Bike Lanes
6 Suggested On-Street Connections
7 Suggested On-Street Routes
8 Sharrows
9 Major Multi-use Pathway

3. The TCL does contain other trails and walkways that are not part of the cycling map.

 

4. We include the entire TCL in the cycling shape file so software developers can develop routing applications that allow users to travel from street segments that are not part of the cycling network to TCL segments that are part of cycling network. The person's travel may initially involve an automobile so that is why we have left all TCL segments in the file including highways.

 

5. If the user wants to exclude certain types of roads in the TCL they can exclude segments by feature code and feature code description. For example, if they don't want to include highways they can remove feature code 201100 which is Expressway.

 

6. I have included all the feature codes in the bikeway file.

206001 Major Shoreline
201500 Local
201200 Major Arterial
201800 Pending
206002 Minor Shoreline (Land locked)
202002 Minor Railway
201101 Expressway Ramp
201700 Laneway
201201 Major Arterial Ramp
205001 Hydro Line
201600 Other
207001 Geostatistical line
202001 Major Railway
201301 Minor Arterial Ramp
208001 Ferry Route
204002 Walkway
204001 Trail
201401 Collector Ramp
201400 Collector
201100 Expressway
201300 Minor Arterial
201601 Other Ramp
203002 Creek/Tributary
203001 River

 

Thanks.