You may have noticed in your travels a new bicycle boulevard on Albert Street.
A shared use lane for vehicles and bicycles extends from Waterloo Street to Front Street, part of recent reconstruction on Albert Street.
A travel line is marked with a shared lane marking, or ‘sharrow’, an indication that motorists should share the lane with bicycles.
Nick Sheldon, project manager, infrastructure services, City of Stratford, said that sharrows are typically found in areas where there is not enough space to provide a dedicated bike lane.
“This would be the first one,” Sheldon said of the sharrow markings. “We have some designated bike lanes, at Queensland for example. And we have lanes on the side of the road for bike lanes, but no shared lanes.”
Sheldon explained that the markings help guide cyclists to position themselves in the safest part of the lane – usually away from parked cars to avoid the risk of “dooring”, when a car door is opened in the path of a cyclist.
Sheldon told MyStratfordNow that sharrows serve as a reminder to expect cyclists on the road and to share the lane safely.
Motorists should give cyclists the same respect and courtesy as they would another motor vehicle and be mindful of their presence, he said.
Some additional signage is arriving soon to help explain to users the rules of the road.
Eventually, the bicycle boulevard will extend to Romeo Street. There are more plans for a cycling network, as part of The City of Stratford’s comprehensive transportation master plan, found here.
The overall Albert Street phase one project scope included underground infrastructure replacement, road and sidewalk improvements and implementation of active transportation enhancements, according to Sheldon’s management report to city council.
The active transportation work on Albert Street was part of a priority project identified during preparation of the Transportation Master Plan.
