Calgary, it is Time to have a Thorough Discussion on Separated Bike Lanes

H-JEH (Jack) Becker
Third Wave Cycling Group Inc., 2012-05-13

A recent radio interview highlighted the timeliness for Calgarians to have a comprehensive dialogue on separated bike lanes (SBL), especially local cycling advocates and those interested in better cycling facilities. The dialogue should start with the question of why have SBL and then continue into concepts and designs, fit into local streetscape and urban form.  Then the dialogue must include how SBL contributes to local business and to the city as a whole.

Separated bike lanes have been shown to be successful in instigating a shift from driving to cycling. It is a tool that comes in many configurations of designs and fit into local urban form. The type chosen has a direct impact on the degree of local acceptance and of success in increasing cycling.

So, what types of separated bike lanes do Calgarians want? Some of the dialogue should cover

• • Cycling traffic capacity

How wide should the separated bike lanes be?  Well, first it should be established what the objectives for the SBL should be.  Is it for the convenience of current cyclists?  Is it to provide capacity to meet natural cycling traffic growth or the city’s future cycling mode share targets?  Is it part of a city reshaping itself into a large city or world-class city form, instead of a sprawling metropolis?  What current barriers are hindering cycling growth that could be accommodated with SBL?  What human characteristic could be designed into SBL to cause significant growth?

Acceptance of SBL is greater by cyclists and by potential cyclists if they could see efficient trip time.  One of the factors, capacity to pass slower cyclists, is key.  The next big step into cycling growth is to move away from solitary cycling to accommodating social cycling of two people side-by-side deep into discussion.  Intersection passage time is also key.

• • Forms of separation

Generally, separated bike lanes comes in various forms of separation from vertical to horizontal, at general traffic lane level, on sidewalk elevation, outside of road right-of-ways, etc.  Separation comes in many forms from virtual where drivers’ observance of painted lines provides the separation to physical through various forms of barriers that will have negative effect on cars if drivers were not to observe the barriers.

Physical separation can be provided at various cost levels from minimal to sophisticated separation designs that fits well into urban and streetscape forms.

Observations of various forms of SBL in cities within Europe and North America indicate the need for physical separation where cars, trucks, and motorcycles are prevented from entering into bike lanes.

With virtual separation (painted lines or buffers) and half curb height separation (Copenhagen style), it is only driver decency that causes the bike lanes not to be used for passing motorized vehicles stopped for a turn, overtaken a slower vehicle, or parking, especially by delivery vehicles. Even car entry into bike lanes needs to be prevented for such bike lanes not to become parking lanes.  However, the form of separation should allow police and other emergency vehicles to use the lanes to efficiently get by street traffic.  This also tends to encourage width of bike lanes to accommodate a police vehicle and a cyclist.

• • Two-way bike lanes versus one way

A dialogue on this subject usually gets around to selection of one-way separated bike lanes on the same or adjacent streets to the use of two-way bike lanes.  There are many arguments that can be made for either solution that would better fit the needs of cyclists, motorists on the streets, local businesses, and urban and streetscape form.

Two-way separated bike lanes are self-levellers of traffic accommodating cycling traffic jams and supporting social cycling.  Bringing together into one space cyclists going both ways, the presence of cyclists on the road is much more evident to motorists, a bit of a marketing tool.  Motorists will see the lanes actually being used and become more aware that their driving style needs to adjust accordingly.  Another important benefit is the reduction of potential cross traffic of cyclists and motorists, limiting that to one side of a street.

• • Which side of road

One-Way Bike Lanes

Should two one-way bike lanes be located on one road, no matter if one of the lanes is contraflow or be placed on two neighbouring roads?

Two-Way Bike Lanes

Location of two-way bike lanes should recognize night cycling and the effect of car headlights shining into cyclists’ eyes with overhead lights often being too weak in intensity to overcome cyclists’ blindness or blocked out by tree leaves making sidewalk curbs or separation barriers difficult to be seen by cyclists.

Two-way bike lanes should be positioned on the roadway with direction of flow of cyclists and adjacent car traffic being in the same direction.  This will place contra-flow cyclists horizontally farther away from the headlights of cars moving in the opposite direction lessening light impact on cyclists.

The dialogue should include such factors of one side of the street to the other as to the number of ingresses and egresses from local properties, the volume of cars turning across the two-way bike lanes, visibility of cyclists to motorists who are making turns across the bike lanes (left side visibility of motorists of parallel cyclists versus right side), and visibility of oncoming cyclists to motorists at intersections.

• • Networking

Networking of cycling facilities is a cycling traffic growth factor.  A cycling facility leading to on-street, shared cycling will only draw a smaller portion of motorists who could be induced to cycling if the cycling facilities were to their liking.

The dialogue for downtown Calgary should include the priority of SBL extending a limited cycling capacity Peace Bridge facility into the downtown core along 6^th or 7^th St or both.  The dialogue should also consider an option of SBL extension into the working core of downtown Calgary within the catchment area of cycling facilities to cyclists’ work places.

SBL’s along these two streets would have limited value unless the SBL were continued and networked into the downtown core and underneath the railway tracks to the shopping areas of 10^th to 12^th Ave and to 17^th Ave.  Considering the cycling unfriendly 5^th St and 8^th St underpasses for potential cyclists and also cycling infrastructure catchment area, 7^th St may be a more desirable street for an SBL as a first level network infrastructure.

Some grey research that I have been doing over the last 10 plus years and supported by lower-level rigour research by others would indicate that catchment area of cycling facilities tends to be from 0 metres to 500 metres (5 blocks, 2 minutes cycling).

For downtown city centrum, a catchment area of 2 blocks each side of cycling facilities is a highly desirable, first level networking design with catchment area eventually being decreased to two blocks between cycling facilities as the second level and then adjacent major streets as a third level. 

From a networking perspective, any off-road bike trails such as that along the Bow River should also have on-road bypasses as cycling traffic will built up on bike trails that will cause commuter cyclists to want to use on-road facilities from a commuting time perspective.  This factor would encourage an on-road cycling facility parallel to the Bow Trail.

Considering cycling infrastructure catchment area, the location of the Bow Trail, and the concentration of downtown workplace, a two-way SBL should be provided on 6^th Ave as a first priority or alternately 5^th Ave connecting with the Bow Trail via 11^th St in the west and 6^th Ave through the East Village at the east end.

• • Right turn or left turn prohibitions across SBL’s

The dialogue should include discussion on intersection design especially motorists’ capability for turns across SBL.  A through understanding on current motorists turning pattern needs to be had on candidate streets and alternate routing options for motorists should full or partial banning of turns occur across SBL.

Cyclists trip time, cyclist’s’ visibility, and perceived safety for potential cyclists are driving forces for intersection limitations for motorists.

Especially full prohibition or alternately no turn on red signal phase will enhance the perceived safety of SBL for potential and current cyclists.  

• • Cyclists advance timing at intersection

The dialogue should also include an alternative to banning turns across SBL

Alternately to full or partial turning for motorists at intersections, a cyclists advanced signal phase to clear backed-up cyclists at a traffic signal first before car movement starts will enhance the cyclists’ experience and the attractiveness to potential cyclists.

• • Bike boxes to accommodate turns

The dialogue should also consider how to efficiently move cyclists with high visibility to motorists from SBL to intersecting streets and also bringing cyclists from these intersecting streets to the SBL.

Coloured bike boxes (especially environmental green colour) at intersections of streets with SBL and diagonal streets is a good solution.  At some streets up to 4-coloured bike boxes may be desirable.

• • Road maintenance

The dialogue should also include housekeeping and maintenance of SBL’s.  What type of equipment should be added to the city’s arsenal and what cleaning frequency should be built into the city’s budget and maintenance procedures?

Wind tends to move dirt and garbagy materials left behind by cars and especially trucks into SBL.  Water ponding on SBL’s can be a significant problem for cyclists especially during freeze-thaw periods.

Maintenance procedures should be providing quality of cycling service that reduces the chances of tire flats for cyclist and provides for safe operation of bicycles at any speed.

• • Winter operations and snow and ice clearing

With a SBL network the desirability of cycling during rainy weather and winter increases significantly.  While initially SBL were convenient places to dump road snow, slowly these SBL’s are now being maintained throughout the winter in some cities with much more snow than Calgary and heavier snow to move with a bicycle.  In Copenhagen, the cycling facilities are cleared of snow before road lanes.  As we know now in Calgary, snow clearance on the river bike trails starts early in the morning.

Ice removal from SBL before morning commuting cycling starts is critical for making SBL desirable to potential winter cyclists.  Reduction of cyclists’ injury and associated health care costs results from such a program.

Road snow removal procedures will need to change.  Today, the procedures usually call for two or more passes with the first pushing the snow to the curb or also on the pedestrian walking facilities and then followed by a number of trucks and loading equipment to carry away the snow.  One-pass snow removal would make winter walking in Calgary much more pleasant and safer, especially for seniors and those with disabilities.

One-pass snow removal procedures are in place in many cities and may safe time, cost, and greenhouse pollution production from snow clearing trucks for Calgary.

• • Urban and streetscape form

The discussion contribution should be focused on a dialogued on SBL being a tool for shifting the appeal of downtown Calgary streets from places to avoid to people streets that attract Calgarians to spend time after 4:30 pm when the streets now become very deserted.

Various forms of separation designs can enhance the visual appeal of downtown streets and softening the austere look of 1960 designs of car-moving streets.  Street functionality can be enhanced with restricted-time, commercial drop-off zones, although neighbouring buildings should really provide that.  Bus loading zones can be designed to allow for pedestrian level crossing of SBL.  Bike parking can be built into the SBL design.  Even motorcycle and moped parking can be incorporated.

Downtown Calgary streets are already well situated for SBL with sufficient off-street parking for cars and lack of street facing retailing.  On-street parking is not required nor should not be encouraged.  In fact, SBL may encourage more street retailing.

• • Local retail business activities

Any change on a street that affects on-street parking tends to be a rallying point for retail businesses to call on city politicians to do nothing.  The reality of retail marketing, as one vice-president of a major Canadian property company once stated to a municipal council, is that retail businesses need people traffic.  People traffic is critical for retailing success.  The source of the people traffic is not that important.  Bringing cycling to a street increases retailing traffic.  One car parking spot can be converted to 10 to 14 bicycle parking.  About 80 to 100 bicycles can be parked along one side of 100 metre street block that could only accommodate up to 10 to 13 cars.  It is understandable that retailers are very reluctant to let go of the umbilical cord of car parking that is now starting to fail strip malls, which were designed for the car driving customers.  The marketing model for retailers must continually change with time along with its customers or these businesses will go bankrupt.

The influence of cycling customers and differences in purchasing capacity are now slowly being documented by researchers.  Without a car, a person has about $10,000 more available to spend each year.  Without a second car, that may be about $5,000.

The dialogue should be around how to make that happen by focusing on urban form, cycling, and combined mobility of transit and cycling.

If retailers cater their products to cyclists, then a 10-fold increase in street traffic is a potential.  With retailers offering the right product mix, people will cycle to stores.

• • Congestion

Dialogue would be worthwhile to explore this further.  The usual “NO, do not change anything from a car-oriented street” argument is that congestion will increase, meaning car congestion not cycling growth, transit growth, or walking growth, all of which should happen.

“Car congestion is good” is an argument used by some people.  It is argued that congestion or any other type of roadblock, which could include increased car trip time  due to car congestion, more car collisions and negative impacts to personal health, finances, obesity, and health during the aging process, causes people to consider which transportation alternative is in their best interest.

For people to make the transition from car transportation to another mode the infrastructure must be there and to a level that is appealing to them to make a change.  This includes peak and off-peak transit capacity and service level, combined mobility capacity whether it is car-cycling or transit-cycling supported by cycling infrastructure from home to local rapid transit and high service bus routes, safe and dependable bike parking in all weather, and a cycling network that is appealing from home to final destination including for commuting.

Introduction of SBL on a road should be with expectation and target that car traffic will reduce as a result of people make the shift in transportation mode from car-based, not as a facility that is being imposed on top of a car traffic level that will continue to increase in the future.

• • The final direction

With extensive dialogue, it will be become very apparent that downtown Calgary needs a network of connected SBL’s as another tool for reducing driving into the downtown core and reducing already beyond acceptable and historically high levels of greenhouse pollution.  

Back in the 1970’s, people wanted to come to Calgary for health reasons since allergies, sinus discomforts and health side effects improved for them.  Now these sufferers look for other cities to improve their health:  even in January, brown pollution clouds can be seen on Nose Hill, with much contribution from the high level of driving in the city.

With carefully thought-out design parameters for SBL and the resulting reduction of driving, the downtown core will become more of a people place  after business hours, increase downtown retailing, increase vitality of the city core, and will be more of a place to attract tourists beyond the Stampede.

Yes, it is a first phase in the introduction of public bike sharing system, as Paris proved so successfully.

 

Cycling in Cities: Steps towards Cycling Growth – Austin Texas

Downtown street with separated transportation modes. Austin, Texas. Feb 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

Travel provides opportunities for understanding various approaches of cities for fostering the use of cycling for transportations and stimulating cycling traffic growth. Recently, a visit to Austin Texas provided such an opportunity to experience that city’s efforts. Some of the cycling advancements that stood out included:

Network- Density of cycling facilities within the urban core

Social cycling with painted buffer. Austin, Texas. Feb 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

Infrastructure – Designing for social cycling; back-in, drive-out car parking adjacent to bike lanes; and traffic circles (small roundabouts) designs for reducing conflict and providing mini-parks.

City’s approach to cycling- Forward thinking of cycling staff – including narrower traffic lanes; the responsibility of cycling facilities within the city assigned to one group, no matter the public ownership of lands (municipal, parks, etc.); and ordinances supporting safe cycling – passing laws.

Back-in, drive-out parking on retail street with bike lane. Austin, Texas. Feb 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

Trip notes

Abridged notes

Full notes

It’s Just Normal: Transporting Goods by Bike

Strapping down collapsed 4 tier storage wire cart for closet. At Ikea store before cycling 15 km. home. 2011. Photo by J. Chong

Costco bulk shoppers are the same as utility cyclists:  they buy groceries and schlep them homeward.

Uber Feasible Cycling Leads to Streamlined Living
However, the caveat is a purchase- laden cyclist can’t afford the temptation of buying junk food or anything superfluous:  she or he has to tow it home.

The no junk pre-condition makes the lifestyle cyclist, utility and commuter cyclist, more uber efficient in clean, free transportation, fitness and living only with what they need and treasure without the frills. Especially if they are only shopping within a 10 km. radius or less.

Leaving store with several large new boxes for moving 2010. Photo by J.Chong

 Prep Time for Shopping by Bike Same as Finding Car Parking
Six months ago, we moved our stuff from a home to  new place,  just 2 blocks away. It wasn’t a big deal since there wasn’t much stuff.  We did rent a small van, not a truck,  to move a bed, large computer table and 4 large boxes of belongings. But the rest, was walked and also biked over by several small trips.

Moving around daily by bike, does require planning, especially for a particularily heavy or awkward, large load.  But probably no more time, than cruising around in a car and trying to find a parking spot in a busy shopping neighbourhood area. It helps to live near at least a bike route that does not have much car traffic or any at all especially when you are loaded down with an extra 30-40 lbs. of groceries and household goods.

Packed in 2 side panniers from rear bike rack in 1 trip from store. 2011. Photo by J. Chong. Hidden behind larger produce include tomatoes, tangerines, yogurt, 1 tin of clams, pasta & anise bulb.

 Squirreling Away Essentials Like Everyone Else
What is required, especially living in snow-prone areas of Canada, is to plan and buy perishable food when the prices and weather are right for cycling.  So yes, I did load up at the farmers’ markets with veggies and fruits galore in my panniers every weekend. Threw in the pasta and cereal into my panniers (or on top, held down with bungie cords) whenever there was a sale at the store. 

I half joke that I must be making a toilet tissue pack investment for the next few winter months since there are packs squirreled away in my storage areas. But my attitude is no different than the car driving shopper piling up their  bulk supply from Costco.

Bike transport of bins with this older, but sturdy model are becoming rarer. Changzhi, China 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Usually I make my heaviest grocery bike trips on weekends, when the car road traffic is quiet and less congested.  This has been true for the cities of Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary where I’ve lived, biked and shopped.  In all of these cities, it was possible to use bike routes for shopping  that included bike lanes, dedicated paths as well as on the road for a few kilometres. Depending on where we chose to shop in any of those cities, one-way distances were from 4 to 16 km.  

Stacked bins on back bike trailer. Vancouver BC 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  Of course in the winter, it was limited to under 8  km.  But truly we got everything we needed.  Any cycling for shopping further out, was more of a treat for  ourselves.  In such situations, we did sometimes use a blend of cycling and bringing bikes onto public transit trains or using the bus bike racks.

Jack has even cycled home with 4 unassembled dining room chairs, all boxed up on the bike trailer from the furniture store. It was only a 6 km. trip, partially on a busy road, then onto the bike path.  But it is possible with all the right roping, bungie cords and knowing the bike route well enough in advance to maneouvre the trailing, oversized packages along.  Another time, he slowly transported a pair of skis.

Return with plastic caddy for storing cleaning agents and grocery filled panniers. With some extra top padding and secure cords, caddy could store more for journey home.

 Bundled Cache of Bungie Cords- A Transportation Lifeline
Unlike him, what is annoying to me, is the fussiness of unraveling a bunch of bungie cords. So I keep my supply low –3.  He keeps over 10 different bungie cords in his panniers  –talk about seriously over prepared.  But admittedly, I’ve borrowed one or two from him.

For a 98- lb. person, it’s an excellent way for me to keep fit and build some strength when we go long distance cycle-touring later, with our pannier weight on cycling vacation trips.

So I don’t worry about dabbing on my make-up and choosing the right, colour coordinated purse before I leave. Instead I make sure my keys, wallet, lock and bungie cords are stashed away in my panniers.

Bike lane leads up to shopping mall, with signed bike parking area on right hand side by front entrance. Copenhagen, Denmark 2008. Photo by HJEH Becker

  Cycling Infrastructure Supporting Retail Shopping - HJEH Becker
Shopping by bicycle is much more feasible when quality cycling infrastructure is available on routes to retailing areas of cities. 

Quality cycling routes where cyclists are not apprehensive of passing motorists, comes first.  At shopping destinations, nearby bike parking that leaves a bike and shopping already done secure, especially in front of stores not down the block, is paramount.  Depending on trees and signposts for bike parking 

Family cycling with packages, including the boy with packages in his rear basket. Downtown Karlsruhe, Germany 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker. This core area is heavily used by commuting cyclists with shops and restaurants, as well as bike parking areas and racks.

 just is not adequate.  Walking half a block from parking spots to stores is beyond the catchment areas for cycling shopping.  Some retailers understand marketing and how to attract cycling customers, considering that they have disposable money not spent on maintaining and operating cars.  These merchants even offer bike parking inside stores.  In larger shopping areas where visits to multiple of stores on a shopping trip is common, electronic, trip rental lockers or secure bike cages and corralled parking with restricted or attended access give higher level of comfort to cyclists that bicycles and shopping will still be there when one returns.

In Copenhagen, one of the large indoor-style shopping centres has bike lanes from the nearby arterial road through the internal road system to the indoor bike parking area located right adjacent to the main front entrance to the shopping complex.  In Calgary, major big-box shopping areas are connected to the bike trails along the river system and from the C-Train rapid transit stations by bike paths on road right-of-ways providing relaxing and pleasant cycling to stores.  Such a network allows for comfortable and pleasant shopping 15, 20, or even 30 kilometres from home. 

Bike path section connected from Nose Creek bike path, to Marlborough shopping mall area. Calgary, AB 2011. Photo HJEH Becker

 Calgary’s winter maintenance program of its bike trails along the river system extends the cycling-shopping right through winter as bike trails are cleaned of snow with the same priority as streets and only the minus 15 to minus 30 degree C  weather provides the hurdle to overcome.  Combining cycling and the C-Train rapid transit system makes such shopping trips more comfortable as total cycling distance can be managed to prevailing conditions.

River Walk: San Antonio’s Promenade

Walk offers different views along the way. San Antonio TX. 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

  In 2011, I had the opportunity to visit Seoul, South Korea and explore the Seoul Ditch, as I like to call it.  It is better known as the Cheonggyechon Stream.  The rehabilitation of the river was done in an excellent manner by providing a bit of rural space within a city for people to walk and explore.

In  February 2012, I had the opportunity to return to San Antonio, Texas and revisit the River Walk (Paseo del Rio).  The last time I was here, was a couple of decades ago with my then, 12-year-old daughter as I attended a conference.  Two weeks before Christmas, we sat at a restaurant table adjacent to a stonewall that lined the river.  Candles were burning in brown bags placed closely together on the top of the River Walk stone walls.  A very picture perfect scene it was.

Public art along River Walk. San Antonio, TX 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

  On the way from the airport to the hotel, the taxi driver was relating a story on the expansion of the River Walk, the supposed cost, the taxi service on the river, and other information that a tourist wants to hear.

From a modest beginning, the San Antonio River Walk is now about 8 kilometres in length with some additional branches connecting points of interest.

“The San Antonio River Walk is a public park, open 365 days a year. It is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath approximately 8 km (5 miles) of downtown San Antonio.  The River Walk is an important part of the city’s urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.  The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks , lined with restaurants, shops, hotels and more. It connects the major tourist draws from the Alamo to Rivercenter Mall, Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Pearl Brewery.  Over 20 events take place on the River Walk every year.”  (Source – http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/about/the-san-antonio-river-walk/)

River Walk’s Development Started in 1939 
River Walk has a long history, with work started on it in 1939.  In 1962, work 

Pedestrians and others waiting for water taxi / river cruise. San Antonio, TX. 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

  started to develop the River Walk, as we know it today with Texan or Mexican architecture, riverside businesses, and landscaping which  encompasses 17,000 assorted trees, shrubs, vines, and ground cover.

Different views along River Walk. San Antonio, TX. 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

  The Walk is fashioned after the early architecture  was finished primarily in stone.  With a walk in each side of the river, one passes through treed landscape in calm and peacefulness.  Herons sit in trees above the water. Historic and more modern buildings line the Walk with entrances from the river.  Taxi stops are conveniently located to hop on a riverboat and continue the journey by water.  The noise of downtown, is lost among the foliage and river.

The Walk is divided into the peaceful stretches and tourist commercial sections.  Here one can later, sit by the river, enjoy a meal or a drink and listen to the sounds of a Mexican band. In the park-like sections, one can wander, sit and contemplate, look at flowers and trees, view wall art, read about the local history on wall plaques, and find oneself on the Walk maps  that line the river. Cars pass unnoticed overhead as streets cross.

Walk connects to the market area. San Antonio, TX. 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

The River Walk is well connected into the downtown commercial area, including the plaza at City Hall  and to the Market, sometimes by landscaped connections, sometimes by staircases with direction signage.  Establishments extend to the Walk providing services, drink, and food.  A set of stairs leads to a local art community.  Other public venues are touched by the Walk.

Heron spotted along River Walk. San Antonio, TX. 2012 Photo by HJEH Becker

 Compared to Cheonggyechon Stream, the River Walk lacks sufficient public space along the riverside for programming and for people to gather for events, except for the city hall plaza which is half-block away.  The walkways are meant for pedestrians, although one sees an occasional cyclist on the paths.  The walkways do not have the capacity for people wishing to experience the river in a peaceful manner, without being crowded. 

The river is a tranquil place. A bike path along it would increase the attraction and the use of the public bike system.

Further Reading:
Becker, Jack.    Seoul, South  Korea- Parting Thoughts.  The Ditch: Cheonggyechon Stream. In Third  

River Walk winds through also residential areas. San Antonio TX. 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

Wave Cycling Blog.  Nov. 7, 2011.

Cycling Chic –Not For Me: I Can’t Afford It

Am wearing a cycling lycra skort --the closest concession to a skirt. During a cycling trip in Portland 2009

 I really do get it:  the Cycling Chic movement is not about wearing fashionable street clothing while cycling around.  It is more about making cycling accessible for anyone to jump onto their bike in ordinary street wear  and not invest extra cash for bike clothing.

What is Cycling Chic?
The Cycling Chic movement was sparked by a Copenhagen cycling consultant, M. Colville-Andersen who has a blog dedicated to primarily photos of locals cycling in anything, but bike specific clothing.*  It’s a great marketing tool to fan more cycling passion  by promoting cycling as a daily activity or at the very least, as another way of dressing for lifestyle transportation.  Cycling Chic movement has spawned a worldwide plethora of cycling chic blogs which feature urbanites in cities cycling in street wear – fashionistas as well as the plainly dressed folks.
 
What I mean by lifestyle transportation, rather than utility cycling, is that my choice of daily transportation mode means I choose a lifestyle that integrates my transportation choices. For me, it is primarily cycling combined at times with 

Business casual wear with black jeans for a work commute ride. Fleecy for warmth under a $200.00 lined business jacket. Outfit only worn twice on bike --for fear of ripping the jacket lining. 2012.

 transit and walking in inclement weather. My lifestyle transportation is cycling for commuting, shopping, daily fitness and vacation travel. I have been car-free for the last 30 years.

Dressing for Lifestyle Transportation
I still dress for lifestyle transportation when I bike  in clothing designed for cycling, because it allows me the greatest flexibility to go spontaneously and comfortably on a short or long ride.  Not much worry because  I’m dressed for comfort and for any weather changes.  Since I am in cycling clothing, I am not worried about a frustrating garment wash or  an expensive dry cleaning bill.
 
I wear cycling shoes with  hard soles for riding more comfortably and  faster whenever I want and for protecting my dress shoes for the office.  I have worn customized orthotics for many years which already limits me from wearing a range of women’s fashion shoes.  Forget about cycling chic high heel style. I still have to walk around off the bike.

Hunt for Elusive Women’s Bike Commuting Shoes
What is noticeable now and an increasing  problem for cycling commuter women in the past few years, is the lack of  choice for walkable cycling shoes for 

New cycling shoes for commuting and touring, snapped up for a discount. Women's cycling shoes for commuting and touring are becoming increasingly limited in choice. Manufacturers maybe mislead by impression that some regular cyling women don't want comfort?

commuting purposes –without a cleat-like rock underneath my sole.    I have gone for 2 years straight, in a grand hunt for such shoes whenever I passed a local bike shop or elsewhere on vacation.   Maybe now, retailers think more women want to cycle in their high heel pumps, ballet slippers or tall leather boots.  I don’t .  I ride with toe clips to prevent my foot from slipping off the pedals accidentally.

Saving Business Wear from Cycling Activity
For me to even  wear ordinary street clothing for cycling, actually means investing more money in more clothes.  Much of my off-bike street wear and business work clothes, either doesn’t work for cycling movement or it’s expensive.  In the women’s wacky world of vanity sizing these days, I range from size 0 to 2.  Or extra small.

Only twice, I have worn a $200.00  lined black wool gabardine jacket for  work  while biking under 5 km. from one workplace to another.  I’m afraid of ripping the lining as I stretch myself slightly over my bike.   So this jacket is reserved for off-bike wear, which means it’s worn many times at the office.

Late summer bike commuting wear. Yes, a tendency to wear cycling clothing for visibility. Drivers in the elevator at work, have told me they appreciate seeing cyclists at night.

Street and business clothes shopping for a petite, mid-life woman is a headache. The further I stray from big North American cities, the more difficult it gets because there’s just less choice.  The caveat is:  Unless I want to spend alot more money for properly fitted clothes without looking like a teenager.

I don’t wear long flowing skirts anymore.  No, I don’t want to wear a tight skirt  on a bike and rip it.  Already I am left with   only one  business skirt above the knee, with a ripped inner lining.  The hunt for a skirt petite proportioned for me, has been now 2 years long and it’s not over.  I find it difficult to locate tailored shirts for the office without spending  a lot of money.   Cycling around in my lovely creamy white dress shirt and making it more slightly sweaty around the neckline, means more frequent  washing and wearing out the garment sooner.

Priorites: Cycling Chic Or Paying a Mortgage
I continue to be amazed,  bemused how some cycling chic women who cycle daily, have such a wide range of dresses, skirts, heeled dress shoes and lovely leather boots.  Unless I want to spend a ton of time cruising the  second-hand clothing stores, I know I will not be able to make my mortgage payments by having a  revolving lovely chic wardrobe with a few new pieces every year.  
 
Please don’t tell me to sew:  I used to sew over 80% of my wardrobe for over a decade.  It does require several hours per month. That creative fun time is now replaced by cycling time, blogging and when I get around to it, art work.

Cycling from the market with light shopping load 2012.

  Also more time in stores, takes me away from cycling time after work and on weekends.  Ever since cycling passion bit me 20 years ago, I have spent far less time window shopping and schlepping around in shopping malls.  A two hour stint at the retail stores is replaced by a two hour long blissful ride.  Most of my shopping haunts via bike are to grocery stores, pharmacy and household goods outlets.

So there’s little point of  me abandoning my collection of cycling jerseys and chamois-less cycling shorts and tights that I’ve acquired over the years. I have spent the money over the decades, so I’ll wear my cycling shorts and tights.  It is actually cheaper for me to wear a pair of cycling shorts  and hence, have one pair of hard-to-find petite dress pants last several years longer.  

I have been a regular cyclist for the past 20 years.  So judge me not, for not wearing my street clothing  nor business wear on bike: I’m trying to save money to make such clothing last longer.

Cycling in streetwear for transportation. By chance, I met Nadia Smiley, partner with store owner, Sean Carter of BikeBike, a local bike store. Calgary, AB 2012.

It makes me and my street-business wear wardrobe happy for a long time.

Postscript:
While bundling up groceries onto my bike at the store, by chance, I met the partner to the owner of the local bike store, Bike Bike. She felt she would have not returned to cycling if she had to buy cycling-specific clothing.  However for certain, I know for myself, I would have not stuck to cycling for so many years and would have not travelled so far by bike, by wearing only ordinary clothing.

*For unknown reasons, alot of the cyclists featured in his blog photos, are riding fairly clean looking bikes. Strange, it can’t be right. Or maybe some of us just live in dustier parts of the world.

Further Reading:
Blue, Elly and Kristi Tieche.  Bike vs. Bike: Cycle Chic Debate.  In Momentum.  Oct. 17, 2011.

Chong, J.  Losing My Cycling Identity in the World’s Cycling Nirvana: Copenhagen. In Third Wave Cycling Blog.  Sept. 29, 2010.

Changwon, South Korea – A City with Sustainability as its Goal

Coloured paved bike lanes were used often for visibility. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 A short visit to Changwon in South Korea last October left a few impressions. 

The City government’s website speaks towards the city’s desire to be a very green city and model for other cities to follow.  The Mayor is committed to that.  Want to hear him speak on this?  Then come to the Velo-city Global 2012 Conference in Vancouver June 26 to 29, 2012 where he will be a Key Speaker.

Some of the first impressions of the city in the urban core were streets with green canopies from lines of trees along streets, very wide sidewalks, and the network of separated bike lanes.  As I walked along the streets, the public bike system then took my attention.

Public Bike Share System Well Used by Locals
This is the first city where I saw the activity level at that of the Vélib’ system in Paris or the Vélo’v system in Lyon.  Bike stations were only one-third full with   bicycles.  Young school adults were walking up to the stations in groups of two, three, and four taking out bikes and then continuing their conversations while cycling away at a pleasurable pace.  Senior women were cycling on their public bikes from stores with their daily purchases in racks on front of the bikes.  Senior men were cycling deep in thought to their destinations.
 

Public bike share cyclist cycling behind another cyclist. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  Public  bicycles did not disappear from the streets with onset of darkness.  Like Paris,  their use continues during the night.  Integration of these bicycles with the transit system is important here.  Some stations are located by bus stops in higher density residential areas allowing for the last leg of a trip or the first to be completed by bicycle.  Their Nubija Bike System (“Nearby Useful Bike, Interesting Joyful Attraction“) was introduced in October, 2009 with the aim of contributing to an eco-friendly urban environment.  In fact, one can cycle one of these bicycles down a main road right beside large community garden plots.

Countdown traffic lights by using illuminated chevrons. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  Tourists and Public Bike Share: A Challenge
As a visitor, the system is unfriendly.  No plugging in your credit card with the magic chip into the card reader at public bike stations.  The system is not set up for visitors, only inhabitants or local workers.  As a visitor, one needs to find one’s way to city hall.  Then one is told to go to a municipal office.  Once one finds it, then a ticket can be purchased there. One is on the way to cycling on a public bike.  There is nothing spontaneous for visitors for using the public bike system.

 Changwon is a friendly place to cycle from the downtown core to the 

Bike lane by bus stop. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 neighbourhoods.  The city is well situated to spur cycling growth and the use of public bike.  The certainly have high expectations.  The downtown terrain is flat.  There are plenty of shopping destinations.  There are dedicated cycling facilities to use.

Under the canopies of deciduous trees, a wide promenade stretches along streetways with some form of physical separation from general traffic lanes used by motorized vehicles.  These medians are a prime place for trees.

Public bike work here as the downtown area has a cycling network that appeals to non-cyclists.  There are separated cycling facilities and bike lanes on streets.  Some bike lanes are even separated from both drivers and pedestrians by green medians.  Some cycling paths are physically separated from motorists but abut pedestrian ways.  Usually coloured surfaces designate the use of each path. 

Teenagers cycling. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Coloured Pavement Increase Cycling Lane Visibility
Visibility is important to make cyclists feel comfortable on the road.  Changwon has done its part.  Colour on designate cycling facilities is frequently used, no matter if the adjacent traffic are motorists or pedestrians.  Sometimes the bike lanes are coloured the full length, as well.

The intimidation of intersections has been reduced.  For pedestrians, there are frequent underpasses.  For surface crossing, there are countdown signals using arrows as the time display.  Bike lanes crossing over intersections are coloured for private drives, lanes, local, or arterial roads.
 

Road intersection downtown. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Even a quick visit makes one reflect on the slow way that North American cities are approaching their expectations of cycling mode share for the future with minimal annual investments in their infrastructure and their social marketing programs for cycling.  Changwon and other cities have more courage in investing significant monies into their cycling aspirations.  Money is always tight for municipalities and other levels of government.  The question may be by diverting health care funding to cycling infrastructure and social marketing for cycling, how much of the future health 

Sheltered bike rack across from public bike share stations. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  care costs can be reduced.  Front-end investments may be the way to avoid burgeoning health care costs, or at least delaying them for a decade or more.  For cities and other levels of government, it is a matter of transportation and especially liveable, sustainable, and green urban community policies that produce energetic, liveable cities with growing local economy and retailing.  It is a matter of revisiting these policies for the optimal benefit to people and their health.

Changwon is a city that is very similar in size and population to Calgary with 1 million residents and 743 sq. kilometres of land but that is where the similarities end.  This city is known for its heavy industrial industries.  While urban sprawl may be the way for many Korean cities, Changwon is an exception as it is a planned city since 1974 with many parks and gardens throughout the city giving it a different feel.

Changzhi – First Impressions of a Chinese Industrial City

Hotel view of an interesection for 10 lane road bisecting a 6-lane road to watch traffic ballet. Changzhi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Arriving late at night at a five-star hotel, my  first impressions were the number of smiling hotel staff  that looked after the guests :  from pushing the elevator buttons to cleaning the buttons after each use.  It seemed that there was more staff than guests.  Staff were very polite, smiling, and provided excellent service.

Cyclists navigate their way on same wide road among trucks, cars and motorcycles. Changzhi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Watching Traffic Ballet:  10-Lane Road Bisecting 6-Lane Road
However, from a transportation viewpoint, the melodic sounds of car and truck horns playing out an unorchestrated concert at seven in the morning , was the first introduction to the city’s streetscape in front of the hotel.   The room looked down onto a 10-lane road intersecting a six-lane road.  The ten-lane road was divided with two lanes on each side, separating the inner six lanes with small medians of trees.  The traffic seemed to be equally divided with just slightly more cars and trucks than bicycles.  Some of the bicycles seemed more like a motorcycle – two and three wheel variety, outfitted to carry goods and work material.

Cyclists on 10-lane road. Changzhi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  Bus Drivers, Motorcyclists and Cyclists Dance to Avoid One Another
At the intersection, cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians did a ballet to the sound of the horn-orchestra to make their way through the intersection.  Dancing, pivoting, swerving, weaving, and coming to a quick stop, were the ballet steps.  In some strange way, it was all harmonious.  A few days later, I was taken to the airport through the intersection, in daytime by taxi.  The perspective from the back seat, was much different than from the hotel room, as cyclists veered to avoid the taxis that were not stopping for anyone.  A transportation planner commented that the days for these types of intersections, were coming to an end.

Occasional worker-cyclist with their utility tricycle for transporting loads. Changzi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  There was another 10-lane street through the heart of the city again with treed-medians separating two lanes from the inner six-lanes and thoroughly clogged with traffic.  For this street, a design exercise was under way to consider how two lanes of traffic could be reassigned to bus lanes.  The thought was to take two lanes away from one side of the street.  Nowhere in the discussion was consideration given to taking any lanes and reassigning them to cycling.

Umbrella toting cyclists while riding were quite common and nonchalant. Changzhi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

  In the city core, the roads were so congested with cars that the traffic moved slowly.  Somehow cyclists managed to make their way through it all.  “Slow motorized vehicle driving speed at approximately cycling speed encourages cycling”, so goes the hypothesis.  The question remains:  how may cyclists will be drawn to slow speed?  Just a borderline few cyclists or the mega throng that used to cycle and now drive?  Now the question also may be posed as:  how many drivers will be drawn from their cars if cycling facilities were installed that really appealed to drivers?  Some insight to this question is being seen with evidence-based data in some cities, such as Vancouver, where a comprehensive cycling traffic volume monitoring program has been undertaken.  24-hour monitoring is being done on separated cycling facilities and bike lanes as well at other locations.

Cyclist and motorcyclist travel through a centuries old village section within Changzhi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Meanwhile, in an older part of the city with walled blocks, and a 300-year old Buddha temple where personal income may  not be so high, there is light traffic with most of it by a very basic moped.

The mayor and the deputy mayor both iterated that they want Changzhi to become a model city of sustainable transportation for China.  The statements came forth with conviction at private lunches with the two officials and the speakers of a Shared Transport Forum in October, 2011 where I had the privilege of being invited to speak.

What a difference between the airports of Beijing and Changzhi.  Beijing is a very modern, high traffic, and high efficient airport where passengers are  

Cyclists pouring down their 2 lanes by a treed lane in a 10 lane wide road. Among the traffic confusion with cars and trucks. Changzhi, China Oct. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

 moved through quickly.  Changzhi airport is a reminder of the airports that I used to fly into during the 1970’s in Northern Ontario  — very basic with extremely limited service where one took only 5 to 10 minutes to go from the parking lot to the departure gate.  Somehow, and sometimes expansiveness such as Beijing airport, does not mean efficient travelling.

Changzhi is a city of  approximately 700,000 people within the Province of Shanxi.  Shanix has a population of about 3.2 million and is  located  650 km. south-west of Beijing.  It is a transportation and industrial center. Manufacturing includes iron and steel machinery.  Coal, iron ore, and asbestos are mined nearby.  It is regarded as a medium comprehensive industrial city.