Frequently Asked Questions

What is a segregated bike lane?

A segregated bike lane is a designated on-street bicycle lane that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic through the use of barriers such as curbs, parked cars, delineators, or other street treatments.

Who can use a bike lane?

The Ontario Highway Traffic stipulates that all designated bike lanes, including segregated bike lanes, are to be used by cyclists only.

Can I walk in the segregated bike lane?

Just as cyclists are not to use sidewalks, pedestrians should not use bike lanes. This will ensure that both cyclists and pedestrians do not put each other in danger.

Do I have to ride in the segregate bike lane?

No, there is no law that obliges you to ride in the segregated bike lane. Cyclists who want to move at the speed of traffic on Laurier will be encouraged to use the roadway as increasing safety, not speed, is the purpose of the facility. As a cyclist, you have the same rights and responsibilities to obey all traffic laws as other road users.

As a motorist, how should I deal with segregated bike lanes?

• Always check for bikes when crossing the lane to park or make a right-hand turn.
• Do not park or drive in the segregated lanes along Laurier (you may cross over them if turning or entering a loading zone). By parking or driving in a bike lane, you are endangering cyclists by forcing them to suddenly merge into vehicular traffic.

Will emergency access be compromised resulting in slower response times?

Measures have been established to ensure access and response times are not compromised. For example, some of the barriers have been removed along critical sections or are of a flexible design to allow emergency vehicle access. The City’s emergency response teams have been involved in the design of the facility and are monitoring and tracking their response times to calls along Laurier.

What about people with accessibility issues?

New additional Para Transpo drop off locations have been added along and adjacent to Laurier. The facility does not hinder safe access and crossings at intersections. Para Transpo vehicles and vehicles with accessible parking permits are permitted to do pick-ups and drop-offs in Loading Zones, No Parking Zones, and No Stopping Zones along the corridor (without impeding traffic). Further, a block-by-block review was undertaken and some additional curbs were removed to further improve access for emergency workers and persons with mobility issues in the days leading up to its opening. Additional information about accessible pick-up / drop-off locations is available online.

What will happen in the winter?

The segregated bike lanes will be maintained throughout the year in their current configuration. The pre-cast curbs, plastic poles and planter boxes will remain in place along Laurier during the winter months and the bike lanes will be plowed to the same bare pavement standard as the motor vehicle travel lanes. Equipment utilizing a mechanical sweeping broom, plow and snow blower will clear snow. Following this a liquid anti icing spray will be applied to the bike lanes while the use of roadway rock salt and grit will be minimized. The bike lanes will be officially closed when dangerous conditions exist such as after major winter storms or if black ice is apparent. You can find out if the segregated bike lane is closed by calling 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or tuning in to local media.

Why invest in segregated bike lanes?

• By better connecting key destinations, improving comfort and convenience, and attracting a broader group of residents and visitors to cycling, segregated bike lanes offer a range of benefits, including: Providing opportunities for daily physical activity and associated health benefits
• Reducing pollution associated with transportation
• Promoting access to local businesses and economic activity
• Providing an inexpensive form of transportation that is widely accessible
• Increasing tourism
• Adding value to urban development
• Ensuring a better return on our tax dollars. For example, Copenhagen has found that society gains $0.24/km when a person chooses to cycle; whereas by car, society suffers a net loss of $0.14/km.

How was Laurier Avenue selected?

• Laurier Avenue West was selected as the location for the segregated bike lane for a number of reasons, including: Highest number of cyclists of any east-west corridor within in the study area
• Traffic signals at every intersection, which provide for a safe route
• Proximity to several major destinations such as City Hall, main public library, Confederation Park, central business district, schools, high-density residential dwellings
• Convenient connections to the Transitway, University of Ottawa, Sandy Hill, the ByWard Market, Gatineau, Lebreton Flats, Chinatown, and the Glebe
• Excellent connections to other bicycle facilities, including: the NCC pathways along the Ottawa River and Canal; existing bike lanes along Percy St., Bay St., Lyon St., and over the Laurier Avenue Bridge (which connects to Nicholas St.); and the existing bike-friendly staircases near Cambridge St. that connect to the neighbourhoods to the west of the escarpment
• No bus routes
• No curb side garbage pick-up
• High volume of vehicle traffic, so segregation would increase cyclist safety and comfort
• Plenty of off-street parking lots in the vicinity, with additional capacity for new on-street parking along adjacent and nearby parallel streets, thereby minimizing the impact of the pilot project in the area
• Opportunity to revitalize the commercial street frontage, as the bike lanes will draw in continuous activity during evenings and weekends, hence promoting the extension of commercial activities that currently focus on the demands of weekday office workers

Were residents and businesses consulted?

Extensive consultations with residents, community groups, businesses and other stakeholders have taken place, and their feedback was incorporated into the design of the bike lanes wherever possible. The City continues to work with all stakeholders who may be impacted to make sure that the community needs are addressed to the fullest (within the broader context of the overall project). This is a pilot project and the City will continue to monitor and encourage people to provide feedback on how this project can be improved.

What is being done to help inform both motorists and cyclists about traffic changes?

The City has created a detailed informational video (available on ottawa.ca/bikelane) that takes viewers on a tour of the bike lanes, demonstrates the proper use of the facility, and provides an overview of the resulting traffic changes for motorists and cyclists alike. Further, for the first couple of weeks, volunteers, by-law officers and police will be along the lanes to answer questions and help make cyclists and motorists aware of these changes.

Where are people supposed to park now?

On-street parking has increased in the area, particularly along the side streets, while 44 parking spaces still remain on Laurier. For every space that was removed from Laurier, an additional space was added to Gloucester and Nepean Streets, which are only a block or two away. Unlike the previous parking spaces on Laurier which were limited to off peaks hours, these new spaces are available throughout the day, some for free. Additional information about on-street parking changes in the area is available online.

It should also be noted that additional bike parking has been implemented along Laurier, with dozens of new ring and post facilities installed between Bronson Avenue and Elgin Street.

What have you done to accommodate business drop-offs and deliveries?

Emergency vehicle access, access to off-street loading zones and access to a building’s

entry and parking garage have all been maintained as is the case with hotel and taxi zones. On-street loading zones were placed in close proximity to their previous locations with the additional and three were added to improve access to businesses along the corridor.

Will businesses suffer?

Extensive research indicates that businesses typically benefit from facilities such as these, especially from the increased number of cyclists who are more likely to stop on their way compared to motorists. A summary of this research is available online.

If this is a pilot project, what are the conditions of success?

The City will monitor the success of the project by surveying businesses, residents and cyclists, and collecting bike and traffic count information. Just as multiple factors lead to the selection of Laurier, determining success will rely on a number of criteria including public feedback, increased cycle counts, improved safety, and business activity.

Won’t this only serve to increase gridlock along Laurier?

Changes to traffic movements along Laurier are designed to increase safety and minimize congestion. The time it takes the average motor vehicle to travel the entire length of the corridor during peak periods is expected to increase by 30-60 seconds as a result of these changes.

Why no right turns on red lights?

This is being done to facilitate the implementation of the new left-turn bike boxes that would conflict with right turning vehicles on red lights. It will also increase safety for the high levels of pedestrians and cyclists along the corridor.

How will travel in the bike lane be enforced?

Bylaw and police will monitor the use of the bike lane to see if conflicts or safety issues occur. Other motorized vehicles, like mopeds, remain strictly prohibited and will be ticketed and fined for using the lane.

Who is not allowed to use the segregated bike lane?

• Pedestrians
• Anyone operating a motorized vehicle that is not classified as a bicycle under the Highway Traffic Act

What is a “bicycle” under the Highway Traffic Act?

A bicycle is considered to be "a tricycle, a unicycle and a power-assisted bicycle, however, does not include a motor-assisted bicycle."

For use in the Province of Ontario, a power-assisted bicycle, or e-bike, is a bicycle that:

• Has a maximum weight of 120 kg (includes the weight of bike and battery)
• Has wheels with a diameter of at least 350 mm and width of at least 35 mm
• Meets the federal definition of a power-assisted bicycle:
  • Has steering handlebars and is equipped with pedals
  • Is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground
  • Is capable of being propelled by muscular power
  • Has one or more electric motors that have, singly or in combination, the following characteristics:
    • It has a total continuous power output rating, measured at the shaft of each motor, of 500 W or less
    • If it is engaged by the use of muscular power, power assistance immediately ceases when the muscular power ceases
    • If it is engaged by the use of an accelerator controller, power assistance immediately ceases when the brakes are applied
    • It is incapable of providing further assistance when the bicycle attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground
    • Bears a label that is permanently affixed by the manufacturer and appears in a conspicuous location stating, in both official languages, that the vehicle is a power-assisted bicycle as defined federally
    • Has one of the following safety features, an enabling mechanism to turn the electric motor on and off that is separate from the accelerator controller and fitted in such a manner that it is operable by the driver, or a mechanism that prevents the motor from being engaged before the bicycle attains 3 km/hr.

Do all e-bikes look like bicycles?

E-bikes may resemble conventional bicycles, or resemble scooters and limited-speed motorcycles as illustrated below.

Effective October 3, 2009, conventional style and scooter-style e-bikes that meet the definition of a power-assisted bicycle, as described above, are permitted on roads and highways where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. They must follow the same rules of the road as set out in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) that currently apply to cyclists, with some exceptions.

On what roads can an e-bike travel?

E-bikes are allowed to travel anywhere bicycles are permitted to travel. Any municipal by-law prohibiting bicycles from highways under their jurisdiction also apply to e-bikes. Municipalities may also pass by-laws specific to e-bikes that prohibit them from municipal roads, sidewalks, bike paths, bike trails, and bike lanes under their jurisdiction.

E-bikes, like bicycles, are not allowed on controlled-access highways such as 400 series highways, the Queen Elizabeth Way, the Queensway in Ottawa or the Kitchener-Waterloo Expressway, or on municipal roads, including sidewalks where bicycles are banned under municipal by-laws.

How does a segregated bike lane differ from a shared or multi-use pathway?

Multi-use or shared pathways such as those along the Canal and the Ottawa and Rideau rivers are not regulated under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. In Ottawa, these off-road facilities are where pedestrians, cyclists, rollerbladers, and personal mobility devices are all permitted and expected to share the path. Off-road path users are typically required to yield at driveway and access lanes while bike lane users have the legal right-of-way.

Effective October 3, 2009, conventional style and scooter-style e-bikes that meet the definition of a power-assisted bicycle, as described above, are permitted on roads and highways where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. They must follow the same rules of the road as set out in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) that currently apply to cyclists, with some exceptions.

What should I do if I see a vehicle blocking the bike lane?

Please call the City at 3-1-1 or e-mail 311@ottawa.ca or BikeLane@ottawa.ca and make sure to identify the location and time. Project team staff will track these occurrences and follow-up with by-law / police to enforce.