When the Osborne Bridge was rehabilitated in 2012, a critical shortcoming of the project was the lack of connectivity at the southern end of the bridge linking into Roslyn Road and onto Nassau (the selected east/west alternative to Osborne Street).
Closure of gaps such as this dead end bike lane on the Osborne Street Bridge are critical we want to encourage more people to cycle
As a result of this shortcoming, southbound cyclists approaching Roslyn Road are forced to merge out of a bike lane and into traffic some 80m north of Roslyn Road. Similarly, northbound cyclists have to travel approximately 90m before reaching the start of the northbound bike lane.
Similarly, the proposed addition of bike lanes to Roslyn Road between Nassau and Osborne have never materialized. The Nassau-Assiniboine Connection project would eliminate the existing southbound gap in the bike lane and minimize and mitigate the northbound gap.
Osborne Street Improvements
The main constraints for continuation of the Osborne Bridge bike lanes southward to Roslyn Road were the presence of the Roslyn Square Apartments on the east and the Shell Station on the west side of Osborne.
At the time of the Osborne Bridge rehabilitation, it was determined that acquiring property from the Shell station to widen Osborne to make room for a southbound bike lane would have made it impossible for fuel trucks to service the station, making the station unviable and purchase of the Shell station a requirement to add a southbound bike lane to Osborne. Purchase of the Shell station was ruled out during the rehabilitation of the Osborne Bridge due to cost. We recommend reversal of this decision on the basis that in the long term, increased tax revenues from redevelopment of this sight (minus an easement to make way for a southbound bike lane) will more than pay for its purchase and rehabilitation.
As the Roslyn Square Apartments are designated as a heritage building, a similar property acquisition and demolition to make room for a northbound bike lane is not an option. However, there is the possibility of widening the roadway to the north of the Roslyn Square Apartments parking lot. Extending the bike lane from this point would decrease the length of the gap between Roslyn Road and the start of the northbound bike lane to about 60m.
New and extended bike lanes on Osborne and Roslyn would be combined with improvements to the intersection of Osborne and Roslyn to reduce and mitigate the Nassau-Assiniboine cycling network gap.
Roslyn Road Bike Lanes
To provide connectivity between Nassau and Osborne, the Nassau-Assiniboine Connection project would complete the Roslyn Road bike lanes promised during the 2010 Active Transportation Stimulus Program.
Bike Lanes on Roslyn Road would increase roadway capacity while improving the level of comfort for cyclists.
As eastbound Roslyn Road suffers from considerable traffic congestion during the morning ruch hour, the addition of bike lanes will allow cyclists to bypass this congestion, increasing the capacity of the roadway.
Roslyn Road/Osborne Intersection Improvements
A leading bicycle interval at Roslyn & Osborne would aid northbound cyclists.
To help facilitate left turns off of Roslyn onto Osborne and to mitigate the 60m gap in the northbound bike lane on Osborne,two features would be added to the Roslyn/Osborne intersection.
- a bike box would be installed to aid left turning cyclists;
- a bicycle signal with a leading bicycle interval would be installed to provide northbound cyclists enough time to reach the northbound bike lane on Osborne in advance of motorized traffic.
Highlights:
- Extend the southbound Osborne Street bike lane to Roslyn
- Extend the northbound Osborne Street bike lane to the northern boundary of the Roslyn Square Apartments
- Install bike lanes on Roslyn between Nassau and Osborne
- Add a bike box to Roslyn to aid northbound cyclists
- Add a bicycle signal to the Osborne/Roslyn intersection and provide cyclists with a leading bicycle interval
Estimated Cost: $350,000
[osm_map lat=”49.881″ lon=”-97.148″ zoom=”16″ width=”100%” kml_file=”http://v4.bikewinnipeg.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/maps/Nassau-Assiniboine-Connectivity-Improvements.kml” type=”CycleMap”]Components of the Nassau-Assiniboine Connectivity Improvements Project (in green)