Laurier Avenue Segregated Bike Lane Design Pilot Project

Laurier Avenue Segregated Bike Lane Design Pilot Project + The pilot project promoted cycling as an effective transportation mode and resulted in bike traffic increasing by an average of 240 per cent per day in the summer of the following year.

Location

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Client

City of Ottawa

Project status

Complete

Awards

- Ottawa Urban Design Awards, Award of Merit, Urban Elements, 2011
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Sustainable Communities Award, 2014

First downtown segregated bike lanes constructed in Ontario.

Can a city with harsh winters encourage more cycling? The city of Ottawa was lacking an obvious east-west bicycle route across downtown as pathways stopped suddenly when cyclists reached the edges of the core. For cyclists who would preferred a safer route, not shared with cars, this was a deterrence.

Summer bike traffic increased by

240%

2016 Ridership Reaches

2M Riders

A successful pilot

Unveiled as a pilot project in 2011, the pilot project promoted cycling as an effective transportation mode and resulted in bike traffic increasing by an average of 240 per cent per day in the summer of 2011. Based on this success, City Council approved the permanent installations of the bike lanes and the City celebrated its two millionth rider in 2016. The 1.5-kilometre stretch along Laurier falls under a larger plan to create a 12-kilometre East-West Bikeway and increase Ottawa's cycling mode share from approximately two-and-a-half per cent to five per cent.

Comprehensive from concept to design

WSP undertook a comprehensive corridor assessment for a proposed segregated cycling facility, from developing concepts through to detailed design, and advanced the preparation of a tender package for immediate construction. With technical excellence in transportation engineering and design, we are proud to demonstrate by better connecting cyclists to key destinations, improving the comfort of cyclists, and attracting a broader group of residents to cycling, we can create a more sustainable and active community.

Roles