Location
Bank St. is a two-way each way road that runs north/south. Heading north, it intersects with Riverside eastbound, Riverside westbound, and then crosses the Rideau River over a small bridge.
Cyclists heading north lose the bicycle lane at Riverside eastbound. The bridge causes the road to narrow slightly. The bridge does have a sidewalk, which is clearly signed that bicycles are not allowed on the narrow sidewalk. The bridge is constructed such that a two-foot high metal barrier separates the sidewalk from the road.
Note that the same problem exists for cyclists coming along the NCC Rideau River pathway who want to go north on Bank.
The Problem
Bicycles face a particular challenge on the north side of the Riverside westbound intersection. When the traffic light turns green, cars will pass the bicycles and force them to the right of the lane. The metal barrier is high enough to be damaging to wheels, but not low enough that it provides any buffer for cyclists.
Suggestions
- expand the bridge to support dedicated bicycle lanes
- make signage much clearer that bans cars from passing bicycles on the bridge
- continue the bicycle lane from Riverside eastbound all the way across the bridge.
The google map document indicates the problem is on the north side of the Bank/Riverside intersection. In fact, the most dangerous section is when travelling north on Bank, approaching the Riverside intersection from the south. The steep hill means cyclists pick up speed. In this area, buses are coming out the Billing’s and transitway area, some stopping as the bike lane becomes a turning lane for vehicles, and cars are speeding to make the right hand turn (eastbound) onto Riverside. The bike lane suddenly becomes the eastbound turning lane for vehicles onto Riverside. The cyclist then has to choose between using this turning lane, with fast approaching cars from behind, or using part of the vehicle lane heading north on Bank St. Because of the design, both vehicle lanes narrow and cyclists are squeezed. Yes, the narrowing of the road/bridge, once across Riverside is bad, but surviving the competition with speeding vehicles for space on the right side of Bank (approaching Riverside) is the worst danger. After 2 years of near-death experiences, I now go 15 min. out of my way to avoid this intersection.
I ride the side walk across the bridge. if there are pedestrians I slow down and stop..but it is a vertical guillotine. An embarassment to the city.
Mike
Before any major upgrade, a simple and economical solution to this is slow down the traffic where bikes share road with cars in problem areas. If we want a part of the the Bank street as a people place, simply slow down the traffic (say 30 km / hour). Slow car traffic poses much less danger to pedestrians or cyclists, however complicated the traffic situation get. See Copenhagen approach:
http://www.streetfilms.org/copenhagen%E2%80%99s-climate-friendly-bike-friendly-streets/
This bridge is a problem both ways. The road is narrow and cars pass closely (I have been clipped). There are also many buses that use this bridge and squeeze out bikes. Many cars travelling north are trying to turn right onto Riverside.
Bank Street got a facelift but missed the opportunity to make cycling safer on this street. A lot of bike racks on the road side and designated as a biking route, but nothing on the road. Suggestions:
[1] mark bike lanes on the road,
[2] paint bike passage at the intersections (as in Copenhagen)
[3] where space does not allow for a separate bike lane, paint bike sign/chevrons on the road continuously indicating bike/auto shared road – making both drivers and bikers aware of road use. Post signs for safe passing of bikes.
[4] reduce on-street parking other than disability spaces, cut in curves instead of crowding into the road which endangers cyclists.
There is more to this. Coming from Old Ottawa South, the path in the Linda Thom park and the path under the bridge by the river only connect to the sidewalk, where bicyles are supposedly prohibited. The barrier between the sidewalk and the street prevents getting from the sidewalk onto the street. Even if you get on the street, the bridge is too narrow. Once you get to the light, going South, at the end of the bridge, there is a “no left turn” sign that does not allow you to connect from the street to the bike path on the left, along the Rideau river.
So for now, the no bicyles sign on the bridge should be removed. Eventually, a bike lane with proper connections on both sides of the bridge should be put in place.
Note: This should be included in Capital Ward # 17.
Marie-Odile,
I’ll write up the part of the path not connecting near Linda Thom Park, and there being no way to get from the bridge southbound to the Rideau River pathway eastbound.
Because of the limitations of the database, each problem can only be tagged with one ward. The bridge spans both wards. I’ll do this: put a marker at both ends of the bridge. The problems on the south side will go in ward 18, the parts on the north side in ward 17.
- A
I often ride my bicycle on that part of Bank St. The bridge is the Billings Bridge if I am not mistaken. Going north across the bridge is always scary because the road is simply not wide enough and there are many trucks and buses passing close by. I read elsewhere that the bridge is in need of a major upgrade in the near future. That would be an opportunity to add bicycle lanes to the bridge, but I am not sure if it is in the plan.