Blog (Rachelle Niemela): #CycleON – We need a #CycleSudbury

The "Sudbury Grannies" and other cyclists recently gathered to ask for safe cycling infrastructure

At the end of August, 2013, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation released its Cycling Strategy, which will guide the development of cycling infrastructure across Ontario: Cycling Strategy

The document is a significant improvement from the Draft Cycling Strategy that was released earlier in the year for public review.

It contains a number of impressive statements that can and should be adapted to shape the direction of cycling infrastructure development at a municipal level. We anxiously await the implementation plans that are promised for early 2014. Because that should mean funding dollars for municipalities, and Sudbury should position itself to take advantage of those opportunities.

The document is impressive in the sense that it was developed in partnership with many organizations. The Ministry stated that it was “overwhelmed” by the response from the public – over 1,000 submissions. And feedback from many so far is that the Ministry really listened to its citizens.

The strategy is not something that was developed in isolation and forced from above. It embraces trends that have been happening around the world and is a result of real dialogue with real people who have real concerns.

We understand that the City received over 500 responses from the first Transportation Study open house. Do you feel that they listened to those comments, Sudbury?

If not, then it’s time we made our voices heard. There is an election in 2014, and we should ensure that our voices are heard just as loudly and as clearly as those who are advocating that we continue to spend 24% or even more of our budget on roads designed and enhanced specifically for automobiles.

In the meantime, here are some suggestions for discussions around what could be implemented in Sudbury as a guiding document for cycling.

What would a Sudbury-Specific Strategy Look Like?

Cycling addresses the four key principles of the current Official Plan: A Healthy Community, Economic Development, Sustainable Development; and Focus on Opportunities.

A Sudbury-specific strategy could easily incorporate the statements made in the #CycleON document.

Vision Ontario:Cycling in Ontario is recognized, respected and valued as a core mode of transportation that provides individuals and communities with health, economic, environmental, social and other benefitsSudbury:Cycling in Sudbury is recognized, respected and valued as a core mode of transportation that provides individuals and our community with health, economic, environmental, social and other benefits.This could be adapted to incorporate the vision articulated in the Sustainable Mobility Plan:We envision our northern city as a park, where sustainable pedestrian and cycling transportation is not only a viable alternative to the motor vehicle, but also a safe and attractive choice.Strategic Directions Ontario:1. Healthy, Active and Prosperous Communities
2. Cycling Infrastructure
3. Safer Highways and Streets
4. Awareness and Behavioural Shift
5. Cycling TourismSudbury:1. A Healthy, Active and Prosperous Sudbury
This is already articulated in Sudbury’s Strategic Plan and the Healthy Community Strategy.
2. Cycling Infrastructure
This is already articulated in the Sustainable Mobility Plan as a Key Opportunity Area.
3. Safer Roads and Streets
4. Awareness, Education and Behavioural Shift This is already articulated in the Sustainable Mobility Plan as a Key Opportunity Area.
5. Cycling Tourism
Sudbury will be part of larger Ontario-wide cycling routes and needs to take advantage of potential tourism dollars generated by cyclists that will travel through our City.
6.Policy
This is articulated in the Sustainable Mobility Plan as a Key Opportunity Area and should translate into the adoption of a Complete Streets policy.Guiding Principles Ontario:1. Safety
2. Partnership
3. Accessibility and ConnectivitySudbury:1. Safety
This is articulated as the mission of the Sustainable Mobility Plan: The mission is to make walking and cycling safe, accessible, efficient and pleasant in the City of Greater Sudbury.
2. Partnership
As with the Ontario Cycling Strategy, Sudbury will need to develop partnerships with governments and other organizations. Even more, there is the need to develop a two-way dialogue, or partnership, between the City and its citizens. This translates to meaningful discussions that allow honest and open collaboration with taxpayers.
3. Accessibility and Connectivity
Accessibility is articulated as the mission of the Sustainable Mobility Plan: The mission is to make walking and cycling safe, accessible, efficient and pleasant in the City of Greater Sudbury. Also, the City has stated that much of the current feedback for the Transportation Study relates to the need for connectivity in its active transportation network.Aspirational Goals Ontario:1. Ontario is recognized as the best Canadian province for cycling and ranked among the top 10 jurisdictions worldwide for cycling. At least one Ontario city is ranked among the 10 most bike-friendly cities in the world.
2. The built environment in most Ontario communities supports and promotes cycling for all trips under 5 km.
3. Ontario’s cycling environment is safe for people of all ages, striving to achieve a record of zero fatalities and few serious injuries.
4. Ontario’s cities and towns have interconnected networks of safe cycling routes enabling people to cycle to work, school, home and key destinations.
5. Ontario has an integrated, province-wide network of cycling routes.Sudbury:The Sustainable Mobility Plan identifies the following goals:1. Establish the conditions necessary to make walking and cycling safe and secure for Greater Sudburians of all ages, abilities and incomes.
2. Improve accessibility, not only for those whose primary methods of transportation are walking or cycling, but also to encourage the public to choose walking and cycling as a means of getting to some or all of their destinations. When discussing accessibility, the Plan will focus on mobility issues in regards to low income individuals, seniors, children and youth.
3. Ensure that new and existing routes for walking and cycling are time-efficient options, so that people will consider them as viable alternatives to motorized forms of transportation.
4. Improve the aesthetics of walking and cycling routes to make travel experiences more pleasant such that a higher proportion of the population will be motivated to choose active transportation.

Examples of specific operational goals coming from the goals above could include:
1. Make Sudbury a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community by 2018.
2. By 2020, 25% of summer morning rush hour vehicles are bicycles (London, England is currently at 24%).
3. By 2015, zero fatalities and car/bicycle collisions.
4. A minimum of 15 km of new cycling infrastructure per year that develops, in order of priority, safe routes for all schools, work, business, shopping, and recreational destinations.
5. Retrofit all transit buses with racks by 2016.
6. 10 public relations campaigns per year targeting cyclists and drivers.
7. 20 City-sponsored workshops and cycling training for all citizens, including children and older adults.

This was originally posted on the Sudbury Cyclists Union website.