Burnhamthorpe Bridge is a rare river crossing in Mississauga for cyclists. [...]]]> Mayor Hazel McCallion, C.M., LL.D. and Members of Council of the City of Mississauga invite you to the Showcase Event for the Completion of Burnhamthorpe Road Bridges, Lookout Points and Cycling & Pedestrian Trails Tuesday, July 6, 2010 10:00 a.m. rain or shine.

Burnhamthorpe Bridge is a rare river crossing in Mississauga for cyclists. As long as I have seen, it has never really been considered  a safe crossing by cyclists. Here are some qualities to examine while at the showcase:

Will this party announce no need for the signs that read: “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT – WALK BICYCLE ACROSS BRIDGE”?

Will trail cyclists have their very own trail that doesn’t merge in with the sidewalk across the bridge?

Will road cyclists have room on the road via bike lanes, sharrows, or even a paved shoulder to cycle across the bridge on the road?

Will the railings be tall enough for trail cyclists to feel safe from falling yet still not block out the fabulous view of the Credit Valley?

Now this event is a party, so show up there with bike bells on. Even if this new bridge doesn’t have everything we’re looking for, the city should be applauded for the efforts they have made. If you have a critiquing comment (good or bad), please send it to your councilor and a copy to the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee.  Let’s hope there’s time in the showcase for a little Q & A.

For full details on the showcase event, view this PDF invitation.

This FREE Registration event will take you through the northwest quadrant of Mississauga, Ontario beginning and ending in Streetsville. Once again, participants will enjoy a FREE BBQ  at Streetsville Memorial Park at the Tour’s end, compliments of the Region of Peel, which is promoting [...]]]> The 3rd Annual Cycling Tour de Mississauga takes place on:  Sunday, September 19, 2010

This FREE Registration event will take you through the northwest quadrant of Mississauga, Ontario beginning and ending in Streetsville. Once again, participants will enjoy a FREE BBQ  at Streetsville Memorial Park at the Tour’s end, compliments of the Region of Peel, which is promoting active transportation and lifestyle choices.  Click here for the Region of Peel’s Walk and Roll program.

We will be providing a selection of different touring routes based on participants’ input from last years 2nd annual Tour de Mississauga.

Visit our official Tour de Mississauga section for more information on routes and registration.

CAA introduces its Bike Assist “automotive” service to all CAA members.

CAA of Ontario states that “more and more commuters (are) using their bikes as their main vehicle for transportation during the summer months”. Their response is to offer the same [...]]]> You know cycling is becoming a widely recognized mode of transportation when…

CAA introduces its Bike Assist “automotive” service to all CAA members.

CAA of Ontario states that “more and more commuters (are) using their bikes as their main vehicle for transportation during the summer months”. Their response is to offer the same roadside assistance to their members’ bikes as they do with their motorized vehicles.

According to CAA of South Western Ontario:

“Similar to your Roadside Assistance, Basic Members receive four tows up to 10 km, Plus Members receive four tows up to 200 km, and Premier Members receive one 320 km and four 200 km towing services. Bike assistance counts as one of your allotted roadside calls during your membership year. Service will be provided to cyclists where there is permitted vehicle access.”

I have personally experienced several times where cyclists will benevolently stop and help other cyclists with mechanical troubles on the trail or street. Sometimes I’m the one helping and other times I’m the one being offered assistance. There is always that one time, though, when you’re all alone and either don’t have the tools you need or the breakage is too severe to fix or feel safe to continue riding.

MCAC congratulates CAA in their offering of this service. What makes it attractive is that it isn’t offered as an add-on price to a regular membership. Could it be that we may be seeing some non-car owners taking on a CAA membership? This is definitely worth considering.

Have you had experience with the CAA Bike Assist service yet? We would love to hear from you.

This is a great way to inspect the new map if you didn’t make it out to the International Bike Show to get the latest map (or if you stopped [...]]]> It’s here – the 2010 bike and trails map for Mississauga! This is the 7th edition.
Download it from our Bike Maps page.

This is a great way to inspect the new map if you didn’t make it out to the International Bike Show to get the latest map (or if you stopped by the Mississauga Cycling booth before the new 2010 maps were printed). The 2010 maps will be available at the “newstand” locations. See the Bike Maps page for more information on how to pick up a printed copy while supplies last.
There are some new lanes and trails to discover. As the Mississauga Cycling Master Plan is finalized in June 2010, expect the Mississauga Bike Map to become outdated much quicker than it has in the past.

Here is a sample of new bike facilities to find on the new 2010 Mississauga Bike Map:

• Confederation Parkway between Burnhamthorpe Road to Queensway (bike lanes) provides a connection between the existing bicycle lanes and the new multi-use trail on the Queensway.
• Erin Centre Boulevard between Winston Churchill Boulevard and Erin Mills Parkway (bike lanes) … provides a connection between the existing bicycle lanes and edge lines, linking Churchill Meadows and Streetsville.

Other on-road facilities that were implemented in 2009 …

• Kariya Drive between Burnhamthorpe Road and Elm Drive
• Elm Drive between Kariya Drive and Mississauga Valley Boulevard
• Mississauga Valley Boulevard between Central Parkway (south int.) and Central Parkway (east Int)
• Fifth Line West between Glen Erin Trail and South Millway
• McLaughlin Road between Cantay and Courtneypark Drive

Direct link to the 2010 Bike Map

Riding a bicycle in or along a crosswalk is not permitted in Ontario as per the Highway Traffic Act (HTA). Under the Act, a cyclist is required to stop, dismount, and walk their bicycle in the crosswalk.

A Cross-ride is a separate bicycle crossing (separate from the pedestrian crosswalk). A combination [...]]]> What is a Crossride?

Riding a bicycle in or along a crosswalk is not permitted in Ontario as per the Highway Traffic
Act (HTA). Under the Act, a cyclist is required to stop, dismount, and walk their bicycle in the
crosswalk.

A Cross-ride is a separate bicycle crossing (separate from the pedestrian crosswalk). A combination of new pavement markings (zebra stripes and elephant feet) and signage has been implemented to clearly identify the marked bicycle crossing and to warn motorists of the potential for cyclists in the marked bicycle crossing.

This pilot project allows a cyclist to ride within the separate bicycle crossing. Riding a bicycle through a crosswalk without a separate facility continues to be prohibited. A cyclist must still obey the rules of the road.

Pilot Project (Location 1): Sheridan Park Drive & Homelands Drive/Speakman Drive (click for map)
Pilot Project (Location 2): Sheridan Park Drive & Fifth Line Wes (click for map)

Crossride at Sheridan Park Drive & Homelands Drive/Speakman Drive

Crossride at Sheridan Park Drive & Fifth Line West

The city of Mississauga is actively running a pilot project for crossrides at the time this article is posted. Try to plan your cycling route along one of these to test them out. Transportation & Works have representatives that sit on the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee, so sending your comments on your crossride experiences  can be sent to the Mississauga Cycling Committee from our Contact Us General Inquiries section on this web site. If you find these to be favorable additions for cycling in Mississauga, please also let your ward councilor know.

The event is called: ‘Great Streets, Great Cities: Moving from Talking to Doing‘. It is about creating liveable streets, based on the significant changes she has made [...]]]> New York City’s Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan will be the guest speaker at a public meeting in Port Credit on Wed. April 22, 2009 @ 7:15 p.m. (doors open for 6:45p.m.)

The event is called: ‘Great Streets, Great Cities: Moving from Talking to Doing‘. It is about creating liveable streets, based on the significant changes she has made in NYC since 2007. Click here to see an 11-minute interview (Streetfilms) with the Commissioner. When watching this video, see how many times you find yourself saying, “Why couldn’t Mississauga do that?”

VIVA Port Credit is hosting this event, which is being organized and sponsored by Walk & Bike For Life, a non-profit group headquartered in Port Credit, and a member of VIVA PC.

ALL ARE WELCOME!  Click here for the Flyer.