Thunder Bay bike lanes may see new connections

Thunder Bay council will vote tonight on expanding the citys bike lane network.

Administration is expected to propose new lanes on Grenville Avenue, Valley Street, William Street and Winnipeg Avenue at a meeting of council.

"The Grenville Avenue bike lanes would complete the Current River portion of the active transportation plan, said active transportation co-ordinator Adam Krupper.

The proposed bike lanes on Pioneer Drive and Valley Street would actually link into all the new development happening in the Woodcrest area."

The new lanes will extend Thunder Bay's bike lane network to slightly more than 40 kilometres.

"It provides an on-street connection between different neighbourhoods, so people can make really good cycling connections, Krupper said.

Someone who is riding their bike down Bay Street will see the bike route sign on the corner of McKibbon Street, and know that is the safest route to take."

Krupper said plans are in the works to lay down painted lines, about a metre from the curb, to further augment the preferred route to an official bike lane.

The lines would work in tandem with 'Share the road' signs indicating there's car traffic as well.

Locations for these projects include Duluth Road, Ford street, McKibbon Street and Ray Boulevard.

Krupper said investing in bike lanes helps reduce accidents between vehicles and cyclists. He noted that, in some parts of the city, collisions between cyclists and vehicles are down about 20 per cent.

The number of cyclists on the road has more than doubled in the last year, Krupper added.