A cycling advocate is applauding the work being done by the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo when it comes to bike lane projects.
Emily Slofstra, the chair of CycleWR, also adds that there’s still plenty that needs to be done.
“The ideal situation is to have a segregated bike lanes protected by a curb or some sort of barrier,” she said. “Because we are really not the same.”
CycleWR helped push cycling as a major campaign issue during the 2018 municipal election.
“In the city of Kitchener we are seeing some huge changes,” said Slofstra. “They pushed through some major items this year in their master plan.”
She mentions bollards on bike lanes that are already unprotected as an example of the good work being done.
In Waterloo, Councillor Diane Freeman says their leadership has had the courage to take a strong stance on the issue as well.
“All of those conversations help to continue to build a supportive environment for us,” she said. “We have to continue to support active transportation.”
The city is focusing on high density areas like Waterloo Park, the Iron Horse Trail, and uptown Waterloo for their bike lane projects.
“People are really excited,” said Slofstra. “Especially when the effort is made to create protected infrastructure. They’re excited but want to see more.”
Contra-flow lanes on Young and Duke Streets are currently awaiting approval by Kitchener City Council.
This project would allow cyclists to bike against the flow of traffic on a one way street and improve the connection between major routes.
