How is your pathway's bicycle friendliness ?
#26
Senior Member
Only have a 4 - 6 mile commute one way depending on the route I choose:
Option 1: Shortest option: 4 miles with 3 miles on dedicated trails and 1 mile of neighborhood street with little to no traffic if one avoids the time when school starts. However the 3 miles of trail run a long a noisy road. Separated and safe from traffic but noisy.
Option 2: About 5.5 miles with about 2 miles on dedicated trails and 3.5 miles on neighborhood streets with little to no traffic. Not as many trail miles but much quieter. If I get passed by 5 cars I consider this heavy traffic. lol
Option 3: About 6 miles with about 3-4 miles on dedicated trails which partially run through a beautiful nature preserve. Quiet and beautiful. However about 200 yards are not paved yet and become very muddy during and after rain. A no go for city bikes with fenders since it will all clog up with clay.
In dry weather I normally choose option3. When wet either option 2 or option 1 if I am in a rush. There are plans to expand the trail system which eventually will allow me to travel on paved trails for most of my commute. I hope this gets completed this year.
Option 1: Shortest option: 4 miles with 3 miles on dedicated trails and 1 mile of neighborhood street with little to no traffic if one avoids the time when school starts. However the 3 miles of trail run a long a noisy road. Separated and safe from traffic but noisy.
Option 2: About 5.5 miles with about 2 miles on dedicated trails and 3.5 miles on neighborhood streets with little to no traffic. Not as many trail miles but much quieter. If I get passed by 5 cars I consider this heavy traffic. lol
Option 3: About 6 miles with about 3-4 miles on dedicated trails which partially run through a beautiful nature preserve. Quiet and beautiful. However about 200 yards are not paved yet and become very muddy during and after rain. A no go for city bikes with fenders since it will all clog up with clay.
In dry weather I normally choose option3. When wet either option 2 or option 1 if I am in a rush. There are plans to expand the trail system which eventually will allow me to travel on paved trails for most of my commute. I hope this gets completed this year.
#27
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Mont-St-Hilaire, Qc
Posts: 43
Bikes: Raleigh Carlton (commuter, all-rounder) || Xprezo Wuuu 2011 (XC) || Poliquin Randonnée 90 (ongoing process) || CCM Nevada (winter commuter)
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Well, at least you have a webtool to do that, we don't (by the way, very good to know for my future cycling trips to QC). I thought Quebec's attitude towards cycling was very progressive, with numerous bike lanes and lane separators everywhere (I've been to Montreal and Quebec City). Jim posted some pictures, but the cycling infrastructure here in Boston has improved greatly in the last half a decade. Unfortunately, we are seeing way more traffic on our roads, more distraction from phones, more ride share cars pulling over in bike lanes, and still ongoing injuries and deaths to pedestrians and cyclists. Oftentimes the city uses the bike lanes as snow storage spaces.
My personal commute is still mostly on dedicated bike paths, so I can't complain. I think in general the population needs to be taught that cycling is a valid form of transportation, to respect all modes of transportation, and to slow down a little bit in general.
My personal commute is still mostly on dedicated bike paths, so I can't complain. I think in general the population needs to be taught that cycling is a valid form of transportation, to respect all modes of transportation, and to slow down a little bit in general.
The reason why my pathway show on Quebec511 is classified as "unfriendly" is most certainly because of the bad shape of the pavement.
I agree that if I wanted to plan a cycling weekend, the Quebec511 map would be a nice aid. But it also shows that between my hometown and my workplace, there are no options. There is only one way and it's a bad one.
I will try with my local representatives to see what could be done.
#28
Member
It's pretty great here in Portland. My commute is 6.5 miles, one way.
- 60% of it is through neighborhood greenways with little or no traffic.
- 20% is a long stretch of bike path adjacent to the waterfront that is separated from traffic by plastic poles until they put in a permanent barrier in the coming year. This is actually a full car lane with two-way bike traffic that has been reclaimed (from cars).
- 30% of it is riding with traffic using painted bike lanes but on a heavy bike-traffic artery where the cars seem pretty accustomed to looking out for us.
I have a lot of other options that are similarly safe but not faster.
- 60% of it is through neighborhood greenways with little or no traffic.
- 20% is a long stretch of bike path adjacent to the waterfront that is separated from traffic by plastic poles until they put in a permanent barrier in the coming year. This is actually a full car lane with two-way bike traffic that has been reclaimed (from cars).
- 30% of it is riding with traffic using painted bike lanes but on a heavy bike-traffic artery where the cars seem pretty accustomed to looking out for us.
I have a lot of other options that are similarly safe but not faster.