[Airboy]

With the wind this weekend some friends and I stuck to the river valley to do our riding. Call it the tour of the Valley. Took them on an exploration. some have lived here all their lives and had not been is some of the areas. Ride started at Original Joes in Terwilliger, MUP through to Terwilliger Park then the paved paths over the foot bridges past the fort and University to the new LRT bridge. A dash around Riverdale then back across to ride the full MillCreek raving. Dumped out on 91st. used the MUP all the way down to 23ave. (That sound wall is quite something), then west along 23ave SUP and bike ways to the utility way. Whitemud creek crossing on that path is one of the few Non category climbs. I was showing 13 -18% climb. and back to OJ for a beer. Day before we did the same basic rout but stayed on the gravel paths. Well worth the time to ride and explore. Next big challenge in the valley is the 100km and 1000meters. Yesterday was 46km and 430meter. So the 1000 meters should be very doable.

 

[Gronk!]

Sask Drive - temporary shared pathway

 

[Edmcowboy11]

So not arguing bout it it but genuinely asking, is bicycle traffic that busy that the temporary lane is needed again on Sask drive?

 

[cliffapotamus]

So not arguing bout it it but genuinely asking, is bicycle traffic that busy that the temporary lane is needed again on Sask drive?

You might have a point, IMO. I've never seen it nearly as full as the ones on Victoria Park Road or Calgary Trail. That being said, I'm not riding it during peak hours. From what I see, that location would be well-served by a 4.2m SUP like on River Valley Road.
I think the reasoning is hat, despite relatively low traffic for the full lane, there's still enough to warrant something better than the hodgepodge of old, narrow sidewalks and boardwalks there currently. parts of that path, particularly East of the New bridge, are only about 6' wide (with very crumbled edges, who knows, maybe it started out wider) and the curb cuts etc are sharp and awkwardly placed. it's essentially an old sidewalk, and undersized for the usage it does see.
I think the car lane closure thing is temporary (like, summers only until the next roadway renewal or whatever); i hope the more permanent solution of widening the SUP is done soon. it would be a better solution fro that spot, IMO.

 

[thommyjo]

You might have a point, IMO. I've never seen it nearly as full as the ones on Victoria Park Road or Calgary Trail. That being said, I'm not riding it during peak hours. From what I see, that location would be well-served by a 4.2m SUP like on River Valley Road.
I think the reasoning is hat, despite relatively low traffic for the full lane, there's still enough to warrant something better than the hodgepodge of old, narrow sidewalks and boardwalks there currently. parts of that path, particularly East of the New bridge, are only about 6' wide (with very crumbled edges, who knows, maybe it started out wider) and the curb cuts etc are sharp and awkwardly placed. it's essentially an old sidewalk, and undersized for the usage it does see.
I think the car lane closure thing is temporary (like, summers only until the next roadway renewal or whatever); i hope the more permanent solution of widening the SUP is done soon. it would be a better solution fro that spot, IMO.

Paths for people advocated that the duggan bridge was overbuilt for this reason I believe. Sask drive could probably be 1 lane and a wide MUP from 109 to 105st. The MUP isn’t in awesome condition, but the mobility lane does feel redundant as well.

 

[TAS]

I like the idea of a wide MUP too. I rode the one the city just finished in Highlands and this would be pretty much the same except opposite side of river.
One lane of driving I think is ideal and suitable here, keeps speeds down and there is also an extra wide lane of parking on this road, too.

 

[Airboy]

The MUP down 91st from 63 ave to 23 ave is nice and wide. The new ones along Ray Gibbons are also quite good other than some steep elevation changes in a couple of spots.

 

[DutchBoy]

So not arguing bout it it but genuinely asking, is bicycle traffic that busy that the temporary lane is needed again on Sask drive?

I'm biased, but yes. It's definitely not as busy as the others, but it gets used quite a bit.

And I'm not trying to sound snarky, but vehicle traffic here really isn't that high-demand either. I wonder about a future where we might pedestrianize Whyte Ave. Would we want to redirect vehicle traffic here? Maybe, maybe not due to its proximity to the River Valley. Just a thought!

 

[BrettB]

I'm biased, but yes. It's definitely not as busy as the others, but it gets used quite a bit.

And I'm not trying to sound snarky, but vehicle traffic here really isn't that high-demand either. I wonder about a future where we might pedestrianize Whyte Ave. Would we want to redirect vehicle traffic here? Maybe, maybe not due to its proximity to the River Valley. Just a thought!

I was recently thinking something similar - Whyte pedestrianized with bike/bus/taxi/high occupancy vehicle (say 3+) and traffic redirected here. Not sure it would work, but it's nice to dream.

 

[DutchBoy]

I was recently thinking something similar - Whyte pedestrianized with bike/bus/taxi/high occupancy vehicle (say 3+) and traffic redirected here. Not sure it would work, but it's nice to dream.

I believe in the power of showing! I'd love to learn to get better at drawing alternatives (or doing our own modelling to challenge city traffic engineers' models).

I think that's a reason why the 102 Ave pedestrianization caught on so quickly: https://pathsforpeople.org/2021/11/102-avenue-a-place-for-people/

 

[Airboy]

102 ave cycling paths is open now from 102 st to 100st. or at least the fence is moved to the LRT tracks.

 

[DutchBoy]

102 ave cycling paths is open now from 102 st to 100st. or at least the fence is moved to the LRT tracks.

It opened the ONE day I decided to WFH this week! Ah. Today, it was still blocked off with signs and trucks. They were doing some more landscaping and touching up the furnishings on the side of the lane. I should have just ridden the "car" lane!

 

[thommyjo]

My buddy nick dropped a sweet vid on trying to bike to work. There’s also a second video on an ebike he bought.

 

[ntt1]

FYI for those who use it regularly - construction on the Malmo-Royal Gardens pedestrian bridge area will be in the first two weeks of July, according to the construction project manager.

 

[CplKlinger]

Just over five years ago, work started on the first stretch of Edmonton's downtown bike network! We have a long ways to go before biking can be a viable and safe commuting option for all Edmontonians, but we've made a lot of progress since then.