By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

Work continuing on the City’s first ever Bike Boulevard

Dec 11, 2017 | 11:28 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians will all notice some significant changes taking place on 7 Ave. S as work continues moving along on the City’s first ever Bike Boulevard, including new traffic lights and a reduced speed limit.

The Bike Boulevard is designed to give cyclists priority, and it does that by discouraging drivers from using 7 Ave. S as a through route to travel east and west from 4 St. S to Mayor Magrath Dr. S.

Drivers will instead be encouraged to used 6 Ave. S or 8 Ave. S.
Project Manager Robert Kovacs says the latest addition to the Bike Boulevard is a change to the intersection of 7 Ave. S and 13 St. S.

“Newly installed traffic lights are now on flashing mode, and going down this corridor we have roundabouts set up. We’re also going to have new intersection type installed known as directional diverters. That will remove some vehicular traffic off 7 Ave. S, to encourage more bike traffic through here,” Kovacs said, adding the speed limit has also been reduced to 30 km/h.

The traffic lights have been specifically designed to detect cyclists to give a safer, more convenient crossing on this busy street. All the lights that will block the traffic going north/south will be fully operational on Dec. 18.

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Other changes on the Bike Boulevard include the construction of eight mini-roundabouts to slow vehicle traffic while giving pedestrians and cyclists a continuous throughway.

Further to Kovacs comment about directional diverters, two of them will be installed to force traffic to make a right turn off 7 Ave. S at both 9 St. S and 18 St. S.

“Since vehicles will only be able to go to the right, it will allow bicycles and pedestrians to go straight through. The lights are unique as well, because they will only be able to detect bikes, not cars,” Kovacs continued. “Pedestrians will also be able to push a button to get the flashing lights going, so they can cross the road too. This is a first for Lethbridge.”

Stop signs that halted traffic along 7 Ave. S will be switched to instead stop traffic approaching 7 Ave. as well, to create an uninterrupted flow of traffic down the 7 Ave. corridor.

The City says that all of these changes were designed as part of a robust analysis, and had overwhelming support from those participating in stakeholder workshops, public open houses and online surveys.

The feedback from people living in the area has been mostly positive.

“I’d say around more than 80 per cent of people are in favour of it. They like to see the speed reduced for drivers, there’s been some argument from people living in these communities with small families that 30km/hr should be the speed limit anyway. There’s been some mixed reviews while construction has been going on, because its one thing to look at it on paper and another to actually see it in operation,” Kovacs stated.

The corridor has been good for bike travel in the past, according to Kovacs, and once everything is complete he expects to see the volume pick up.

“I’m planning for the next project, as part of the Intersection Improvements 2018, to connect the bike boulevard to 4 St. S all the way to Scenic Drive. So that of course gets onto our pathway system which will allow people to get to the west side of the city. Once this is fully implemented, it will be a good connector for all bike traffic,” Kovacs said.

Kovacs also says that thanks to the biking community in Lethbridge being involved early on in the 6 Ave. corridor project, the idea for the Bike Boulevard was born.

“The Bike Bridge Cycling Association, and another group, worked hand in hand with the city to discuss this kind of idea,” he continued. “So, they’ll be here for the grand opening that were planning to have in the spring, and hopefully they’ll have some feedback for us as well.”

Work is pretty much on scheduled, though Kovacs admits that they got kind of caught with the winter.

“There’s a couple of outstanding items. We don’t use paint anymore, we use something called thermo-plastic. That’s a big thing, so when all of that is complete it will help out the drivers all along this road. There’s also a barrier being installed on 13 St. S to stop left hand turns, then it will be 100 per cent complete. Once the lights are turned on Dec. 18, this whole corridor will be fully operational for the public.”