Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Newly Paved Trail in Qualicum Beach

Update: Sept 4

Luke Sales with the Town of Qualicum Beach sent an update on the Bollards.

Hi Jim,

We've ordered the bollards, and will install them as soon as they arrive. Sometime in the next few weeks I would imagine. Cheers,

Luke

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Yesterday I cycled on a newly-paved trail near Qualicum Beach Middle School. The new section of trail runs from where Laburnum Road crosses the E & N Railway Tracks to where Hoylake Road meets Canyon Crescent Road. Previously this section of the trail was a chip trail which made it difficult to use for anyone who did not have a wide-tired bike (i.e. a mountain bike). During rainy season it was quite a soggy mess to navigate.



As you can see by the photo, the trail is a nice ride through the forest for anyone on a bike, medi scooter or wheelchair. The trail will make it easier for students to travel to and from Qualicum Beach Middle School to town. In addition, people living near the top of Garrett Road should find it easier to leave the car at home and either walk or ride into town. The trail also adds to the network of trails in Qualicum Beach and it makes a nice starting point to ride/walk from the west end of Qualicum Beach all of the way to the Parksville end of the PQB Links Route.




















I am hoping that the concrete barriers that are currently placed at both ends of this new section will be replaced with Bollards.
















           
An example of a Bollard on a Trail in the Victoria area











Guidelines for Bollards generally follow these ideas

Capital Regional District Pedestrian and Cycling Master
Plan Design Guidelines

A single bollard is recommended rather than two bollards, as the former directs users to separate by direction. If more than one bollard is used, an odd number reduces user conflicts.
Place back from the intersection to allow cyclists to wait for a crossing opportunity past the bollard, but close enough to
prevent parking on the trail,
Where removable bollards are used, the top of the mount point should be flush with the trail’s surface so as not to
create a hazard or potentially be damaged by snow removal devices when the bollard is not in place. (Flexible bollards
that do not leave an anchored mounting device on the trail or roadway surface when removed are not currently
available.)
Posts should be permanently reflectorized for night time visibility and painted a bright color for improved daytime
visibility.
Striping an envelope around the post is recommended.
When more than one post is used, an odd number of posts at 1.5 m spacing is desirable. Wider spacing can allow entry by adult tricycles, wheelchair users and bicycles with trailers.

Jim Swanson

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Contact Luke Sales - QB Town Planner -as he is the person co- ordinating design standards. I agre with the single bollard as opposed to two as on Dolleymount Trail and there should be an absolute minimum of a clear 42" path for cyclist; again most on Dolleymount are less - too narrow!
Concrete barricades can be positioned to work if entry/exit path is properly provided. It seems that end design is often to deter misuse by quads or vehicles who are not permitted on multiuse trails.
LG

Jim Swanson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim Swanson said...

Luke has been contacted and I am hoping to hear back from his shortly after he returns to work. I agree that a single bollard in the middle of the travel portion of a trail is the best. This also seems to be the standard that most guidelines are calling for - not just here in B.C. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? Jim