Now that we're actually getting somewhere with downtown bike lanes – it's time the city actually take a stance and make a decision on shared pathways, specifically on Main.
Are the sidewalks actually shared use paths? It doesn't say that anywhere, but it tells cyclists to yield to peds, but cycling on sidewalks is illegal. If it is for bikes too – where does it end going south? At what point downtown does it end? What happens at P&M?
I'm all for these being shared, at least until (if ever) a better solution is found, but 4 things need to happen:
1) These (and any) shared-use AT paths need to be labelled as such – Saskatoon does it everywhere. It needs to be apparent to
all that
all have the right to use it. The "cyclists yield to peds" signs are dangerous as it tells peds they don't have to be alert, make room, or look out for bikes – it's the cyclist's problem.
2) WIDER CURB CUTS! All over the city, but especially on St. Mary's/Main, the curb cuts are barely 3 feet wide – if there's a bike and a ped or another bike crossing, there's not nearly enough room, they need to be wider. It's brutal in front of Santa Lucia.
3) These decorative planters (with half dead trees) need to be removed from the Main Street Bridge. Not only do they take up a ton of room and narrow the path, but they create an extremely dangerous blind corner that's just begging for accidents. I almost had one the other day.
4) This parking lot entrance has to be closed off. Almost every single day I bike by there's a car waiting to turn literally blocking the entire bike lane so no one can get in or out. It's out of control dangerous. Even if there wasn't a bike lane there, having a somewhat blind entrance to a high speed bridge there is brutal.
Honourable mentions:
* The city needs to raise or clearly paint where the sidewalks/bike crossings cross roads everywhere, not just if it's a new designated bike lane. Important at these paths as well.
** It would be so simple, amazing, and effective if the city
pushed the vehicle stop line back 10 feet on any road that is marked as a bike route, or has a bike lane/AT path on it. It's so difficult and dangerous to turn left here, and this would allow cyclists to SAFELY cue up for left turns without blocking crosswalks, or having to illegally bike on sidewalks.