Re: UPDATE: assiniboine & snow clearing

[Anders Swanson]

With regards to your question about snow clearing, all of the cycling infrastructure has been designed in concert with city maintenance officials to be sure that they can be cleared (that includes Assiniboine Avenue and, despite some comments in the media to the contrary, also includes the traffic calming circles. : )  ). 

So it can be cleared. 

Whether it will be cleared or not, and more importantly, at what level of priority, is a different question. I am not sure. That would depend both on the budget for snow clearing, and whether or not there is a plan in place that specifically addresses snow clearing on bicycle priority routes. 

I've certainly thought about it.. . .  SEE ATTACHED. This map was made back in May showing a potential network.of priority routes. (This was submitted as information to the Active Transportation Advisory Committee and circulated for comment amongst Bike to the Future. Where it's going to go from there, I don't know.) 

Let me know what you think. 

As you know, there is already a plan to ensure that certain roads are cleared before others. But, because bicycles have a different set of priorities (that includes quieter streets and paths, etc..) adjustments would need to be made, perhaps an entirely different plan because some of the clearing equipment is different, and more akin to the equipment used to plow sidewalks. In my opinion, in any such plan, Assiniboine would rank extremely high by being one of few east-west cycling routes downtown. 

For context, here is a link to La Ville de Montreal's Reseau Blanc map (White Network) showing the cycling routes that the City of Montreal keeps open year round: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_v0srwAUvkpo/R6uvBymbvHI/AAAAAAAAApQ/Mrs-pKcZvIU/s1600-h/reseau-blanc.gif

Cheers,

Anders

Coordinator, One Green City

On Fri, Nov 5, 2010 at 1:55 PM, Daniel Gravenor <dgra...@gmail.com> wrote:

Just in time for winter!  I haven't followed the Assiniboine track myself.  Is there a plan for winter snow removal?

On Fri, Nov 5, 2010 at 12:32 PM, Anders Swanson <anders...@gmail.com> wrote:

UPDATE: 

No worries.  Although there is some media circulating to the contrary, the cycletrack is in good shape. 

The block between Hargrave and Navy is the only block affected. The bike lane, in this section, will be narrowed slightly (to about 2.7m). The traffic lanes (two-way instead) will also be narrow (as there is limited room under the midtwon bridge. 

The important things is that cycletrack itself will be continuous. 

The only people affected appreciably are pedestrians. They are pulling out the curb bump out at the corner of Hargrave and Assiniboine. Approx.cost is maybe $2000.00-4000.00. My guess only. There may be costs associated with narrowing the divider a bit. But not definitely much in the grand scheme of things. I live just north of here, si I'll try and keeo folks posted, and post a picture or two if necessary. BTW, it should be completely finished very soon. Awesome. 

Anders

One Green City

On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 9:19 AM, Anders Swanson <anders...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, 

There has been a slight change to automobile traffic flow on Assinboine, alluded to in a newspaper article a few weeks ago: http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/MajorProjects/ActiveTransportation/PDF/2010-10-25-Assiniboine-Letter.pdf

(This is my neighbourhood, so this letter and the associated diagram, was posted in my apartment.)

notes:

According to the diagram, 2-way traffic will be allowed between Navy and Hargrave. It looks to me like they are building either end of the bikeway, and will be finishing the middle portion last, as the barrier curb currently tails off under the Midtown bridge. I am a unsure as to how 2-way traffic will be allowed between Navy Way and Hargrave, as there is a curb bump-out near Hargrave that currently makes the travel lane very narrow. There isn't much width available under the bridge either. Perhaps the bump out will be need to be removed? As long as the bikeway is connected it is, in the large scheme of things, not a big change - curb bumpouts are pretty cheap.

Using the phone number on the letter, I will try to find out exactly how the middle connection will work, how that change will affect the neighbourhood, and ensure that the bikeway will in fact be connected, for anyone else who is curious. 

Anders

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