Promoting cycling: TRANSIT CONNECTIONS

NRU
July 23, 2014
Leah Wong

Of all the car trips made in Burlington about half are for distances of 6 km or less. Cars are used to take kids to school, to go to the convenience store around the corner and to start and finish a commute.

“[The city’s GO] stations are surrounded by residential areas and yet people still choose to do the 3 km, or even less, by car,” Bike to Transit producer Donald Wiedman told NRU.

In an effort to get more people to trade in their four wheels for two, the City of Burlington and Bike to Transit have paired up to encourage commuters living near GO stations to start their commute on a bike instead of in a car. This means biking the 3-5 km to a GO station and locking up a bike for the day instead of driving and parking a car.

“The more people we can get doing that, particularly for the short trips, it can really improve our air quality and improve their health and reduce the number of cars on the road,” said Councillor Jack Dennison.

Dennison told NRU cycling is particularly convenient for these trips as they’re short enough that commuters won’t get sweaty and will still get to the train on time.

Wiedman said in many cases it can actually reduce the travel time. For some commuters missing a connecting bus means taking 45 minutes longer to get home, but when they can hop on their bike at the station the same trip could take closer to 5 minutes.

“That’s the main currency that we’re all trying to get—more time,” said Wiedman. “This is one that’s a direct link; you will get more time at home if you ride your bike.”

There are other benefits to getting people to skip the drive to the GO station.

“It reduces vehicle congestion on the streets during rush hour,” Burlington transportation engineering technologist Dan Ozimkovic told NRU. “It’s good for the environment and has excellent health benefits.”

Metrolinx has led the charge in promoting cycling to transit through investments in bus bike racks and station bike shelters. The bike shelters are made out of glass and located in the middle of station parking lots. Because they are extremely visible it deters bike theft .

“It’s one of those backward situations where the government is taking the lead when it comes to cycling and transit,” said Weidman. In order to get more people biking to transit there needs to be more promotion.

Burlington also has worked to make its own infrastructure more cyclist friendly.

Dennison said there are bike lanes or sharrows for most of his ride along the Appleby Line to the GO station, and it makes a difference. There’s one piece between New Street and Fairview Street that he said still needs bike lanes.

“That is the only piece that is less comfortable to ride,” said Dennison. “I didn’t notice it was less comfortable as I was riding it, but as soon as I turned the corner onto Fairview Street and was in that painted, dedicated bike lane I felt better.”