Starting Aug. 30, Maple Street will be temporarily converted to a bicycle priority street.
The pilot project will run until Oct. 1, and will see barriers put up at each intersection from Third to Campbell Streets to reduce the amount of vehicular traffic traversing Maple Street.
Signs will indicate the road is closed except to local traffic, and space will be left on each side of the barriers for cyclists and so local residents can access their properties by vehicle.
Emergency vehicles, waste collection, deliveries, transit and other services will also be allowed to pass the temporary barriers.
The idea of a bicycle priority approach for Maple Street was first raised in the town’s cycling plan (completed in Oct. 2019). According to the plan, the characteristics of Maple Street being a continuous route running north-south for the length of town and having a low traffic volume of 1,200 vehicles per day make it a good option for the pilot project.
According to the town website, the purpose of the pilot project is to reduce vehicle traffic to local only and provide a safe, more desirable route for cyclists (off of Hurontario).
In July 2020, the Collingwood Trails and Active Transportation Advisory Committee, brought forward a plan for a temporary project using removable barricades to turn Maple Street into a bicycle priority street.
The concept was iced until now while staff worked with the committee to come up with an action plan.
During the pilot project this fall, the town is asking for resident and user feedback through an online survey that will launch Aug. 30.
According to the town, the permanence of the bicycle priority street measures will depend on input from the public and stakeholders.
The preliminary proposal for more permanent measures to replace the temporary barricades include centre median islands, right-in-right-out islands, directional closures, and traffic circles, all of which would be installed with the goal of prohibiting north-south movements through intersections.
The draft plan for Maple Street also suggests a speed reduction to 40 km/h from 50.
You can read more about the pilot project on the town’s website here. The survey will be posted on the Engage Collingwood site by Aug. 30.
