Posted on Feb. 27: New committee tackles cycling issues
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Bicycles.jpg” caption=”Bicyle racks at McMaster”]A need for more bicycle racks and improved cycling routes, particularly at the Sterling Street entrance, are among the key comments in a report prepared for the new McMaster Cycling Committee.
The report is based on surveys completed during an open house held last fall to solicit comment on everything from bike rack designs to problem areas on the campus and city cycling network.
Most of the 57 respondents who completed the survey forms in late October called for more bicycle racks at McMaster. About half of the respondents said they wanted route improvements and about one in five respondents requested additional shower facilities on campus.
In response to the survey and earlier comments by cyclists, the University has already added temporary cycle racks at the north end of the campus mall and is installing new racks near the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC).
The mall racks are a temporary measure during the current renovations to Hamilton Hall, says Daryl Bender, co-ordinator of the Alternative Commuting and Transportation (ACT) Office. “In the long term, we're looking at putting them on the south side of the McMaster Museum of Art and east of Hamilton Hall.”
The committee and the ACT Office have been working on short-term improvements to ensure safety of cyclists and motorists at the Sterling Street entrance.
The group has also called on the City of Hamilton for improvements to bicycle routes to campus from West Hamilton. The group has confirmed that the city is pursuing another bicycle crossing of Highway 403 to connect West Hamilton with downtown.
Formed in September to address earlier complaints about a lack of cycling racks on the west side of the MUSC, the committee decided to take a broader look at cycling issues both on and off campus. “There seem to be lot of cycling issues out there,” says Bender.
The committee includes members from the ACT office, Parking and Transit, Security and MacCycle Coop, as well as the University planner.
Just under half of the survey respondents said route improvements are needed near McMaster, with two-thirds citing locations on campus, especially the Sterling Street entrance.
More than two out of three respondents store their bicycles outdoors on campus. Asked whether enough outdoor storage was provided, six out of 10 respondents called for more bike racks, especially near the MUSC and Mills Library.
About one-third of respondents said they cycle to the University every day, and just over half said they cycle all or most of the time. Another one-third of respondents said they cycle to McMaster occasionally.
The recent formation of the cycling committee reflects the growing need to consider alternatives to vehicles — cycling, car pools, public transit to ensure safety and to ease the demand for parking on campus, says Bender, who hops on his bike every day for the 20-minute ride into work. “As the University expands, we have to figure out alternatives.”
He says faculty and staff representatives will be appointed to the cycling committee early this year. The committee will also consider other survey comments about shower and bicycle locking facilities, security, cycling routes and safety concerns.
Photo courtesy MacCycle Coop
