Thread by @DaveBikeSki

Watching Transportation Committee this morning discussing new winter maintenance quality standards. 🚴❄️

#WinterCycling #ottbike @BikeOttawa

Excited to see staff mention looking at winter maintenance with equity and gender lenses.

Possible innovation: public plow tracking maps!

Improvements include responding more aggressively and proactively to smaller winter events to better mobility. Residential streets are specifically mentioned. This would help people on bikes make the connection to the winter cycling network.

Pre-wetted salt will be piloted to speed up melting. I would prefer to see brines piloted as bicycle tires do not activate salt.

Rubber blades will now be used. This will reduce noise levels - good. I would love to see toothed blades used on active transportation pathways to provide an improved "grippy" surface.

Toothed blades are always used in #Oulu Finland.

https://twitter.com/pekkatahkola/status/1357396838169608194

Grit was also mentioned to be used more frequently. However, on pathways where bicycles are ridden, it must be a last resort. A bare pavement standard should be the focus because of a warming climate with ever-increasing freeze-thaw cycles.

Great video from Sweden explaining why snow clearing with a gender equity lens is important:

@glengower discussing enforcement for drivers (including parents) in school areas parking illegally. What if we instead focused on #schoolsteets and safe routes for children to walk and bike year-round?

No indication "weather" we will be keeping the excellent 2019 interim standards and if the winter cycling network will still have 5 dedicated plows for the 50km network. Would love to see the network expand!

We could also have this many children using bicycles to get to school in Ottawa if they had safe routes year-round.

https://twitter.com/SwansonAnders/status/968298199340519425