City of Cambridge Bikeway Network Master Plan

The City of Cambridge is one of the fastest growing and strongest economic areas in Canada with a population of over 125,000 people. It is strategically located within Waterloo Region on both sides of Highway 401 in southwestern Ontario. With a view to promoting sustainable transportation, City of Cambridge Council approved a 20-year Bikeway Network Master Plan in the spring of 2008. It recommended that an additional 112 km of cycling facilities be added to the existing 48 km of on-road cycling facilities. The network focuses on integration with Waterloo Region's Cycling Network and the City's off-road trails, to provide a viable alternative to motor vehicle usage for commuters, in addition to supporting recreational cycling. The Master Plan also recommended a wide range of policy and land use planning initiatives to ensure that future growth will facilitate improved transportation demand management. Implementation of the plan began in the fall of 2008. The paper will focus on the development of the 20-year Bikeway Network Master Plan, the challenges encountered, and the strategies within the plan for the design, funding, implementation, maintenance, and promotion of cycling routes and facilities in the City of Cambridge.