Back in 2015, the city partnered with UPEI to develop and deliver a cycling needs survey for Charlottetown.
The survey was used to gather information on cyclists in the city and identify barriers to cycling in Charlottetown.
The report gave five recommendations, the big one being improving the city’s cycling network infrastructure.
Since 2012, the Victoria Park bike lane was created and improvements were made to the Confederation Trail while North River Road was widened to increase usability for cyclists and road markings have been added.
Still, Deputy Mayor Mike Duffy says there are opportunities to improve things.
“The number one problem they have is that all these cycling lanes don’t connect to each other,’’ Duffy said following city council’s recent regular public monthly meeting on Monday night where the topic came up.
“A little bit of work can be done and they can connect to each other.
The city’s planning and heritage department hired an engineering consultant, CBCL, to help with a traffic study and active transportation component. They were selected through a tendering process for their expertise in this area and have provided a proposal to provide additional assessment and design services for specific cycling opportunities.
The total cost of the design work is $11,500, plus taxes.
The design process will be guided by sustainability, public works and parks and recreation.
Once design work is completed, the city will have the plans in place to enable it to reach out to potential funders to develop these routes.
“We’re just doing what the bike users told us to. Looking for CBCL to help us with the plan,’’ Duffy said, noting that he isn’t aware of any timeline on the matter or what the routes will look like.
