‘Wheeling and Walking’ in Cochrane
what is active transportation?
Active Transportation is simply wheeling and walking, scootering, skateboarding, e-biking, using a mobility scooter, riding a unicycle, or using a wheelchair for transportation (basically not driving). Bike Cochrane has taken the lead for our Town in highlighting infrastructure gaps (where people want to go but can’t), infrastructure misses (where there might be pathways but it doesn’t work due to ice, flooding, 26% grades that an e-bike or scooter can’t climb…), and understanding how and where people want to travel without using their cars.
This page is a summary of a lot of the research work that Bike Cochrane has done and is doing, proposals we’ve made, and projects we’re spearheading to make our Town more bikeable.
It is Bike Cochrane’s goal that any child in any community in Cochrane should be able to safely wheel and walk to any school. Please join us in helping to make this goal a reality. Join our Active Transportation Committee by reaching out to paul@bikecochrane.com.
Have you been involved in a ‘near miss’ while on your bike? We are tracking near misses to get a better understanding of safety issues in Cochrane. Please send us details (location, time of day, vehicles involved, etc) to safety@bikecochrane.com.
neighbourhood Connectivity analysis
After spending many, many hours analyzing the results from our Bike to School survey, analyzing data from our bike counters, looking at Strava Metro data in our community, along with reading every area structure plan in our Town, we’ve come to this prioritized summary of connectivity projects that would meaningfully improve active transportation in Cochrane.
Some of them are simply ‘catching up’ on our Town’s growth, such as completing the resurfacing of our flood-prone red-shale pathways in the Ranche and Glenbow Park. Some of them are assessing where we know there is a need, such as connecting Griffin Road for non-vehicles. Some of them are about recognizing that our Town has great pathways in some neighbourhoods, but very poor connections to the rest of town (Sunset, Bow Ridge/Meadows, Fireside).
We are posting our analysis here for others to view and discuss, having socialized these projects with our colleagues at the Town of Cochrane. We are proud of where our Town is going as they are beginning to be ‘right-sized’ for a city of 40,000 rather than a town of 10,000. Cochrane is recognizing our gaps and beginning to work to build capacity to fill those gaps. Bike Cochrane is trying to help us get there quicker.
In 2023, Bike Cochrane’s Active Transportation Committee continues to run our bike and pedestrian counter program to better inform our Town and Province’s decision makers. We have now completed a downtown connectivity analysis, which when paired up with our neighbourhood connectivity analysis, will form the basis of a multi-year investment plan for our Town and region.
See the downtown connectivity analysis HERE, along with complete costing estimates, and the 5 year funding plan to ‘catch up Cochrane’ in active transportation infrastructure and show the world that Cochrane cares about multi-modal transportation.
If you’re interested in contributing to the Active Transportation Committee, please reach out to Paul at paul@bikecochrane.com.
New Cochrane Downtown Gaps that need improvement
Implementation Plan for Active Transportation - Bike Cochrane 2022
2012 Bicycle Network Plan - Town of Cochrane
Old Cochrane Downtown Gaps that need improvement
PEOPLE ON BIKES SPEND MONEY!
TOURISTS ON BIKES SPEND MONEY TOO!
Maybe a Cochrane-themed bike rack Contest??
Why Bikes are Good for Business
Although infrastructure improvements that support bicycling can offer benefits such as reduced congestion, improved air quality, and healthier communities, many question the economic impacts, specifically for the business community. Will helping people on bikes help YOUR bottom line?
In recent years, New York City has aggressively expanded its network of protected bike lanes. The city has been tracking the impacts of the lanes on businesses. One 2012 study following the construction of a bike lane on 9th Avenue, found local businesses saw an increase in retail sales of up to 49 per cent, compared to a three per cent increase in the rest of Manhattan.
A recent study in Portland, Oregon, found that people who biked to a bar, restaurant or convenience store spent 24 per cent more per month than those who drove. The study suggests cyclists have more disposable income because they spend less money on auto repairs, gas, insurance, and car payments, so that could translate into more money into your business!
In France, a recent study covering six cities found that cyclists spend more money per week in shops than drivers. Research from Copenhagen has shown similar results.
Cochrane isn’t New York or Copenhagen or Portland, but the short answer here is that people on bikes spend money. If customers can get to your business in their preferred way of traveling, they will repay you with their business. If they can park safely, they will stay longer and spend MORE money!
With both the Great Trail and the potential new rail corridor coming to Cochrane, it WILL result in more cycling-focused tourists. The best thing we can do in Cochrane to prepare is to continue making our town more bike-friendly.
Traffic Study Sandwich Board - Ranche Feb 2021
traffic studies and research
2024 Bike Bell Distribution and School Visit Summary - Photos and notes from visiting all 12 Cochrane schools as part of our Bike Safety initiatives with the Town of Cochrane
2024 Active Transportation Survey - Survey of Students and Parents around where people feel safest on their bikes
2024 ATEC (Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors) safety study and suggested improvements - See our ATEC proposed safety improvements that were shared with ATEC and the Town of Cochrane.
2023 Town of Cochrane Draft Budget Analysis - See our Active Transportation Committee’s analysis of the draft budget.
2023 Trails Study - Some optical counter-based data around pedestrian and bike usage of some of Cochrane’s trails.
2023 Bike and Pedestian Traffic Study - Traffic Study from 2023 showing 30% of cars drive through the bike lane on Griffin Drive, among other findings.
2023 Downtown Connectivity Gap Analysis and 5-year infrastructure funding plan to catch up - Exactly what this says. There’s also some great research and persona reviews of who rides bikes in Cochrane.
2023 Active Transportation Survey - A survey of Cochrane residents around where they feel safe riding their bikes.
2023 Bike Parking Options for Businesses - Summary of Bike Parking options for Cochrane Businesses, including potential funding sources.
2022 TRAIL Study - First ever trail study done in Cochrane to better understand the recreational use of our trails.
2022 Bike and Pedestrian Traffic Study - Summarized results from our pathway study in 2022 in Cochrane, along with analysis from Strava Metro.
2021 Bike Traffic Study - Summarized results from our bike counter in 2021 in Cochrane, along with analysis from Strava Metro.
2021-2 Bike Pathway Slope Study - Analysis using QGIS, Excel, Garmin Vector 2 power pedals to better understand the slopes of our existing pathways.
2021 Bike to School Workshop paper - Jenny’s presentation to our ‘Bike to School’ workshop in Oct 2021.
2021 Highway 22 and Quigley Drive Intersection Crossing Safety Improvements Proposal - Summary of the problems and solutions for helping kids cross our major highway to schools.
2021 Bike to School survey - Survey of students and parents (N=269) around active modes of transportation and barriers to using them for schools.
2020 Active Transportation Survey of Cochrane - survey of members and non-members of Bike Cochrane (N=120) to examine where people feel safe on their bikes.
Paul’s ‘Wheeling and Walking’ Blog - Active posts about projects and research going on by Bike Cochrane’s Active Transportation Committee.