Yorkton’s new bike lanes are coming a little later than planned due to flooding, but expect them by the end of the summer.

The lanes were originally targeted to open on Darlington Street on July 25 and Gladstone Avenue on August 9. Darlington’s opening date will now be pushed back to August 16.

“I think it’s a great initiative for the city,” said Lindsay Johnson, who has been working with the city and the Yorkton Active Transportation Collaborative at promoting the plan this summer. “It provides another way for people to get to work or to school by using active transportation.”

Once in place, the lanes will offer safer travel for cyclists to within a few blocks of most destinations in the northern and western halves of the city. However, to reduce the danger that always exists when bicycles share a road with automobiles, the city is attempting to remind both drivers and cyclists of the rules of the road—primarily that bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as any other vehicle.

“I was at the exhibition for four days answering questions from residents and from people from out of town,” said Johnson. “We have talked about maybe setting up a workshop for the public to be able to come and learn the rules of the road.”

Pamphlets outlining safety and convenience tips were also distributed with recent water bills.

The new bike lanes will not be isolated from regular driving lanes. Due to the limitations of the current roadways, dedicated bike lanes will be added to only a few stretches of Darlington Street and Gladstone Avenue; large portions will feature shared driving/bike lanes. What effect these alterations will have on traffic flow remains to be seen.

Traffic signs to notify the public of the planned changes to each section of road have now been posted. Johnson warns drivers to keep an eye out for more cyclists once the lanes officially open, and for cyclists to be aware that drivers will take some time to become educated.

“Our society is a little bit lazy now, and hopefully it will help people to be a little bit more active,” she said.
Yorkton This Week will print bicycle safety information in upcoming issues.