Our South Community Bike Workshop will be closing permanently at the end of the day on Sunday June 16th. The shop was consistently bustling, but the building changed hands last year and its new owners were unwilling to sign a new lease without a substantial rent increase. We hoped to relocate nearby, but a search found no suitable affordable spaces. This came during a challenging financial time for Bike Edmonton, and after much discussion and analysis, our Board of Directors concluded that we must consolidate operations out of our downtown shop.
Following extensive discussion and many amendments to a multi-part motion, Edmonton City Council has voted to approve funding for the Bike Plan.
While billed as a “Bike Plan”, the plan is actually for a city-wide mobility network, which includes extensive shared pathways in appropriate contexts, such as along many of the arterials that comprise much of the district connector routes.
Council votes on bike plan funding first thing Friday morning, and it's in jeopardy.
The Bike Plan needs $200 million. Some councillors have proposed the plan receive only $30 million. If their proposal is accepted, the Bike Plan cannot be implemented as designed. The City's lack of debt room means that future funding for the Bike Plan won't become available until the 2031-2034 Capital Budget cycle.
You can permanently transform the future of Edmonton with just 60 seconds of your time.
If you want to take that action now, go here and click “Add Your Voice”.
Edmonton Council’s budget decisions at the start of December will fundamentally impact the next four years and beyond.
The budget currently allocates nothing ($0) to these important active transportation projects:
This post details the budget, design, and rationale for funding Edmonton’s Bike Plan implementation.
For information about how to ensure it happens, see our other post.
Want to take action but don't have time for details, or find complexity paralyzing? Keep it simple: just click “Add Your Voice”.
Join us this Saturday, November 4 from 9am-12pm for our Bike 201: Derailleurs and Shifting . You'll get hands-on experience with how to tune your derailleurs for easy shifting, diagnose problems, and find the right replacement parts.
On Saturday, November 19 from 9am-12pm we are offering our popular Bike 101 Course: Hands on Intro to Bike Maintenance. This is a great place to start if you have little or no experience working on bikes.
For more information and to register, visit http://apps.bikeedmonton.ca.
The Board of Directors of Bike Edmonton is happy to announce the hiring of Dr. Greg Glatz as the new Executive Director of Bike Edmonton, effective 19 October 2022.
Greg joins Bike Edmonton with over 30 years of experience in the non-profit leadership space, with a focus on helping organizations maximize their social and community impact. He is an everyday and commuter cyclist who enjoys cycling year-round and has been active with the cycling communities in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Edmonton, and we are excited to welcome him to Bike Edmonton.
Greg is looking forward to working with our staff, volunteers, members, and patrons to help us achieve the vision of making Edmonton a world class cycling city through our mandate of making everyday cycling in Edmonton safer and more widespread by providing bicycle services, education, and civic representation.
Please join us in welcoming Greg to Bike Edmonton!
For further comment or information, please contact Andi Eng, Acting President at president@bikeedmonton.ca
Do you feel safer in your community with lower speed limits? October’s Mixed Topic Edmonton Insight Survey asks about perceptions of the 40 km/h default speed limit.
You can share your feedback in the survey until October 18.
Today, Thursday, October 13, is the last day to provide feedback on the Final Design for 132 Ave.
While it is the final design, there are still opportunities for significant changes, so your voice in the survey is critical!
The Bike Edmonton Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held Sunday, October 23, 2022, from 2-4pm at picnic site #2 of Victoria Park, just behind the Victoria Park Pavilion.
This will be an outdoor meeting discussing required-business: presentation and approval of audited financials and next year’s budget, an update on the activities of the Society, and the election of the Board of Directors.
Everyone is invited to attend. Only members-in-good-standing, and who are present are eligible to vote. No proxies are permitted.
Join us Saturday, September 24 from 9am-12pm for our popular Bike 101 Course: Hands on Intro to Bike Maintenance. This is a great place to start if you have little or no experience working on bikes.
On Saturday, October 8 from 9am-12pm we are offering Bike 201: Brakes. You'll get hands-on experience with intermediate preventative maintenance/adjustments, and discover the simple step-by-step approach to making brakes work well.
For more information and to register, visit http://apps.bikeedmonton.ca.
In our hands-on Bike Repair 101 workshop, our most popular class, you will gain confidence and save money by doing simple repairs yourself as well as preventing expensive parts from wearing out. Bring your bicycle so you can learn techniques specific to your components, or you can work on one of Bike Edmonton's bikes. This is a great place to start if you have little or no experience working on bikes, and will cover:
drivetrain cleaning and lubrication,
flat tire repair,
basic brake and gearing adjustments, and
how to spot small problems before they become big problems.
Registration is required. These classes tend to fill up, so register early to reserve your spot. For more information and to register, please visit https://apps.bikeedmonton.ca
Bike Edmonton members receive a $10 discount. #yegbike
Join the 2022 Edmonton Community Garden Bike Tour with Sustainable Food Edmonton! Space is limited, so register today!
Explore and learn about community gardens on this guided tour, which includes free lunch. Gardens include Richfield, Lakewood, Sakaw, Concordia and Ridgewood.
Sustainable Food Edmonton is a non-profit charitable organization who initiates and supports projects and programs to encourage the building of community through urban agriculture. They connect communities and kids with their food, how it’s produced, and the planet that makes it all possible.
Dear Bike Edmonton Members,
We are reaching out to provide an update and highlight ways that you can support your society.
The board is currently hiring a new Executive Director, providing operational oversight to the society, and beginning contract negotiations with our newly unionized staff. You can support these activities in many ways, such as sharing the posting for the Executive Director position with your networks, volunteering at the shops or during events, and joining the board.
We are accepting nominations to fill vacant board positions starting immediately. Board members would then be elected for a 2-year term during the Annual General Meeting in the fall. Those who are interested are encouraged to fill out the board nomination form (bottom of this page) or contact board@bikeedmonton.ca for more information. Board members must be current members of Bike Edmonton.
As a reminder, board meetings are open to the general membership. Our next meeting is on August 22, 2022 at 7pm MT on Google Meet. If you would like to attend, please RSVP by emailing board@bikeedmonton.ca.
Despite some challenges over the last year, the board is committed to the vision and mission of the society and knows that our membership shares our goals. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring that Bike Edmonton remains an important part of our city and lives!
Bike Edmonton is hiring an executive director. Please view the job posting for details.
Please email your resume and cover letter by August 7, 2022.
The Edmonton Bike Coalition is holding a family-friendly celebration & bike protest on Saturday, June 18, at noon at 101 Ave & 75 St. If you’re interested in this project, attend to meet and work together with community members!
The current state of 101 Ave
Concept plans for the 101 Avenue Streetscape project were released in March 2022.
Overall, the plans are a significant improvement over the existing state of 101 Ave. But two significant gaps remain:
Between 80-84 St, the bike lane is only a painted lane on the road. We know that paint does not encourage people to bike, and excludes many, including women and children (the City even has a GBA+ policy).
The City of Edmonton does not maintain painted bike lanes in the winter, leaving an intentional missing link between the all-ages and abilities, all-season facilities to the east (the new 101 Ave protected bike lanes) and west (shared pathways into Forest Heights and Cloverdale, Downtown, and Mill Creek).
This section is currently identified as an “existing substandard district connector route” in the City’s Bike Plan Implementation Guide, and will continue to be substandard.
Based on its average traffic volume, the City’s own Complete Streets design standards call for buffered or protected bike lanes.
The protected bike lanes also vanish between 74 St to 76 St.
Proposed painted bike lanes on 101 Ave.
Terminating the protected bike lanes at 76 St and 74 St is not safe.
Painting bike lanes between traffic flowing in all directions is not safe.
Here is what a similar bike lane in Waterloo looks like:
In contrast, 132 Avenue, which sees comparable traffic volumes, uses a much safer intersection design.
97 St is a major 7-lane arterial
75 St is a major 7-lane arterial
132 Ave has 4 lanes of traffic at the intersection
101 Ave has 4 lanes of traffic at the intersection
Concept plan for the intersection of 97 St and 132 Ave, a comparably busy street with the exact same number of traffic and turning lanes as 75 St and 101 Ave. The separated bike path is maintained in this design.
Edmonton’s Complete Streets Design Standards also state:
Painted bike lanes are generally suitable only on lower speed and lower motor vehicle volume streets... Larger or more complex intersections typically coincide with protected bike lanes or shared-use paths due to the motor vehicle traffic volumes and speeds. These locations require a greater degree of physical protection for people cycling and can include separate signal phasing of multimodal movements, two-stage turn queue boxes, and protected intersections.
If the intersection context (e.g., available space, traffic volumes, traffic speeds) does not make it possible to provide an intersection bike lane design that is suitable for the Design User group (i.e., motor vehicle speeds over 50 km/h or volumes over 4,000 veh/day), an alternative may be to terminate the painted bike lane prior to the intersection and transition via a bike ramp to an off-street bike path or protected bike lane.
On paper, Edmonton’s own design standards, which 101 Ave doesn’t appear to follow, echo best practices from other jurisdictions. NACTO (the National Association of City Transportation Officials) has an entire guide called Don't Give Up at the Intersection. The City of Ottawa recently published their Protected Intersection Design Guide, which includes protected intersections for large, multi-lane roads.
Funding for detailed design and construction of 101 Ave hasn’t been approved yet: that will need to come forward in Council’s 2023-2026 Capital Budget discussions. We want to see improvements to this neglected but important part of Edmonton. But we want to ensure that this investment creates actual improvements, and that the money spent on this project reflects Edmonton’s values and desires for a safe, equitable city.
Join the Edmonton Bike Coalition to help advocate for a better 101 Ave. You can join their mailing list, as well as join them in person on Saturday, June 18 at noon for a celebration and protest to build connections and community, and imagine better solutions.
Dutch cycle facilities selection plan from the CROW Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic
During the May 31 meeting of City Council’s Urban Planning Committee, the committee voted 3-2 in favour of the following motion:
Moved by:A. Salvador
That Urban Planning Committee recommend to City Council:
That Administration implement a pilot, as soon as possible, of the full closure of the traffic lane on 102 Avenue between 99 Street to 103 Street for the purpose of establishing a pedestrian-friendly corridor and that Administration prepare a road closure bylaw for the full closure of the traffic lane on 102 Avenue between 99 Street to 103 Street for a one year pilot, and work with the Downtown Business Association and stakeholders to utilize Downtown Vibrancy funding for activation.
This means that the motion now goes to City Council on June 7 for further discussion and another vote, this time by council as a whole.
While Council does not normally hear from public speakers during Council meetings (the public normally speaks at committee meetings, like the one on May 31), you can still make sure your voice is heard by contacting your councillor before Tuesday, June 7 to express your support for 102 Ave as a pedestrian-friendly corridor.
Even if you know your councillor supports this motion already, please still write to let them know that you support this. They need to hear voices in support to strengthen their position!
Paths for People has created a sample message and some tips on what you can write to your councillor! They have also published an opinion piece in the Journal.
You can read more about the plan in this CBC story, as well as listen to discussion about it in the latest episode of the Speaking Municipally podcast.
Write your councillor in support of a pedestrianized 102 Ave. Even if you know your councillor already supports it: let them know how many citizens want this to happen!
— Bike Edmonton (@bikeedmonton) June 2, 2022
Council could vote as soon as this Tuesday June 7, so write to your councillor by Monday. #yegbike #yegwalk https://t.co/eNETNaXzAQ
102ave motion from @AshleyASalvador up now. pic.twitter.com/EgOXf9Crfo
— chris - sᴉɹɥɔ (@newfangl3d) May 31, 2022
Off to council it goes. pic.twitter.com/85ikjy0Qwm
— chris - sᴉɹɥɔ (@newfangl3d) May 31, 2022
...twitter is full of examples of mobility lanes also being used for emergency services.
— chris - sᴉɹɥɔ (@newfangl3d) June 1, 2022
(I don't know what the city's official policy is, but I've seen ambulances using the 102ave lane through Oliver)https://t.co/bZ6mJ2scfC
This Sunday, June 5th Pedego Edmonton has partnered with Bike Edmonton to offer ebike rentals and guided rides from Café Bicyclette Are you new to e-bikes? Interested in ditching the car for some of your outings? This guided ride is for you. Book your spot online today. https://bit.ly/3wAKWyd
Interested in a one-hour bike rental without a guide? Book here. https://bit.ly/3LJhnQG All proceeds from ebike rentals on Sunday go to Bike Edmonton.
Vélo Canada Bikes, the national voice for everyday cycling, is looking for volunteers to help between June 7-12 in its annual national count of cycling! Volunteers will observe cyclists at key locations using a simple phone app.
Pedal Poll was developed with a team of professionals and academics across Canada, representing a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. Team members are motivated to create a bike-friendly Canada and are committed to making cycling more equitable.
Pedal Poll provides opportunities to identify who is cycling and where and work toward inclusion.
Vélo Canada Bikes provides instructions for communities to collect data in the same way so that it can be compared regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Boulders Climbing and Dirtbag Cafe, our neighbours downtown, are raising funds for Bike Edmonton!
Each Tuesday in June from 11am to 4pm, Boulders Climbing charges only $5 to climb. Each month a different non-profit receives all of the funds taken in during that month's charity climb. Bike Edmonton is the featured organization this June!
Volunteers are needed to sit in the Café to answer any questions about Bike Edmonton. You don't have to be an expert of Bike Edmonton services to volunteer. You'll be sent a volunteer role description which includes simple and easy responses to questions people might ask about Bike Edmonton. Sign up here to help.
Bike Edmonton is joining Pedego Edmonton for a day of e-bike rentals and guided e-bike tours in Edmonton's French quarter on Sunday, June 5, 2022. Pedego is generously donating all proceeds from this event to Bike Edmonton! You can try out an e-bike and support Bike Edmonton!
E-bike tours are just under an hour. Tours are designed to teach riders how to make the most of their rented e-bike features, while exploring bike infrastructure and the river valley at an easy pace.
We also need volunteers! Sign-up to help with outreach tabling or guiding the rides.
