Item - 2016.PW13.16
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on May 16, 2016. The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee has referred this item to an official or other body without making a decision. Consult the text of the decision for further information on the referral.
PW13.16 - Bike Lane Snow Clearing
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Referred
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee:
1. Referred the letter (April 21, 2016) from Councillor Paul Ainslie to the General Manager, Transportation Services for consideration and appropriate action.
2. Requested Deputy City Manager, Cluster B to report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, at its meeting on June 20, 2016, on the divisional workplan for the remainder of 2016 and on any outstanding requests for staff reports.
Origin
Summary
Council adopted that beginning in the 2015/16 winter season, winter maintenance of cycling facilities, including priority routes with appropriate signage be implemented. In its first season, I received feedback from residents to better our efforts including requests for the city to introduce alternative tools to clear/remove the snow and ice to achieve more success.
Acknowledging that bike lanes are narrow the City of Ottawa's website states that "… Equipment utilizing a mechanical sweeping broom, plow and snow blower will clear snow. Following this a liquid anti icing spray will be applied to the bike lanes while the use of roadway rock salt and grit will be minimized", the Toronto report suggested " …all downtown on-street bike lanes would be salted to a higher frequency than adjacent arterial roads. When necessary, they would also be plowed using a 'slusher' blade…"
It would be beneficial to review our efforts to determine how they require enhancement as we prepare for the 2016/2017 winter season including an analysis of snow clearing equipment used by Transportation Services to determine if it successfully cleared narrow-width bike lanes.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-92665.pdf
Communications
(May 13, 2016) E-mail from Michael Black, Walk Toronto (PW.New.PW13.16.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/comm/communicationfile-60744.pdf
Speakers
Motions
That the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee at its meeting on June 20, 2016 on the Divisional Workplan for the remainder of 2016 and on any outstanding requests for staff reports.