Cycling in Waterloo Region

[Pheidippides]

Here's a map of the one-ways in Mary-Allen. They're designed to make it impossible to get from Union to Uptown except by King or Moore if you're going by car. They're also designed to make it challenging to get between any of the cross streets either, so the bulk of traffic goes along John and Allen using King or Moore to access.

The same rules apply to bikes, too, except that there's a lot of "north-south" bike traffic because of the access paths through to William. That includes me, most days. But if you're going/coming by way of Mount Hope cemetery (which connects much of the Mount Hope neighbourhood on the south) you're forced into cycling illegally or taking an unreasonable detour.

The spur trail helps somewhat but still draws people away from the cemetery area. I've found that it's a great trail to ride on (the parts that are paved that is) but that it forces me to deal with a part of Moore around Union that is both busy and hilly, and I'd rather just go down Herbert or Bowman into the cemetery which is a calm and beautiful place to bike through.

Recent provincial legislation should make it easier for municipalities to create and install contraflow bicycle lanes in exactly these situations.