wyliepoon
Senior Member
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/555122
City eyes rumble strips to protect bicyclists
Pavement grooves on Lawrence Ave. would warn veering motorists
Dec 17, 2008 04:30 AM
Paul Moloney
CITY HALL BUREAU
Toronto may be getting ready to rumble.
The city is looking at installing rumble strips – grooves in the pavement – to separate cars from bikes along a major bike route planned for Lawrence Ave. E.
Rumble strips have traditionally been used on expressways such as Highway 401, producing a staccato noise that warns drivers they're veering onto the shoulder.
"We're looking at some kind of demarcation that is safe for cars and safe for bikes," said Councillor Adrian Heaps, chair of the Toronto Cycling Committee. "The rumble strip is one of the options we're looking at.
"We know we need something," Heaps said. "These are for motorists who are sometimes on their cellphone or have a coffee in their hand. They hear the sound and veer back into line again."
Earlier this month, city council approved installing bike lanes on Lawrence, from Victoria Park Ave. east to Rouge Hills Dr. near the Pickering border.
Bike lanes would be installed on both sides of Lawrence. East of Kingston Rd., the work would be included as part of planned road reconstruction next year and in 2010.
Rumble strips can work as an audible reminder to drivers on streets where traffic moves at 60 or 70 kilometres per hour, said Rama Bhat, a professor at Montreal's Concordia University who has studied the use of rumble strips for bike lanes.
That would make Lawrence a candidate for the idea, since the posted speed limit is 60 km/h, said Toronto transportation planner Rod McPhail. "It's not a bad idea. I can't think of anything wrong with it. I've never seen them used to delineate a bike lane, but I think something like Lawrence would be suitable.
"Certainly Lawrence has a 60 km/h posted speed limit, and it's about as straight a road as you can get."
Under council's approval for the Lawrence bike lanes, the roads staff are to consult with the Toronto Transit Commission, which operates the 54 Lawrence East bus route.
TTC chair Adam Giambrone doesn't see any difficulty. "Since rumble strips would only be in the bike lanes, it's not a problem for us," he said. TTC policy is to support bike lanes because cyclists reduce overcrowding on transit, he said.
"If we could transfer even 1 or 2 per cent of our riders to cycling, it would be fantastic for the TTC because it would help us deal with capacity issues," he said. "It would be an incredible help to us as we move forward, to get as many people onto bikes as possible."
The city has earmarked $7 million for cycling infrastructure in 2009, including $2 million to complete about 70 kilometres of new on-street bicycle lanes.
City eyes rumble strips to protect bicyclists
Pavement grooves on Lawrence Ave. would warn veering motorists
Dec 17, 2008 04:30 AM
Paul Moloney
CITY HALL BUREAU
Toronto may be getting ready to rumble.
The city is looking at installing rumble strips – grooves in the pavement – to separate cars from bikes along a major bike route planned for Lawrence Ave. E.
Rumble strips have traditionally been used on expressways such as Highway 401, producing a staccato noise that warns drivers they're veering onto the shoulder.
"We're looking at some kind of demarcation that is safe for cars and safe for bikes," said Councillor Adrian Heaps, chair of the Toronto Cycling Committee. "The rumble strip is one of the options we're looking at.
"We know we need something," Heaps said. "These are for motorists who are sometimes on their cellphone or have a coffee in their hand. They hear the sound and veer back into line again."
Earlier this month, city council approved installing bike lanes on Lawrence, from Victoria Park Ave. east to Rouge Hills Dr. near the Pickering border.
Bike lanes would be installed on both sides of Lawrence. East of Kingston Rd., the work would be included as part of planned road reconstruction next year and in 2010.
Rumble strips can work as an audible reminder to drivers on streets where traffic moves at 60 or 70 kilometres per hour, said Rama Bhat, a professor at Montreal's Concordia University who has studied the use of rumble strips for bike lanes.
That would make Lawrence a candidate for the idea, since the posted speed limit is 60 km/h, said Toronto transportation planner Rod McPhail. "It's not a bad idea. I can't think of anything wrong with it. I've never seen them used to delineate a bike lane, but I think something like Lawrence would be suitable.
"Certainly Lawrence has a 60 km/h posted speed limit, and it's about as straight a road as you can get."
Under council's approval for the Lawrence bike lanes, the roads staff are to consult with the Toronto Transit Commission, which operates the 54 Lawrence East bus route.
TTC chair Adam Giambrone doesn't see any difficulty. "Since rumble strips would only be in the bike lanes, it's not a problem for us," he said. TTC policy is to support bike lanes because cyclists reduce overcrowding on transit, he said.
"If we could transfer even 1 or 2 per cent of our riders to cycling, it would be fantastic for the TTC because it would help us deal with capacity issues," he said. "It would be an incredible help to us as we move forward, to get as many people onto bikes as possible."
The city has earmarked $7 million for cycling infrastructure in 2009, including $2 million to complete about 70 kilometres of new on-street bicycle lanes.
