Active transportation on the rise in Kitchener, bike lanes popular: report

A new report coming before a City of Kitchener planning committee Monday, puts the spotlight on active transportation in that city.

This includes how people are getting around, and just how popular those bike lanes, multi-use trails, and pedestrian only streets are.

It’s a snapshot of the past five years and it shows residents are using the new infrastructure the City of Kitchener is pumping out.

Especially when it comes to the Downtown Cycling Grid, which has seen a 164 percent increase in cycling ridership. If Neuron e-scooter and e-bike usage numbers are added to those statistics, it works out to an increase of 218 percent.

Half of the Downtown Cycling Grid is completed with all areas to be ready to ride by the end of next year.

Staff note, “when combined with walking and light rail transit, the grid provides a viable alternative to car ownership for the up to 5,000 people moving downtown in new homes currently under construction.”

Kitchener cycling statistics from Active Transportation and Trails 2023 Report. Sept. 18, 2023.

Some other highlights of the report, more bike lanes have led to more women and young people seen cycling or walking downtown.

“Investments in walking, rolling and cycling are typically more accessible, cost effective, and efficient in terms of infrastructure investments, while bringing benefits to our quality of life, health, safety, recreation, environment and economy,” reads the report.

The report also finds these bike lanes are used every single day, year-round, even in the cold. Winter specific, there is an average of 111 people biking per day on Joseph, Water, Ontario and Cedar Streets.

The full report can be read here.