Bike lanes added to northwest commuter route

New bikes lanes have been painted onto 10th Street in northwest Calgary.

In some sections, four lanes have been reducedto three to make way for cyclists. But vehicle traffic wont be adversely affected, said Sean Somers, a spokesman for the Calgary roads department.

"In terms of traffic flow, ultimately, once we get all the lanes and the signals' timing finalized it should be free flowing as it was before. There isnt enough traffic volumes on that road to really get things out of whack," he said.

Designated bike lanes were recommended as part of a broader cycling strategy whichcouncil passed earlier this year.

"We do want to act on what council has said is a priority and thats to serve cyclists by providing more facilities for them," said Blanka Bracic, a transportation engineer with the city.

The city plans to assess the pilot project next spring and host public consultations to explore how the bike lanes might be improved.