New bike lane construction set to start in downtown Brampton

Work will soon begin on nearly two kilometers of new bike lanes in downtown Brampton that could cause temporary delays for drivers but will make it easier for residents to move around on two wheels.

The new shared transportation lanes will stretch from Mill Street to Kennedy Road along Church Street, connection to existing bike lanes along Centre Street, Central Peel High School, parks, and the Etobicoke Creek Trail.

Most of the nearly two-kilometre-long stretch will be separated bike lanes while sharrows – a painted lane with bicycle symbols showing that drivers need to share the road with cyclists – will be installed between Market Street and Scott Street due to already narrow roadways.

Weather permitting, the work is expected to start this month according to a notice from the city sent to residents.

“The new sharrows and bike lanes will make active transportation more inviting by increasing the comfort and safety of cyclists, pedestrians and e-scooter users,” the city says.

The city says parks, recreation amenities and retail locations along Church Street will still be easily accessible by car, bike or e-scooter when this project is complete.

Data collected from the city will track the usage and impact the new bike lanes will have on traffic and congestion, with the city saying that “noticeable changes in behaviour will come over time as the city becomes more bike-friendly.”

Work has also started on streetscaping improvements in Brampton that will turn the city’s downtown into a construction zone for the next three years.

The project is expected to bring upgrades like new signals at six downtown intersections, refurbished roads and sidewalks with granite pavers and more public spaces.

While the city says the work will be done in phases to limit disruptions to traffic and local businesses, the construction is expected to last until 2027 and will see lane reductions and “segmented closures.”

The work is in addition to ongoing watermain and sanitary sewer repairs in downtown Brampton that led the city to launch a grant for businesses struggling to stay afloat during the construction.