Cycling in Waterloo Region

[ijmorlan]

I think you misunderstand me. I would suggest that every intersection except those listed should be treated such that all traffic on the cross street must stop, and the trail would be raised such that traffic would have to cross at a reduced speed. The intent would be that trail users could cross without yielding to traffic and without being concerned about cross traffic. Other crossings should have stuff like mid-crossing islands, signals, or other traffic calming measures for the crossing, but it wouldn't be full priority for the trail.

I think we could go a bit further. Where minor streets cross the Spur Line trail, they should narrow to a single lane, with stop signs, rising to the level of the trail. So for a bicycle or pedestrian to cross the road, they should be able to just proceed (obviously, it’s always prudent to check). For a motor vehicle to cross the Spur Line, stop at the stop sign, ensure there is no opposing traffic and also that the trail is clear, then proceed across the crossing. Use bollards (not knock-down bollards, stop-a-car bollards) to narrow the road space to the minimum required to pass a fire truck.

Not a significant barrier to the sort of low-speed neighbourhood traffic that is appropriate to these roads, but would make the crossing feel much more comfortable for trail users.