Bikeway vision rolls to the drawing board

By Colin MacLean
Truro Daily News
TRURO - The Town of Truro and the Municipality of Colchester are looking at making travelling by bicycle a more attractive option for residents.
The Colchester-Truro Bikeways Plan could mean improvements to local infrastructure including new cycling routes, better signage, new maps and extra room on roadside shoulders for cyclists.
The consulting firm of Hatch Mott MacDonald has been awarded the planning contract, said Craig Burgess, recreation manager for the Municipality of Colchester.
"Basically, they've got some maps and some aerial views and will be making recommendations of how we can make this area of the province safer (for bikers)," he said.
Cities like Fredericton already have bikeway plans, he said. Those communities have already had success with their projects.
The overall goal is to increase the amount of people using healthy and ecologically friendly transportation. That could mean cycling, walking, running, rollerblading or any number of other methods.
"We want to encourage people to have a more active lifestyle," said Burgess.
The next step in the process includes a public meeting to invite input on the plan's development. The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Bible Hill village hall at 69 Pictou Rd. Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The consultants expect to have a final draft of the proposal before Christmas and present results to the public in January.
Most proposals will be more long-term, happening five to 10 years down the road. However, some of the small initiatives such as increase signage or better road maps could take shape in relative short order.
The bikeway plan is a collective effort of the Municipality of Colchester, the Town of Truro, the Village of Bible Hill, Hub Cycle Cycling Club and the Living Earth Council.

reporter@trurodaily.com