If you are thinking of going out for a ride on Sunday Bikeday, why not take a detour through the downtown area to check out the new segregated bike lane on Laurier Avenue? The official opening ceremony will be taking place this Sunday (July 10) at 10 am in front of the Main Public Library on Laurier Avenue (at the corner of Metcalfe Street). The people behind the bike lane project are hoping to get thousands of cyclists to come out for this event.

Although the opening ceremony will take place on Sunday, the Laurier bike lane will first be used during a weekday rush-hour on Monday morning, July 11.

It has to be emphasized that the segregated bike lane on Laurier Avenue is a two-year pilot project. At the end of this period, it will be evaluated for its impact on the downtown area and to see how well it has been used by cyclists. If successful, it could be used as a model for the creation of additional segregated bike lanes in Ottawa’s downtown core. If you believe that the project is a valuable addition to the city’s bicycle infrastructure, show your support for the bike lane by using it and by coming out for the opening ceremony.

Click here for a City of Ottawa video about the bike lane.

Click here for the bike lane signs and symbols.