City of Quinte West Bicycle Friendly Communities Workshop Draft

City of Quinte West
Bicycle Friendly Communities Workshop
Draft: October 15, 2015
Revised: March 2016
Summary Report and Recommendations
Prepared by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition
Quinte West Bicycle Friendly Communities Workshop - October 2015
Summary Report
On October 15, 2015, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) hosted a Bicycle Friendly Communities Workshop to help
identify a path forward for the city to become more bicycle friendly. More than 15 community members, city staff and city
Councillors heard new ideas and contributed their local expertise about how Quinte West can become a better place for cycling
during a full-day workshop and evening “World Café” event.
During the workshop, participants helped to:
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identify Quinte West‟s existing cycling assets and some of the challenges faced (See Appendix A: Inventory and Challenges)
discuss opportunities for building a safer, more connected place for cycling;
articulate a five-year vision for cycling in Quinte West; and
develop a two-year workplan for making progress toward that vision.
FIVE-YEAR VISION
The following vision for Quinte West building a more bicycle-friendly community over the next five years (or sooner) was compiled
based on the feedback received from workshop attendees and on best practices from other Bicycle-Friendly Communities across
North America. The vision also takes into consideration available resources.
By 2021, the City of Quinte West aspires to be a great place for people to ride their bikes. Over the next 5 years:
 The City will have defined itself as a destination for all sorts of cycling, both utilitarian and recreational.
Quinte West‟s relatively compact urban form, especially in Trenton, lends itself to cycling, and its location
along the Trent River and Bay of Quinte make it an ideal destination for cycle tourism.
 Employees and personnel at CFB Trenton will feel comfortable riding their bikes to and from the base,
creating a hub of active transportation and healthy living.
 Community members will feel increasingly comfortable exploring Quinte West‟s natural assets and urban
environments by foot or by bike because of an increasing amount of infrastructure designed to
accommodate active transportation.
 There will be a large number of programs in place to educate residents about the importance of safely
sharing the road with all road users, and residents will be encouraged to walk and bike more often.
 Children in Quinte West will regularly walk or bike to school, and cycling will be a common activity for
residents of all ages and abilities.
While this vision may sound ambitious, by focusing on the five essential elements of being a Bicycle Friendly Community, we are
confident that Quinte West can achieve meaningful progress towards these goals. The essential elements of a more Bicycle
Friendly Quinte West by 2021 are:

Engineering - creating a connected, integrated network of low-stress cycling infrastructure that provides people of all
ages and abilities with cycling routes travelling both east-to-west and north-to-south to connect popular destinations
within the urban area of Trenton and residents in the surrounding amalgamated communities. This network can include
new multi-use trails, protected bike lanes, bike lanes on streets within towns, signed bike routes on low traffic streets and
existing trails that are well-lit, well-signed and maintained year-round. With a few key investments along priority routes,
Quinte West can have a well-connected network that leads to most destinations within town. At important destinations,
ample, secure bike parking should be more readily available;

Education - making cycling education part of the educational program for all students in Quinte West schools to create a
culture of respect between all road users. Educational efforts will also include public awareness campaigns designed to
create better interactions between people driving and people cycling, and will offer adults new opportunities to learn how
to ride a bike safely and legally;

Encouragement – introducing new programs designed to get residents excited about cycling again is key to creating a
culture of cycling. Expanding upon existing efforts like the Bay of Quinte Road Race and the Commuter Challenge and
offering new programs like Bike Month, Bike to Work Day, Open Streets Events, bike buddy programs, Bicycle Friendly
Business designations and Bike Valet will help move Quinte West towards a stronger culture of cycling. Engaging partners
at CFB Trenton will be key to encouraging new ridership at the City‟s largest employer and commuter destination;

Enforcement - building more effective partnerships between the Quinte West OPP and the various community partners to
make the roads safer for all road users. Institute bicycle patrol officers and review local bylaws to ensure that cycling is
safe and comfortable all over town; and

Evaluation & Planning – Create an Active Transportation Master Plan, complete with a dedicated annual budget for
implementation of cycling projects. Begin work on establishing a baseline of the number of people cycling in Quinte West
by performing counts throughout the summer.
The workplan that follows, organized under the 5 Es of the BFC Program, outlines recommended actions Quinte West could take in
the next two years to help it work towards achieving this 5 year vision. With more than 15 attendees at the workshop, it was not
surprising that the initial list of potential actions was quite long and varied, and contained far more than would be realistic to
achieve given the two-year time frame and resource constraints. The initial list of brainstormed actions has been refined to
include a number of high-impact activities, many of which are proven to be best practices in communities across North America.
***NOTE:*** In order to implement the items identified in this workplan, it is strongly suggested that Quinte West form an
Active Transportation working group.
This working group should be made up of
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City Councillors,
City Staff from Public Works, Planning and Recreation departments,
Representatives from CFB Trenton,
Quinte West OPP,
Tourism representatives,
The Chamber of Commerce,
School Board representation
Conservation Authorities and
HPEPH staff
Any of the actions in the workplan that refer to the Quinte West Active Transportation Group (QWATG) are suggested to be
organized by this group once it has been formally created.
It is important to remember that there are many ways to build a more bicycle-friendly community. This report contains
suggestions for one path that could be followed to get there, however, it may be possible for Quinte West to substitute other
actions that are not included in this plan and still achieve this five year vision for increasing bicycling.
WORKPLAN
ENGINEERING: Creating safe and convenient places to ride and park bicycles through physical infrastructure and hardware that
supports cycling.
Attendees at both the workshop and World Café identified a number of priorities for Quinte West with regards to physical
infrastructure to support cycling. While attendees were encouraged by the development of a multi-use trail from Smylie‟s to CFB
Trenton, they emphasized the need for safe cycling connections through the community in order to get to the trail and beyond.
The work being done to pave shoulders as rural roads are repaved was applauded, but attendees felt that the lack of safe cycling
infrastructure within the urban areas of Trenton made cycling a challenge.
In addition to the infrastructure to make cycling safer, attendees also emphasized the importance of providing bike parking across
the community. It was noted that popular destinations like the downtown core lacked bike parking, leaving riders feeling that
they have no safe place to store their bike when they go shopping. Based on the conversations at the workshop, the following
actions are recommended. For further information on the Engineering Section of this report, refer to Appendix B: Infrastructure
Tour Summary.
Engineering Workplan
Recommended Actions
Create a network of safe
cycling infrastructure from
WalMart to CFB Trenton,
with North-South routes to
connect to the industrial
park and CFB Trenton
housing areas.
Pave the trail and connect
Stanley Street to Front
Street at the rail bridge
Description
Ensure that in-town cycling trips are safe by creating
a priority east-west route through Trenton with
north-south routes taking riders to popular
destinations safely and conveniently. Utilize quiet
residential streets and existing trails as the basis for
the network in order to avoid taking riders on highvolume routes like Dundas Street. Suggested routes
include King Street, Bay Street and McGill Street, in
addition to Byron Street, Reid Street and North
Murray Street and the corridor of Queen, Stanley and
Front Streets on the west side of the river.
This important connection can easily be made more
comfortable to navigate by bike – work to connect
these two low-stress cycling routes together.
Groups Involved
Planning
Public Works
Suggested Timeline
Years 1 and 2
Planning
Public Works
ASAP
Offer bike racks to
businesses at a discounted
or bulk price1
By purchasing a large volume of custom-made bike
racks, Quinte West can offer local businesses the
opportunity to install high-quality bike parking at a
low cost. Consider partnering with Loyalist College,
who is already building bike racks for deployment in
the Quinte area for 2016.
As new cycling
Ensure that communications efforts throughout the
infrastructure is planned and community focuses on the creation of the broader
installed, actively promote
cycling network, the benefits of cycling to the
the benefits of cycling to
community and shares success stories from similar
the community through a
communities in Ontario (for example, Peterborough
coordinated communications and Thunder Bay, where cycling rates have increased
strategy.
while collisions have decreased)
Create a Bike Parking
Bike Parking Ordinances ensure that people who ride
Ordinance to ensure that
have a safe, secure place to park their bike when
new developments and
they arrive at their destination by setting
employment areas have
requirements for the provision of bike parking in new
adequate, ample bike
(and existing) developments. For an example of a
parking
best practice bike parking ordinance, see Cambridge,
MA‟s ordinance here. Also be sure that all new bike
parking provided adheres to the standards created by
the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle
Professionals (APBP) found here.
1
DBIA
Chamber of Commerce
ED & Tourism
Public Works
Year 2
ED & Tourism
Public Health
ASAP
Planning
City Council
ASAP
For an example of a similar program, see what Thunder Bay has done here:
http://www.thunderbay.ca/Living/Getting_Around/Active_Transportation/Bike_Parking/Bike_Racks_for_Business.htm
Develop cycling wayfinding
strategy and install signage
Work to connect existing
assets in Quinte West and
beyond
Work to ensure safe cycling
access over the Trent River
in Quinte West
Ensure that the new school
being constructed in Quinte
West is easily accessible by
bike.
Determine where wayfinding signage needs to be
installed, choose signage design standards,2 secure
funding. The signage should indicate distance and
estimated time, and feature connections to other
key cycling routes to help riders safely navigate
their way to their destination. Focus these signs on
low-stress neighbourhood routes as possible.
Ensure connectivity to existing assets – work with
Belleville to create a safe route to connect to
Ontario‟s Waterfront Trail, develop connections to
the Millenium Trail and work to connect rural areas
of Quinte West like Frankford to the urban area of
Trenton via multi-use trails or paved shoulders on
low-traffic roads as possible.
The bridges over the river represent a significant
pinch point for cycling in Quinte West. Currently,
cyclists are asked to dismount on the southern
bridge to walk across, or must share traffic lanes.
Consider including bike lanes on both bridges in
Trenton, as this would make cycling across the river
much more convenient and safe.
With the construction of a new school facility
within the urban boundaries of Trenton, there is a
strong opportunity to make infrastructure
improvements along the corridors leading to the
school to make it easier for students to walk or bike
to school. Also ensure that the school has ample,
adequate bike parking.
Planning
Public Works
Planning
Public Works
Establish signage
standards ASAP to be
installed in
conjunction with
Short Term Cycling
Implementation
Strategy.
Year 2 and beyond
Planning
Public Works
Year 2 or later
Public Health
Public Works
As new school is
being planned and
built
The City of Waterloo has developed a very good model for wayfinding signs and is happy to share it with other municipalities. Contact
[email protected] for more details.
2
Spotlight on: Celebrating and Extending the Highway 2 Trail
At the Workshop, participants were asked to participate in a Silo Smasher exercise
to think about how they could support the work being done on the trail linking
Trenton to the base along old highway 2. Below are some of the ideas that came
out of the discussion when the question “How can you help to get more people
using the trail to CFB Trenton and beyond?” was asked.
Building the trail along Highway 2 is an excellent step forward for
Quinte West. To increase the return on investment for the City, it
is important to work together with community partners to
promote the trail and encourage residents to make use of it! It
provides a pivotal connection to Quinte West’s largest employer,
and should be celebrated!
Extending the trail and making connections:
 The trail was seen as an important first step in
building new connections in Quinte West‟s Active
Transportation network.
 Connecting to the Waterfront Trail, Millennium Trail
and into the downtown area of Trenton via Bay
street were identified as priorities.
Promoting and celebrating the trail
 Host a “Grand Opening” event for the trail – include
partners from the City, Public Health and CFB Trenton.
This could include a social ride, a BBQ, a Bike Rodeo and
more.
 Promote the opening through social media, City
communications outlets, and on the base.
 Host a Bike to Work Day Breakfast in the Smylie‟s
parking lot – sign people up for the Commuter Challenge
and encourage broader participation in cycling on the
base and beyond.
 Make riders feel special with “Celebrity chefs” providing
them breakfast – have the Mayor, Councillors, Base
Commander etc help serve food to commuters as they
arrive.
 Also consider striping a centerline on the trail to
indicate to cyclists and pedestrians that the trail is a 2way facility.
An event like a Bike to Work Day
Breakfast (left) is an excellent way
to involve new riders and
encourage them to use the trail.
Also consider hosting bike
tuneups (right) to encourage
commuters to get back on their
bikes!
EDUCATION:
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Cycling Education: Giving people of all ages and abilities the skills and confidence to ride a bicycle by offering educational
programs and activities designed to engage with residents on how to ride safely and conveniently throughout the
community.
Driving Education: Educating car and truck drivers about how to share the road safely with cyclists, demonstrating respect
and care for all road users.
Workshop attendees identified improved education as a major priority for Quinte West to move forward in becoming more bicycle
friendly. Attendees identified some good existing initiatives like CAN-BIKE instructors at the YMCA, Bike Rodeos and some good
efforts from HPEPH, but felt that efforts were required to better educate all residents about the value of sharing the road safely,
with a special focus on cycling education for youth.
Education Workplan
Recommended Actions
Establish an Active and
Safe Routes to School3
working group and ensure
that all schools within
Quinte West have Active
School Travel Plans and
cycling education programs
Create a guide to bike
lanes for residents to
explain how they work for
people driving and people
cycling.
3
Description
Communities across Ontario have experienced
success with promoting Active School Travel4. Bring
together a committee of school board
representatives, Public Health, community members,
City Council, City Staff and OPP Officers to create a
plan to get more students to school actively and
safely in Quinte West, and work actively with schools
to implement and monitor successes.
As bike lanes are built, explain how they work to
residents. Include information about travelling in
bike lanes, parking, pick-up and drop off rules –
don‟t assume that they‟re self-explanatory!
Groups Involved
School Boards,
Public Health,
Police, Parent
Committees, City
staff
Timeline
Year 1 – establish
committee
Public Works
Public Health
As new bike lanes are
built
http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/school-travel-planning-toolkit
For a highly successful model of creating Active and Safe Routes to school, see the “Stepping It Up” Pilot Project
(http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/schooltravel/SteppingItUpReportENG.pdf) for inspiration.
4
Year 2 – begin
programs
Expand the P.A.L.S
(Physical Activity Leaders
in Schools) program to
create a bike mentorship
program for students
Expand the offerings of
cycling educational
opportunities available to
students and adults outside
of school hours
Expand the distribution of
the “Share the Road”
rack card that has already
been created by Public
Health.
Ensure that City Staff and
Council stay up to date on
best practices related to
cycling
The existing P.A.L.S. framework pairs older students
with younger students to mentor them in being
physically active. Consider pairing students that live
in close proximity to one another and encouraging
them to bike to school together. The older students
could receive basic cycling education and serve as
excellent role models for safe cycling behaviour in
their school.
The YMCA facility in Quinte West could be the hub of
cycling education for both youth and adults. Ensure
that learn to ride courses for both children and
adults are offered, and that opportunities for
families to learn the rules of the road together are
considered.
Consider including the rack card in routine
communications with residents, including them as an
insert in utility bills, on the City‟s website or in any
broader communications tools like tourism guides, to
better spread the message of the rights and
responsibilities of various road users. Also consider
including the rack card with all new bikes sold to
provide education for new riders.
Offer staff membership to the Association of
Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and send staff
and Councillors to the Ontario Bike Summit to learn
best practices that can be used as inspiration for
creating an Active Transportation Plan for Quinte
West. Ensure that City Staff are trained on the
Ontario Traffic Council‟s Ontario Traffic Manual Book
18 – Cycling Facilities to ensure that new
infrastructure is designed in accordance with
provincial standards.
Public Health
School Boards
Teachers
Students
Year 1
YMCA
CFB Trenton
Local Bike Clubs
Ongoing
Public Health
ED & Tourism
OPP
Bike retailers
Auto related
retailers/mechan
ics
Year 1
Planning
Public Works
ED & Tourism
City Council
Public Health
Ongoing
Create educational
resources to distribute to
parents in Quinte West
about sharing the road
with cyclists and
encouraging their kids to
get to school actively
Identify education
programs/ campaigns that
could be replicated or
modified for use in Quinte
West to compliment the
existing “Share the Road”
campaign run by public
health, e.g. Thunder Bay‟s
cycling education videos5
and You Know Me, I Ride a
Bike campaign6 or
Waterloo Region‟s Thumbs
Up! Campaign7
Parents are role models to their children – if they
share the road safely, ride legally and wear bike
helmets, their kids are more likely to do those things
as well. Send resources home with kids from school to
reach parents at home encouraging them to ride with
their kids. Resources are available on the Active and
Safe Routes to School website here.
Other communities have created and tested education
videos and campaigns, so why reinvent the wheel?
Adapting existing resources and developing a
dissemination plan can yield impressive results at a
reduced cost.
Run "Stay Safe, Stay Back"
trucking campaign within
the city of Quinte West
(city staff and large
employers that use heavy
trucks8)
Local professional truck drivers should be ambassadors
for safe driving practices and training them on how to
share the road safely with cyclists will help them be
good role models. All materials for this campaign are
available from Share the Road.
Public Health
OPP
School boards
Year 2
Public Health
ED & Tourism
In 1st half of year 1:
research options,
select programs or
campaigns, secure
resources, plan for
dissemination
In 2nd half of year 1:
modify/ create
program/
campaign materials.
Public Health
OPP
Large Employers
In year 2:
Disseminate.
In year 1
http://www.thunderbay.ca/Living/Getting_Around/Active_Transportation/Resources.htm
http://www.safecyclingthunderbay.com/article/you-know-me-i-ride-a-bike-127.asp
7 http://thumbsupwr.com/resources/
8 This campaign has recently been adopted by the City of Toronto, City of Ottawa, Tomlinson, Cavanagh and Karson Group. Digital resources are
“ready-made” for printing and sharing online. Contact [email protected] for more details or visit www.staysafestayback.ca
5
6
Spotlight on: Effective Cycling Education
Throughout the workshop and the World Café, attendees emphasized that many
residents don’t know the rules of the road as they apply to bikes – whether they’re on a
bike or behind the wheel. Every effective cycling education campaign has two main parts
– one focused on those who ride and one on the general public.
Employees in Thunder Bay learn
cycling skills during their lunch hour.
Cycling Education:
 Should be taught by a certified CAN-BIKE instructor.
 Should be offered at flexible times, with a variety of courses
available – consider a focus on beginner cycling courses.
 Should ideally be offered on-site at large employers as a lunch
and learn series.
 Should feature simple messaging for new riders, such as “stay off
the sidewalks”, “stay visible and predictable”, and “always signal
your intentions”.
Education for people who drive:
 Should emphasize that people on bikes have
a right to be on the road.
 Should focus on safe, courteous passing in
accordance with the 1m safe passing law.
 Should feature messaging that emphasizes
that people cycling are neighbours and
community members.
Thunder Bay’s
“You Know Me,
I Ride A Bike”
campaign
emphasizes that
people on bikes
are members of
the community
just like people
who drive.
Volunteers with Cycle Toronto hand out lights to
riders to keep them visible while riding at night
ENCOURAGEMENT: Creating a strong bike culture that welcomes and celebrates bicycling through incentives, promotions and
events that inspire and enable people to ride.
Attendees identified some work being done on the encouragement portfolio – including the existence of the Bay of Quinte Road
Race and Quinte West‟s participation in the commuter challenge, but overall felt that there is much to be done to provide
residents with new incentives to get back on their bikes. The suggestion for Quinte West to host its first Bike Month in 2016 was
very well received, and attendees hope to see strong encouragement efforts to match the recent infrastructure improvements in
Quinte West.
Encouragement Workplan
Recommended Actions
Host Bike Month festivities
in 2016 and beyond
Host Bike Valet services at
special events in Quinte
West9
9
Description
June is Bike Month in Ontario – and it is a great time
to encourage new riders to get back on their bikes.
Bring community partners together to form a Quinte
West Bike Month working group to decide what kinds
of events should be held. This working group would
also be an excellent start to the QWATG. See the
“Spotlight on Bike Month” section of this report for
more information and suggestions.
Bike Valet services are like a coat check for your bike
– riders arrive, check their bike in to a secure storage
facility, receive a number and then present that
number to get their bike at the end of the event. It‟s
a high-visibility way to reduce vehicle parking and
show support for cycling at special events like
Scottish Irish Festival, Canada Day or the Waterfront
Festival.
Groups Involved
Public Health
ED & Tourism
OPP
Community Partners
CFB Trenton
Timeline
Ongoing
City Staff
CFB Trenton
Community
Members/Volunteers
Year 1
For an excellent guide to running bike valet, see here: http://www.ibike.org/engineering/event-parking.htm
Make the Bay of Quinte
Road Race a celebration of
cycling.
Organize guided rides in
Quinte West to give more
residents an opportunity to
ride as a group. Host Slow
Rides with family-friendly
destinations to encourage
new riders and introduce
residents to low-stress
cycling routes.
Host a Bike Swap, similar to
a ski-swap, where families
can swap the bikes that
their children have outgrown
for new, larger bikes.
Make the Quinte West
Marina a hub of cycling
activity by including cycling
maps and rental bikes for
use by boaters.
10
Use the existing Bay of Quinte Road Race event to
create a celebration of cycling: host an Open Streets
event, organize community rides, host bike rodeos
and work to make the event welcoming and fun to
riders of all ages and abilities. Consider hosting
different types of cycling events during the Road
Race weekend, including a BMX race, a mountain
bike race at Batawa, a Criterion race and a Grand
Fondo.
Ensure that rides offer variety for residents – family
rides should be done at a no-rider-left-behind pace,
with other social rides like touring rides and
mountain bike trips to Batawa also offered to build a
culture of cycling in Quinte West. Consider hosting
some of these rides as a tie in to Bike Month
ED & Tourism
OPP
Ontario Cycling
Association
Local Bike shops
City Council
Year 2
Community
volunteers
In years 1 and 2
Partner with a local bike retailer to ensure that new
bikes are also available for purchase at the event as
well. Consider hosting a bike rodeo at the same time
to teach kids new cycling skills.
Local Bike retailers
OPP (for Bike
Rodeo)
Year 2
Boaters don‟t often travel with a car – so providing
shared bikes or bike rentals can help to encourage
visitors to travel into the town centre to spend time
and tourist dollars. Also ensure that there are clear
signs at the Marina directing people towards popular
destinations, with estimated travel times for people
walking and people cycling10.
ED & Tourism
Year 1 and 2
For a simple tool to build signage that incorporates walking and cycling distances, see https://walkyourcity.org/
Create a Bike Buddies and
commuter matching service
to introduce new riders to
cycling11, with a special
focus on CFB Trenton.
Host “Rediscover your
bike” events including learn
to ride courses and simple
bike maintenance
Expand promotion and
participation in the
Commuter Challenge
11
People are much more likely to start riding their
bikes again if they have a friend, colleague or
mentor to ride with. Consider creating a database to
match experienced riders with new commuters to
give them a chance to learn how to ride safely and
legally. Developing this program at CFB Trenton
would create an excellent case study in how a
military facility can serve as a hub of physical
activity in Ontario!
Many residents own a bike, but many bikes are
tucked away in a garage, needing some TLC. Host a
rediscover your bike event with local bike shops to
perform basic maintenance of older bikes, provide
some training in how to perform simple maintenance
such as changing a flat or fixing your chain and
provide some on-bike education to get people
comfortable riding again.
The Commuter Challenge can be a powerful tool to
create a stronger culture of cycling. Engage more
employers by challenging them to compete against
one another, offering prizes and posting regular
updates publicizing leading commuters and teams.
Specifically focus on encouraging participation at
CFB Trenton, especially in 2016 once the trail to the
base is completed and riding to the base is safer and
more comfortable.
CFB Trenton
Year 1 – Establish
database and run
trial
Year 2 – full
rollout.
QWATG
Consider as part
of Bike Month in
year 2
Public Health
Chamber of
Commerce
CFB Trenton
Ongoing
For an example of a bike buddies program, see what has been developed in Ottawa here: http://www.biketoworkottawa.ca/en/events/bikebuddies
Spotlight on: Bike Month
June is Bike Month in Ontario! It’s a perfect time to encourage residents to give cycling a
try! At both the workshop and the World Café, attendees identified Bike Month as a
priority action for Quinte West to undertake. In this section, learn more about the topics
and events that were discussed.
Volunteers with Cycle Kingston host a
“Pit Stop” for cycle commuters during
bike month.
Residents who arrive by bike are
greeted with fun activities at the
Halton Hills Farmers’ Market
Suggestions for Bike Month Activities include:
 Host a Bike to Work Day Breakfast to kick off Bike
Month and register riders for the Commuter Challenge
 Host “Pit Stops” in high-traffic locations, giving away
healthy refreshments and cycling essentials (lights,
bells etc)
 Host a Glow Ride for a fun evening activity
 Host a “Bike it to Market” event at the Farmer‟s
Market with bike valet and giveaways for people
that arrive by bike
 Encourage community members to host community
rides to highlight low-stress routes and local
destinations
 Encourage residents to highlight the need for bike
parking through social media and an #AskForARack
Campaign
 Host a Bike Month Wrap up event including a bike
rodeo and other fun cycling activities
Key to a successful Bike Month is collaboration – having many different groups organize one or 2
events each makes it easier to fill the month with events than having one agency try to do it all.
Establish a Bike Month committee to identify who is in charge of what events to bring the month
together successfully. Be sure to include:
Public Health
YMCA
CFB Trenton
Local Businesses
OPP
Tourism
DBIA
Interested residents
New bike parking installed in front of
a TD Bank in Belleville as a result of an
#AskForARack campaign
Fun events like Belleville’s Glow
Ride give people a unique, familyfriendly, reason to get back on
their bikes!
ENFORCEMENT: Ensuring drivers and cyclists share the road safely through equitable laws and activities that hold both groups
accountable for their behavior and actions on the road.
Attendees noted that the local police have engaged in events like Bike Rodeos, which have helped to build awareness about
cycling in Quinte West. Attendees were also happy to see officers participating in positive ticketing, but emphasized that there
were opportunities for Quinte West OPP Officers to be more involved in making cycling safer, including by having more officers
patrol on bikes, expanding positive ticketing campaigns and engage in more training about cycling as it relates to the Highway
Traffic Act.
Enforcement Workplan
Recommended Actions
Ensure effective
communication between the
local police department and
the cycling community by
having a police liaison on
the Quinte West Active
Transportation Group
(QWATG)
Ensure that officers are
well trained in the changes
to the Highway Traffic Act
that came into effect with
the passage of Bill 31
Have more officers
patrolling Quinte West by
bicycle
Descriptions
Having law enforcement representation on the
QWATG is extremely important to create effective
relationships between people riding and the law
enforcement community, and can help in the
development of new programs and educational
blitzes. Within the QWATG, create a Community
Cycling Safety Committee to identify potential road
safety improvements.
Ensure that officers are aware of the 1m safe
passing law, increased penalties for “dooring” and
increased penalties for cycling without lights or
reflectors. Consider offering training to specifically
address the rules of the road as they relate to
bikes.
Having more officers on bikes gives them a better
understanding of the conditions faced by regular
riders, and can also raise the visibility and the
profile of cycling in the community.
Groups Involved
Public Health,
OPP
Timeline
When QWATG is being
formed
OPP
Consider in year 1
OPP
In year 1
Expand “Positive
Ticketing” campaigns.
Host Bike Rodeos at more
special events
Organize a “Get Lit”
campaign12 to highlight the
importance of having
adequate lighting on your
bike
Organize a “Ride a Mile in
My Shoes” event including
plainclothes police officers
and cycling advocates13
Ensure that collision data is
shared with the City to
highlight hotspots for
collisions between people
cycling and people driving
and establish plans to
reduce those collisions
Consider having officers distribute coupons for treats or
items like pool passes to youth “caught” wearing helmets
while riding. Ensure „positive tickets‟ support and reinforce
healthy living (i.e. swim passes or stickers versus unhealthy
food rewards). More information on healthy rewards for
children can be found here.
Bike Rodeos are a great opportunity for local officers to
educate youth about riding safely and legally – consider
offering them at events like Scottish Irish Festival and the
Waterfront Festival.
With the Highway Traffic Act changes passed in Bill 31, fines
for riding a bike without lights went up from $20 to $85.
Increase awareness of this important safety issue by
distributing bike lights to riders along with an informational
brochure about the increase in fines and the importance of
staying visible at night.
This type of ride around common cycling routes allows
officers to experience first-hand what regular cyclists face
on their journeys. (Drivers often behave differently - safer around police officers in uniform.) It also helps to
build/strengthen the relationship between police and
cycling advocates
Data about where and how collisions occur can often
demonstrate patterns and illustrate particularly dangerous
areas for people cycling. Using this data to identify priority
areas for infrastructure improvements or public awareness
campaigns can help to improve safety for all road users.
OPP
Year 1
OPP
CFB Trenton
Year 1
OPP
Public Health
Local Bike
Shops
Year 1
OPP
Public Health
City Council &
Staff
Once each year
OPP
Public Works
Ongoing
12
Citizens for Safe Cycling in Ottawa run a successful light giveaway campaign with Ottawa Police each year. For more information see here:
http://www.bikeottawa.ca/index.php/news/100-lights-on-bikes
This recommendation is based on a successful ride like this in Toronto. You can read more about it on page 21 of the 2015 BFC yearbook in the
article, Ride a Mile in My Cycle Shoes. The yearbook can be found here: http://issuu.com/mrbikesabunch/docs/2015-yearbook-final-web
13
EVALUATION & PLANNING: Processes that measure results, and planning for bicycling as a safe and viable transportation option.
Attendees were happy to see that Active Transportation was mentioned in Quinte West‟s Official Plan and praised the work being
done to support cycling on an ad-hoc basis, but they noted that there was a need for a more coordinated approach to planning for
Active Transportation. In general, attendees expressed a desire to see Quinte West beginning to gather data and plan for cycling
more in the near future.
Evaluation & Planning Workplan
Recommended Actions
Descriptions
Create an Active
Transportation Plan for
Quinte West
In order to move forward with effective cycling
infrastructure in Quinte West, the City should have
an Active Transportation Plan, especially to ensure
the installation of cycling infrastructure in the
existing built up areas of Quinte West.
Small changes to Quinte West‟s roadways can have
a major impact in how residents get around their
community. Ensure that changes continue to occur
every year to make cycling safer by devoting a
stable budget amount to cycling infrastructure each
year within the City‟s capital budget.
Building a roadway to accommodate all road users
is cheaper to do when the road is being constructed
rather than having to retrofit it – ensure that all
road users are considered when creating new or
updating existing infrastructure.
Create an annual cycling
budget to ensure
continuous, consistent
improvement.
Approve a Complete
Streets Policy14 to ensure
that all road work
accommodates all road users
in the future.
Groups
Involved
City Council
Planning
Public Health
Timeline
City Council
Public Works
When Active
Transportation Plan
is approved
City Council
Planning
Public Works
Public Health
In year 1 – Create a
draft Complete
Streets Policy with
stakeholder input
Draft RFP in year 1,
Approve plan in
Year 2
In year 2: finalize
Policy and pass at
Council.
14
http://completestreetsforcanada.ca/policy-elements
Add all existing and planned
trails to the City’s GIS mapping
tool to identify priority
connections in the city‟s cycling
network
Work to establish a baseline
figure of people using Quinte
West‟s cycling infrastructure15
Establish a Development Policy
for new developments in Quinte
West to ensure that all new
construction includes pedestrian
and cycling amenities.
Work with regional partners to
identify a Bay of Quinte Regional
cycling strategy, complete with
connecting routes and tourism
opportunities.
Host City Council and Staff bike
rides to identify gaps in the
network and help in
understanding the conditions
15
By ensuring that all planned and current trails
are input into the City‟s GIS system, it
becomes much easier to recognize what
connections need to be prioritized to build a
connected network.
Collect data using volunteer cordon counts,
temporary or permanent bike counters and
other methods to establish a baseline figure
of the number of people currently cycling in
Quinte West – this data can help to illustrate
the effectiveness of Quinte West‟s future
investments in cycling.
As new developments are planned in Quinte
West, ensure that infrastructure is designed
to accommodate all road users. Building
sidewalks, bike lanes and multi-use trails are
all easier to do as developments are planned
and built rather than attempting to retrofit
infrastructure built without adequate
infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.
Quinte West, Belleville, Prince Edward County
and other Bay of Quinte communities are
prime destinations for cycling. Work with
community partners to establish connected
routes, develop maps and create a
promotional campaign for residents and
tourists.
Seeing is believing, and sometimes decisionmakers may not be aware of the conditions
faced by people who cycle in their
community. By leading a community bike
Planning
Public Works
In year 1
Public Health
Planning
Public Works
Year 1
City Council
Planning
In year 2
Public Health
ED & Tourism
Public Works
Year 2
City of
Belleville
Hastings
County
PEC
OPP
Public Health
City Council &
Staff
Year 1
For a comprehensive guide to performing cycling counts, see here: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_797.pdf
faced by riders in the community.
ride, local riders can show elected officials
the positives of their community and the gaps
which require attention in order to complete
the cycling network.
Support provincial cycling
advocacy efforts through the
Ontario Cycling Advocacy
Network (OntarioCAN).
Install permanent bike and
pedestrian counters at key
locations in Quinte West16
16
Many activities of provincial scope were highlighted
throughout the workshop that would help to improve
cycling conditions in Quinte West. This includes
cycling education in schools, investments in
infrastructure and driver training. Quinte West
should ensure that they have representation in the
Ontario Cycling Advocacy Network. This Network is
facilitated by Share the Road and our aim is to have
1 representative in each electoral district
(provincially)
Volunteer counts can show year-to-year data, but
they are subject to a number of factors that can
confound the data, including weather. Permanent
counters provide consistent data that can illustrate
long-term trends in ridership. Consider installing
counters in key locations like the Trail along Highway
2.
Local cyclists
Share the Road
City Staff
Ongoing
Engineering and
Planning Staff
Parks and
Recreation Staff
Year 2
Many cities make the data from their bike counters available online. For an example see Ottawa’s Laurier Ave Bike Counter here: http://ottawa-laurier.visiotools.com/
Appendices:
Appendix A: Inventory and Challenges
This inventory was developed by participants in the Bicycle Friendly Communities Workshop and World Café event
facilitated by Share the Road in October 2015.
Quinte West Assessment
Engineering
Inventory:
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Policy that any reconstruction tries to have paved shoulders or bike lanes.
Bike Parking exists at the Marina, the Chamber of Commerce, Riverfront Square, YMCA and City Hall
Waterfront Trail in places.
Wide shoulders on many roadways
Millenium Trail, Batawa trails
Challenges:

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Funding and costs
Land ownership to connect existing trails
Narrow Roads
Public Works and Council need to better consider Active Transportation
Need more bike parking
Site plans don‟t include bike lanes, racks or cycling elements
Connectivity for cycling – major barriers to destinations like YMCA, Downtown, the Base etc.
Inter-town connectivity – ie Frankford to Trenton
No wayfinding
Bridges across the river not designed for cycling
Education
Inventory:

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OPP bike rodeos
Trenton High School Out Of Limits program includes mountain biking
Tri and Run offers some road cycling clinics
CAN BIKE Instructor at the YMCA
Rack Card about cycling safety from Health Unit
Helmet Fitting Program
Trail Maps on the QW Website
Challenges:

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No Signage
Lack of safe infrastructure means education won‟t go very far.
Training costs
Perception that Winter Cycling is Impossible
No clear division of responsibilities about who is in charge of education, especially in the schools.
Communication between agencies (ie – school board, communities, public health, OPP etc) lacking
Lack of adult education
Encouragement
Inventory:

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
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High profile cycling events: BoQ Road Race, Surf and Turf
Bike Shop (Tri and Run)
Helmet Giveaways
Commuter Challenge
Chamber is a member of Ontario By Bike Network
Challenges:

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

Commuter Challenge not well publicized in QW – relatively low participation.
Bike Rentals could be made available at the Marina for boaters who arrive in QW
No Bike Month Activities in QW
No Bike Valet at special events
No Cycling incentive programs
Races cater to the racing crowd – no events for everyday cycling in QW
Enforcement
Inventory:

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

Positive Ticketing campaign
Bike Rodeos in Schools
No bikes on sidewalk bylaw in downtown
Bicycle Equipment (ie lights and bells) are enforced
Challenges:



Police don‟t know the rules of the road for cyclists
Safety features lacking on trails (lights etc)
Bylaw for sidewalk cycling doesn‟t extend community wide
Evaluation and Planning
Inventory:


Bike-Car Collisions are reported by OPP
QW Official Plan makes references to cycling
Challenges:

No Cycling / Active Transportation Plan



No Cycling design requirements for new developments
Piecemeal efforts result in fragmented network
No measurements being taken re: how many people are riding
Appendix C: Additional Materials:
Cycling Education Toolkit from Safe Cycling Thunder Bay – detailed information about creating new bike education
courses in your community. http://www.safecyclingthunderbay.com/upload/documents/cycling_toolkit.pdf
Share the Road‟s 2015 Bicycle Friendly Communities Yearbook: For further inspiration, including other programs or
projects that could assist Quinte West in becoming more bicycle friendly:
http://www.sharetheroad.ca/files/2015_Yearbook_final_web.pdf