The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. Click here for POSTER.

The agenda for the evening is:

• 7:00 – 7:30  Informal open house to preview the presentation boards and network maps
• 7:30 – 7:45  welcome and overview of the project
• 7:45- 8:15  presentation of the draft cycling master plan
• 8:15 – 8:30  Q&A
• 8:30 – 8:50 Turning point questions
• 8: 50 – 9:00 Closing remarks and next steps

Click for the Draft Cycling Master Plan documents on the City’s webpage.

City of Mississauga, Press Release (April 7, 2010): Draft Cycling Master Plan Public Information Session.
Excerpt:
“‘We developed the draft plan by taking into account international best practices as well as relevant legislation and guidelines.  Most importantly though, over 1,000 Mississauga citizens have already provided their input,’ said Anne Farrell, planner, Community Services.  ‘We are returning to the public after the consultation process to show how their recommendations have helped shape the final plan.’”

BACKGROUND

The Draft Report (Volume 1), of the new Cycling Master Plan for Mississauga was presented for information at the General Committee of Council on March 24, 2010 (link to the Minutes will be provided here when available) and went to Council for Approval on March 31, 2010.

NOTE: Ward 2 Councillor Pat Mullin moved a Resolution (click to view), as requested by the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee (MCAC), for staff to provide Council with financial scenarios to accelerate the implementation of the Master Plan from 20 years to as soon as 5 years.  The Resolution passed unanimously at General Committee on March 24th and was adopted by Council on March 31, 2010.

Mississauga News article (March 25, 2010): City plans expanded bike system.  Excerpt: “Although Mullin hails the new plan as a ‘major shift’ in philosophy, from seeing cycling as primarily a recreational activity to an alternative form of transportation, she’d like to speed things up.  ‘It’s got to be now, not in 20 years…it’s doable if the political will is there.’  Currently, only about 0.3 per cent of vehicles on Mississauga roads are bicycles; the City hopes to boost that to 10 per cent. The new plan, which aims to put 95 per cent of residents within one kilometre of a major cycling route, would also include parking facilities at transit hubs and City facilities.”

Volume 2 of the Master Plan: Cycling Implementation Strategy, will be prepared in April and May and incorporated into the Final Master Plan Report which will go to Council for approval in June 2010.

The Cycling Master Plan, two years in process starting in 2008, has been informed by significant public and stakeholder engagement and by collaboration with the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee (MCAC), which is an advisory committee to Council with twelve (12) volunteer citizen members from every Ward in the City.

Excerpt from “Cycling” section of the Hurontario-Main Street Study Status Update Report, Feb 4, 2010:

In addition to the Study recommendation for implementing LRT technology, a key issue has been the extent of cycling amenities and integration proposed for this corridor. It is recognized that access to the rapid transit system and our Urban Growth Centre primary roadway should accommodate cyclists and that developing connections between the Hurontario corridor and the adjacent cycling network is a priority. An issue has been the extent and nature of continuous cycling lanes within the corridor itself, especially in areas with limited right-of-way, costly structure expansion requirements, potential conflicts with trafñc, on-street parking and high pedestrian transit volumes. For these reasons, and given plans for the development of key parallel cycling facilities, the study is not recommending the provision of a continuous cycling corridor on the entire Hurontarìo corridor, but supports the development of significant segments. Where on-road facilities are planned, special attention should be paid to balancing safety and mobility. Consideration should be given to curb separated facilities if feasible.

MCAC has not received any preliminary notices on the cycling details. We may need to wait until the end of March 2010 as everyone else.  Here are some topics to consider:  

• I have cycled on portions of Hurontario not because it is safe, but merely because it was a direct path to where I needed to be. Cyclists may not need a bicycle freeway running start to finish, but there are key areas such as crossing the QEW and getting to downtown that should be built up strong for cycling.
• The Study wants to bring life to business and retail in sections of Hurontario. Since success of these businesses depend on people spontaneously “popping in”, these areas should ensure cycling lanes and bike parking are available.
• If people may not cycle all the way up or down the corridor, the transit system (LRT) should make allowances for bikes on-board the LRT and have safe bike parking facilities a key stops. I would love to cycle across town to Hurontario and then take an LRT to the GO Station when I must travel to Toronto.
• For sections that cannot hold dedicated cycling lanes, at least make sure a parallel route is within a block of the corridor. Experienced cyclists don’t go hundreds of metres out of their way just because a bike lane ends. Planners may find both safety and mobility are at risk as a cyclist “takes the lane” as the designated bike lane ends.

Public Information Centres

The first Public Information Centre (PIC) was held in June 2008, and provided background information on the study. The second PIC was held in June 2009, and provided an assessment of potential rapid transit alignment options and station stops as well as planning policies and standards.

The third PIC will be held in both Brampton and Mississauga at the end of March, 2010 and will present study findings and recommendations.  Please join us at one of the following locations:

Brampton
Tuesday, March 30
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
City Hall Atrium
2 Wellington Street West

Mississauga
Wednesday, March 31
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Mississauga Civic Centre, Great Hall
200 City Centre Drive

Check them out on the web at www.hurontario-main.ca or on their “Hurontario / Main Street Study” Page on Facebook, where you can view photos, join a discussion board and post comments. They also welcome e-mail inquiries, which can be sent to: inquiries@hurontario-main.ca.

MIRANET also gives a good overview of the Hurontario-Main study’s progress.

Each bus’ bike rack will be able to hold two bicycles. These demonstations are a great way to become familiar with how they operate without the pressure of tight schedules and moving traffic. I have been using the GO Transit bus bike racks on various trips over the past week. I would say for all drivers, I was the first rider they encountered that used the bus bike rack. They are as new to the concept as all of us, so they were glad I had attended the Bike to Work demonstation beforehand.

The bus bike racks are simple to use once you have tried it once. It is also useful to learn expected courtesies and safety procedures:

• Make eye contact with the driver and signal your intention to use the rack;
• advance in front of the bus when acknowledged by the driver. This part was really appreciated by one GO Transit driver I was speaking with. He said, “there is one cyclist who  uses the bus bike racks. She is quite petite. When she is in front securing the bike, I lose sight of the top of her helmet when I sit back in my seat. If a cyclist doesn’t signal they are going up in front, I get concerned that they might not be seen by the driver. It is very important to let us know you’re intention of going in front of the bus before doing so.”
• Don’t lock your bike to the bus rack with your bicycle lock!
• Double-check to make sure the wheel clamp is secure before boarding the bus
• Remove saddlebags and any other accessories that could potentially come loose in transit.
• As a cycling citizen, remember to be courteous to the bus operator. They have a great deal of responsibility in their job. Make it a pleasure for them to have cyclists use their transit vehicle.

Details

Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Time:6am to 6pm
Location: City Centre Bus Terminal (Square One)
Address: 200 Rathburn Road West

Date:Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Time: 1pm to 6pm
Location: This demonstration is part of the Mississauga downtown Canada Day celebrations
Address:  City Centre Square

For more information on bikes on public transit, see Mississauga Cycling’s Bikes in Public Transit page.

Check the Mississauga Transit website and their Using Bike Racks page for further information. Mississauga Cycling has a section dedicated  to using bikes on public transit in Mississauga and surrounding cities.

The study aims to discover what the defining characteristics will be of the corridor and how it will evolve over time. As the City of Mississauga has been discovering, it is more difficult to retrofit anything into an established street as compared to either building it in right away or including room for its evolution over time. Mississauga Cycling is commited to show that cycling is an important part of the overall equation. Whether the target is better mobility, economic, environmental, health or social outcomes, cycling meets those goals; and it meets them well.

We want to encourage you to take time from your busy schedules to attend these Public Information Centres. Showing a ground-swell of public support is the best way to see cycling become an integral role in these new exciting plans and not just an after-thought that would take many more years to retrofit into the infrastructure.

MCAC hopes to see you out there; maybe even coming out there on your bicycles?

For more information on the Hurontario / Main Street Study, visit their web site at www.hurontario-main.ca

If you are not able to make it out to these sessions, consider showing your support by posting your comments on the official Hurontario / Main Street Facebook page.

Mississauga

Wednesday, June 10
5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Mississauga Civic Centre, Great Hall
200 City Centre Drive

Brampton

Wednesday, June 17
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
City Hall Atrium
2 Wellington Street West

This year, the Mississauga Cycling Committee will be hosting a booth at the show. We will be located in the most fun zone. Booth # 806 by the grandstands. Stop by on your way back to the BMX Jam, the Toronto X-Track, or otherwise to the – ahem – washrooms.

We want to be face to face with the cycling enthusiasts of the GTA. This is becoming the year of the bike in Mississauga and we want to hear what’s on your mind with all that’s going on:

• Mississauga Transit is moving to install bike racks on the buses
• Downtown 21 is presenting a cycling & walking dreamscape for the City Centre
• The Mississauga Cycling Master Plan to bring their work to the public by June (editor’s note: June 2010)
• Tour de Mississauga 2009 is looking to celebrate Car Free Day in September with the possibility of a special road closure for bicycles and pedestrians.
• Bike to Work days will kickoff in May with a free pancake breakfast at City Hall.
• Further connectivity is being constructed in our growing trail system, and a host of other grassroot initiatives are taking form from Malton to the beautiful south in Port Credit.

If none of that is reason enough for you to drop by, we will also be handing out the infamous Mississauga Bicycle Trail Map in its full glossy format. There are limited supply of the new 2009 Edition. So come by early to chat and sign up for our events and get your name on the Mississauga cycling contact list. Don’t worry, we also have the other map edition available if our supply of the 2009 Edition runs out.

Show Info

Place

Direct Energy Centre
Hall A
Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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