Cycle Barrie
Consultation has concluded
Introduction
The City of Barrie has launched the Cycle Barrie Infrastructure Program (CBIP) to implement a connected network of cycling facilities across the city, based on recommendations contained within the City’s 2019 Transportation Master Plan (TMP).
While the City continues to implement cycling infrastructure with major road reconstruction projects and with the construction of new collector and arterial roads in the City's secondary plan areas, the CBIP is a standalone effort intended to accelerate implementation and develop a connected network by right-sizing roads, using low stress, low volume streets and addressing strategic network gaps.
The first five years of the CBIP will focus on the implementation of bicycle lanes on streets within the City’s cycling network that are wide enough to accommodate them without the need for costly construction projects.
The City is working with WSP Canada to undertake engineering design and technical assessments for the following key activities:
- Bicycle Lanes - Detailed design of 20kms of bicycling lanes that will be implemented through rightsizing of roads (achieved by narrowing travel lanes and removal of on-street parking) coupled with signed routes on low stress, low volume streets.
- Network Gaps - Functional design of key network gaps; these are specific projects to address network connectivity barriers (e.g. segment of Big Bay Point Road connecting Hurst Drive to Prince William Way).
- Major Corridor Cycling Facilities – Assessment and prioritization of the City’s primary intensification corridors to retrofit off-road cycling facilities and functional design of the highest-ranking corridor.
- Education and Outreach – Completion of a jurisdictional scan and development of a right-sized cycling education and outreach program.
Where are we at?
Winter 2022
At this time, the City is focusing efforts on completing the design of 20 kms of new bike lanes that will be constructed in the next few years. This will be implemented by road rightsizing, which involves narrowing travel lanes and removing on-street parking. This reallocation of space will allow the creation of buffered bicycle lanes, conventional bicycle lanes or urban shoulders.
The location for these new bike lanes has been identified through the Council-approved 2019 Transportation Master Plan. Starting in 2022, the City will begin to install the new cycling facilities.
How to get involved
Public Information Centre (PIC) Meeting: February 24, 2022
A public information centre (PIC) meeting took place at 7 p.m. on February 24, 2022. The PIC provided information to the public on corridors planned for bicycle lanes and illustrate network gaps. The project team sought feedback on:
- Popular cycling routes and cycling route prioritization
- General barriers that prevent you from cycling (or cycling more)
- Suggestions to get more residents cycling
To learn more about the project, watch a video of the project team’s presentation at the September 7, 2021 Active Transportation and Sustainability Committee Meeting (presentation starts at 5:41).
Share your ideas, ask a question, share your feedback on suggested routes and complete the survey! The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on March 21, 2022.
It’s easy to stay involved and informed as this project moves forward–simply sign up (using the banner or "follow project" link on right hand side of this page) to receive project updates. Also, you can view the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Cycle Barrie Infrastructure Program.
If you have any other ideas or questions about this project, please contact Brett Gratrix, Senior Project Manager – Transportation Planning, Development Services, at brett.gratrix@barrie.ca.
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Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkView All Ideasabout 2 years ago
Education & Outreach should include cargo
Showing people how to actually carry various items/running various errands/how to secure different things to bikes and the different cargo carrying options for bikes should be part of the City's Education and Outreach plan. A big barrier to taking a big is the perception that you can't carry much on a bike compared to a car, which, as cargo bikers have shown elsewhere, that's usually not the case. How to safely get groceries, secure larger items to a rear rack, etc would be a helpful and practical part of outreach.
about 2 years ago
Make it clear to residents that Barrie's Cycle Plan is climate action
The shift from cars to bikes and public transit is one of THE biggest things municipalities can do in terms of climate action - for both emissions and land-use efficiency. The City should be leaning into this fact to garner support for bike infrastructure. Land-use planning and transportation are major factor's in climate change and its mitigation, so this is something that should be communicated to the public to make sure people understand this, because it is often left out of discussions around climate mitigation. The City should also be advertising the many other co-benefits of biking (physical and mental health and wellbeing, better academic performance in children, higher social cohesion, etc).
about 2 years ago
City should provide free transit if you have a bike
If you are traveling by bike, you should have the option to hop on a bus for free. This can help increase access for routes with large hills or sections of routes that are along higher-order roads and generally shorten travel time.
about 2 years ago
Concern about motorist attitude towards cyclists
With the current protests in Ottawa I am concerned that this summer coud be particulaly more dangerous, unfortunately in gerenal any negative interactions I have while cycling have been with pickup truck drivers. I bike to work during the summer months and am a recreational cyclist as well, I find bike paths are a life saver, the more that are in place the more people will cycle. Both cyclist and motorist education campaigns would also encourage more to bike and create safter roads. Enforcement of the 1 metre rule would also be beneficially but I am aware that it is difficult to do.
about 2 years ago
Parking lots are dangerous for bikes
Parking lots are stressful for everyone, including drivers. But large parking lots (for example, at North Crossings in the East End), the entire shopping centre is a large parking lot, which is difficult and dangerous to navigate on a bike. With so much of Barrie designed around these huge shopping centres (which are inefficient for livable communities and harmful to local businesses), redevelopment of these areas into more mixed-use areas would benefit cyclists and pedestrians by redeveloping these wasteful parking lots into more functional and efficient uses of land and space within our city.
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Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkView All Ideasabout 2 years ago
Before you get more people cycling, get the ones presently riding to follow the rules when they interact with others. Stop at stop signs!
Bike riders ride on the sidewalk and ignore stop signs endangering the non-riding public.
about 2 years ago
Market the benefits of cycling. Offer safe places a person can bike ride. Offer safe rentals, at safe locations. Youth need more bikes.
The cost of biking can be expensive to a family. Bikes cost over $200. These costs are too expensive for families, and they certainly will not purchase bikes if they will be stolen. Youth today do not have bikes, they are too expensive. Funding "bikes for youth (ages 8-17)" would be a great way to build a new generation of youth who understand how important biking is to climate control, and overall autonomy!
about 2 years ago
Develop bike paths next to sidewalks on mediums not on roads. Perhaps cheaper to maintain in summers , less grass to cut. . S
City easements are 16’ if I recall , where possible one one side of street or other. PPerhaps use
about 2 years ago
Prioritize and expedite the development of the Barrie Collingwood Railway as a safe and family friendly bike and hiking trail.
BCRY Trail Development
