Cyclists get advanced stops on Newmarket's Prospect Street

Newmarkettoday.ca
Oct. 17, 2022

Newmarket cyclists are welcoming the finishing touches to new bike lanes on Prospect Street as the region added advanced stop lines this month.

York Region has been working on Prospect Street and Bayview Avenue this summer, including the addition of bike lanes on either side of the road. That work has continued this month with green paint markings and advanced stop lines to allow cyclists a chance to safely position in front of vehicles at stops. The advanced stops are at Water Street and Gorham Street.

Advocacy group Cycle Newmarket's Dave Kempton said they were glad to see the markings finally happening, with advanced stop lines being something they have asked municipalities to do.

“Without the green margins, it felt a little unsafe because it’s unclear. It wasn’t really telling the drivers or the cyclists how to use the road,” Kempton said.

The advanced stop bars at intersections are meant to improve a cyclist's ability to cross an intersection safely, giving them a lead on vehicle traffic at an intersection.

York Region manager of transportation development planning John Kazilis said the markings follow best practices.

“The new cycling improvements provide connectivity to the town of Newmarket’s east-west bikeway and the future Mulock Drive multi-use pathway,” Kazilis said.

He added that the bars “ensure the cycling improvements implemented enhanced cyclist safety and increase visibility, especially at the most critical conflict points along the road such as intersections or driveways.”

It is something that both cyclists and drivers will need to be aware of, Cycle Newmarket’s Peggy Stevens said.

“You need to know if you’re on a bike to work your way up to the front and take that spot,” Stevens said.

“It’s just a little safer,” Kempton said, adding that cyclists squeezing to the right on intersections can cause accidents when cars right turn and do not notice. “To be able to go to the front at a stoplight, I think, is a real advantage.”