Prince Edward County councillors heard an update on the proposed Cycling Master Plan at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The plan involves 17 infrastructure projects designed to enhance cycling in the county with leisure, scenery and access to destinations in mind.
The proposed plans include:
- A multi-use trail from Stanley Street at Bloomfield Main Street to the Millennium Trail
- Paved shoulders on County Road 12 from the Millennium Trail to Kleinsteuber Park Road
- Paved shoulders on County Road 12 from Kleinsteuber Park Road to County Road 18
- Paved shoulders on County Road 18 from County Road 12 to County Road 11
The cost of the 17 recommended cycling infrastructure projects totals $19,762,000 of which $9,942,000 is under Prince Edward County jurisdiction and $9,820,000 is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.
Some of the focuses of the master plan are using the Millennium Trail as the “spine” of the county’s cycling network, working with the Ministry of Transportation to improve conditions for cyclists on Highways 33 and 62, updating the paved shoulder policy and improving access to Sandbanks Provincial Park.
A survey was conducted by WSP, the engineering firm in charge of the master plan, that saw 82 people provide feedback. According to Shawn Smith of WSP, 54% of the survey participants live and work in Prince Edward County.
The presentation laid out the main concerns expressed in the feedback sessions. Of chief concern was creating a task force or committee, concern for ATV access to the Millennium Trail and the possible damage ATVs can cause to the surface which creates hazards for pedestrians and cyclists, cyclist safety on busy roads to and from Sandbanks and creating a branded and dedicated website for cycling in the county.
According to Smith, some people also indicated that cyclists don’t feel safe and that only motorists’ needs are met.
After the presentation, Councillor Bill Roberts said he wanted to ensure that ATV riders can still use the Millennium Trail as the trail is designated as a multi-use trail.
“I think it’s important for us all to appreciate that the Millennium Trail that we have today probably wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for snowmobilers and ATV users, especially snowmobilers who really maintained the trail and kept it available to the general public and my recollection of the stamp of approval that moved today’s Millennium Trail forward was the council resolution and resolve that the Millennium Trail would always be a multi-use trail and that the design would always follow that statement.”
Smith assured that with the proper guidelines in place the trail could safely remain a multi-use trail.
Councillor Janice Maynard was apprehensive about marketing the county as a cycling tourist destination due to the lack of available facilities.
“I’m not sure that we really want to enhance the county as a premiere biking destination. We’re a long ways from that now and I think by doing so we are just asking for problems. I would say until we have better facilities that we probably should not be encouraging people to come here for a biking destination.”
The presentation Tuesday was not a decision item. Moving forward there will be another public consultation period for the master plan after which it will be brought to council again at a later date.
To see the full presentation, click here.
