City using unique method to promote bicycle safety on Edmonton roads

EDMONTON – In an effort to make Edmonton more bike-friendly, the City is getting creative.

As part of an education campaign called “Let’s Get There Together,” three new videos have been unveiled, starring mini Lego figurines. The short videos cover common issues that may arise when cyclists and motorists share the road.

For example, the concept of “sharrows” is explained in the black-and-white 30s-style video, “The Lady & the Shared-Use Lanes.”

Another video with an old-fashioned twist covers the “Ps and Qs” of bike safety.

And finally, “The Case of the Dashed Bike Lane” features some more bicycle rules in a police parody production.

“Education is a very important component of the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan,” said Sustainable Transportation General Supervisor Tyler Golly. “We can build the network, but we also want people to be comfortable sharing the road whether they are riding a bike or driving a car. We hope people will watch the videos, have a laugh, learn something new and become more comfortable navigating Edmonton streets.”

The city says seven new bikes routes are scheduled for completion this fall., including one on 40th Avenue from 106 Street to 119 Street. Once complete, crews will continue onto 106 Street and 95 Avenue. The 20 kilometres of lanes will cost $3.5 million.

“Our surveys show that two-thirds of families want to bike more than they are now, and almost 60 per cent of Edmontonians as a whole say that they want to bike more than they bike now,” adds Golly. “So the desire is there, what we need to do is build an infrastructure that they’ll feel comfortable using.”

In the survey, 14 per cent of Edmontonians reported cycling more often because of bike lanes.

To watch other videos or to learn more about cycling in Edmonton, check out the City’s website.

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