Crossrides

Crossrides

Introducing Crossrides in Greater Sudbury

In October 2017, the City of Greater Sudbury introduced the community’s first crossride intersections on the Paris Street corridor, as part of the active transportation improvements completed between York Street and Walford Road.

What is a crossride?

A crossride is dedicated space at an intersection, identified by unique pavement markings, for cyclists to legally ride their bicycle through an intersection without dismounting. A crossride may appear alongside a pedestrian crosswalk as a separate facility or may be combined with a crosswalk to save space in some areas.

Why do we need crossrides?

At crosswalks, cyclists are required to dismount and cross as a pedestrian by walking their bicycle. In 2016, changes were made to the Highway Traffic Act to introduce new infrastructure for cycling in Ontario, including crossrides. Where a crossride is provided in addition to a crosswalk, a cyclist may ride their bicycle within the crossing without dismounting.

Where are crossrides located in Greater Sudbury?

The City of Greater Sudbury’s first crossrides are located in the Paris Street corridor. Crossrides will be installed where dedicated cycling infrastructure such as cycle tracks or bike lanes intersect with another street.

Crossrides have been installed across Paris Street at Ramsey Lake Road (north side of the intersection) and across Ramsey Lake Road at Paris Street (east side of the intersection).

Click image for larger view of crossrides across Paris Street at Ramsey Lake Road and across Ramsey Lake Road at Paris Street.

A second set of crossrides has been installed across Centennial Drive at Paris Street (west side of the intersection) and across the Paris Crescent entrance to Health Sciences North and the Sudbury & District Health Unit at Paris Street (east side of the intersection).

Click image for larger view of crossrides across Centennial Drive and the Paris Crescent entrance to Health Sciences North.

How do cyclists use a crossride?

Similar to a pedestrian, cyclists may ride across the intersection in their designated crossride space when the ‘walk’ signal appears.

Like a vehicle, cyclists must stop behind the white stop bar in the cycle track when the ‘don’t walk’ signal appears or when the traffic signal is red.

Cyclists should never pass other cyclists in their designated lane and must always obey all traffic signals.

Cyclists must always watch for pedestrians and yield when necessary. Curbs are designed to minimize potential conflict between pedestrians waiting to cross the road and cyclists travelling through the intersection.

Right-turning motorists must yield to cyclists crossing with the ‘walk’ signal; however, cyclists must always proceed cautiously to be sure vehicles will stop.

How do motorists approach a crossride?

Motorists must yield to cyclists and pedestrians who enter the intersection on a ‘walk’ signal.

Right-turning motorists must stop and yield the right-of-way to approaching cyclists and pedestrians who are travelling through the intersection.

Motorists must always obey all traffic signs and signals and should signal intention to turn early.

How do pedestrians use a crossride?

Pedestrians should remain in the crosswalk, their marked portion of the intersection, and always obey all traffic signals.

The pedestrian portion of the intersection can be identified with tactile warning strips at the curb – yellow knobs on the sidewalk to alert the visually impaired that they are about to step onto the road – as well as signs and pavement markings.

Motorists must yield to pedestrians crossing with the ‘walk’ signal; however, pedestrians must always proceed cautiously to be sure vehicles will stop.