Advocacy

ghost bike ottawa

New Billings Bridge Cycling Underpass Partly Avoids Dangerous Intersection

August 6, 2019 Hansonthebike 2

Reading Time: 3 minutesFor many years the Bank Street – Riverside intersection in Ottawa was (and still is) considered one of the worst intersections, with many collisions happening annually. It is an ugly part of post war suburban design with way too much road. The entire area between the railway track and the Rideau River is unsightly and dangerous for all road users. It is very pedestrian unfriendly with narrow sidewalks (if any) right next to fast going traffic and the corners are tight. Sadly, Meg Dussault lost her life in 2014 in the north west section of the intersection on that narrow [Read more…]

Toronto’s international bicycle show

April 1, 2019 Hansonthebike 1

Reading Time: 5 minutesSome impressions from the Toronto international bike show last month, the “world’s largest consumer bicycle show”. Lots of road bikes, but also some other interesting nuggets. #ottbike

Elections 2018: Ward 9 Knoxdale – Merivale

October 11, 2018 Hansonthebike 0

Reading Time: 8 minutesOver the last two months, the Advocacy Working Group of Bike Ottawa put together a survey among all candidates for councillor and mayor for the 2018 elections to see where they are standing on traffic safety and particularly cycling. They were asked questions about connectivity, budgeting and if they actually cycle themselves. Good news There is a lot of good news. The vast majority of the candidates cycle and believe we need more connections to parks and facilities, stores etc. They also believe that winter ploughing of pathways for pedestrians and cyclists would promote active transportation and many think we [Read more…]

The mystery of the Adàwe Crossing cycling numbers

August 23, 2018 Hansonthebike 2

Reading Time: 3 minutesGone are the days that councillor Fleury walked through the Rideau river on his way to university following a self imposed desire line. Now there is the Adàwe crossing. And it is hugely popular. To get a better idea of its success, I took a belated look at the 2016 and 2017 data of the cycling and walking trips on the new bridge. The data is available from the City of Ottawa Open Data repository. (update: after I connected with the city about the suspicious data, it turns out the data the city provides in the spreadsheets is not correct, [Read more…]

A pedestrian and cycling bridge next to the current heritage bridge at Billings could make a huge difference for cyclist coming from the south end.

How About a 2nd Billings Bridge in Old Ottawa South?

July 24, 2018 Hansonthebike 5

Reading Time: 3 minutesA hotly debated area for safe cycling in Ottawa is the intersection at Riverside and the Billings Bridge, built in 1916. According to BikeOttawa’s website, the intersection at the south side is the one that has the most reported collisions in Ottawa, including a deadly one, when Meg Dussault was waiting on her bicycle at a cramped sidewalk/MUP and a right turning truck caught her bars. Vision Zero From a Sustainable Safety or Vision Zero point of view, this intersection needs to be changed, so that this can never happen again. There are plans to build a path underneath the [Read more…]

Thank you note on Harmer Ave bridge

Harmer Bridge Replacement: Lack of Clear Policy

July 17, 2018 Hansonthebike 2

Reading Time: 5 minutesFor 55 years, the Harmer bridge over the Queensway served walking and cycling citizens on both sides of the Queensway, but this month it will be closed and removed in order to build a new bridge. The old bridge over the Queensway will be removed overnight and the new one eventually put in place overnight. The replacement will take two years though, ‘because two new ramps need to be build’. (The 12 km LRT, partly underground, will take just under six years) No alternative to Harmer Bridge Unfortunately, there is no close safe alternative to cross the Queensway. The initial [Read more…]

I Cycled with an Astronaut through Downtown Ottawa

July 8, 2018 Hansonthebike 2

Reading Time: 5 minutesUpdate January 21, 2121: the GG resigned after allegations of creating a toxic work environment. Wednesday June 27, I got a phone call from the office of the Governor General of Canada.: if I would like to join GG Julie Payette on a short bike ride on Canada Day. The Governor General is the official representative of Queen Elizabeth II in countries that recognize the Queen as Head of State. Which Canada does. The role of the GG is ceremonial and they are appointed every four years; sometimes a fifth year is added. Astronaut Payette The current Governor General is [Read more…]

Are ankle bands the solution for the casual summer cyclist?

Cycling in Quebec: don’t get caught without reflectors!

June 28, 2018 Hansonthebike 12

Reading Time: 6 minutesIn Quebec province a new law aims to make cycling safer. More reflectors on your bike, cycling with prudence on cross walks, no more demerit points for cyclists, no more signalling of an intention to stop for cyclists, hands on the bar override signalling when needed. Read more about the details here: some good and some questionable regulations. July 2, 2018 UPDATE from Steve Truttmann:  Out cycling on the Quebec side yesterday morning, a QPP officer kindly told me that I must now remove my ear buds, law is now in effect. I was advised they will crack down on [Read more…]

The downside of el cheapo free bike lights

March 20, 2018 Hansonthebike 0

Reading Time: 3 minutesBike Ottawa, Safer Roads Ottawa and others have been handing out free bike lights for many years now. As I often volunteer, somehow I always end up with yet another set of lights. I am using the lights myself, or hand them out to visitors who arrived by bike and forgot to bring a light. The lights last about a year and run on two CR 2032 batteries. Turtle lights This week, I was emptying out our kitchen drawer and collected a dozen turtle lights. Most of them didn’t work anymore. I was going to replace the batteries but it [Read more…]