Developing a major east-west bicycle route is at the top of the priority list now that Sarnia has received over $590,000 from the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program.
Sarnia's Development and Transportation Manager David Jackson says that funding can be gobbled up pretty quickly when they put in designated bike lanes.
"Often it will require widening the road a little bit," says Jackson. "We also may have to improve intersections, perhaps adding a pedestrian crossing to help cyclists cross the road. When you look at any job when you have to bump the curb over to widen the road for a bike lane, that can use up the money pretty quickly."
Jackson says the funding must be used for commuter cycling routes, generally from residential to employment areas.
A north-south route is also needed in the western part of the city.
Staff will work with stakeholders over the winter to come up with options outlined in the Transportation Master Plan which laid out the best routes in the city.