Benefits of Cycling
Cycling is an efficient, cost effective and fun way to travel around Regina. It offers a number of benefits to individuals and the community as a whole:
- Health and Well-Being: Replacing vehicle trips with cycling trips helps make light activity part of everyday life for physical and mental health.
- Savings for the City: More bikes mean less wear and tear on our streets, cutting down on costly road repairs. To put it in perspective, it takes over 90,000 bicycle trips to produce the same road damage as one average vehicle trip.
- More Money in Your Pocket: Cars are expensive. Between financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance and parking, the average Canadian spends over $1,300 a month on their vehicle. Cycling is a fantastic low-cost alternative that reduces your daily travel expenses.
- Less Traffic for Everyone: Most driving trips in Regina are under 5.5 kilometers, which is about a 20-minute bike ride. When people who can bike choose to do so, it frees up the roads and reduces traffic delays for the people who must drive.
Above image from the Global Street Design Guide
- A Cleaner, Quieter Environment: Replacing a vehicle trip with a cycling trip can greatly improve air quality, reduce noise pollution and help in reaching Regina’s climate targets as outlined in the City’s Energy and Sustainability Framework.
- Connected Communities: Cycling makes it easier to hop between school, work, parks, local shops and transit hubs, increasing the vibrancy of our neighbourhoods.
Cycling in Regina
Tips for Cycling Safely
- It is recommended that all cyclists wear a properly fitted CSA-approved helmet.
- Helmets should fit snugly.
- Helmets should be level, parallel to the ground.
- Bicycles designed for small children with tires smaller than 40 centimetres are welcome to use the sidewalk.
- Bicycles with tires larger than 40 centimetres can only use the sidewalk in designated sidewalk cycling areas.
- Use arm signals for turning or changing lanes.
- Share the road with other cyclists and motorists.
- Installing reflectors, bells, headlights and taillights as well as wearing high-visibility clothing helps improve your visibility to others.
For more cycling and safety tips, check out SGI’s website.
Drivers must be cautious when sharing the road with cyclists.
- Passing: It is illegal to pass a person riding a bike in the same lane they are currently occupying. Drivers must wait until it is safe to change lanes to pass. Violations carry a fine of $85.
- Passing Speed: When passing cyclists, drivers must not exceed 50 km/hr. On streets with a posted speed limit of 80 km/hr or higher, the maximum passing speed is 70 km/hr. Failure to adhere to these limits results in a fine of $180.
- Special Hazards: Drivers must exercise caution when approaching "special hazards" (such as puddles or road obstacles) near cyclists; failure to do so carries a fine of $180.
- Following Distance: Drivers must maintain a reasonable distance when following a cyclist, regardless of the bicycle's speed. Following too closely results in a fine of $100.
- Door Safety: Before opening a vehicle door, always check your mirrors or use the "Dutch Reach" (using your far hand to open the door, which forces a shoulder check) to ensure you are not obstructing oncoming cyclists. Opening a door when it is unsafe to do so carries a fine of $190.
The City of Regina is investing in upgrades to bike lanes and pathways to promote cycling. Check out some of the recent upgrades and projects below.
- Multi-Use Pathway Upgrade: Along Prince of Wales Drive from Wascana Gate to Arcola Avenue
- Protected Bike Lane: Along Park Street from Douglas Park Avenue to Arcola Avenue
- Multi-Use Pathway Upgrade: Along Assiniboine Avenue from Park Street to the east; formally an unprotected bike lane
- Protected Bike Lane: Along Pasqua Street from Parliament Avenue to Hill Avenue
- Multi-Use Pathway: Along Albert Street from Regina Avenue to 23rd Avenue
- Multi-Use Pathway: Along Dewdney Avenue from Albert Street to Broad Street
Bike Lanes
The City is progressing on the Transportation Master Plan by investing in bike lanes, pathways and new sidewalks to promote active transportation and healthier communities. One of the goals in the TMP is to create a comprehensive bike network that will connect people to destinations and activities citywide. Bike lanes help to make cycling more safe, accessible and attractive for all users to get around our community.
The City has invested at least $250,000 yearly since 2019 to improve Regina's pathway and bike lane networks. This budget has been slowly increased and supplemented with additional funding sources, from both the City's budget and the Federal and Provincial government.
Bicycle routes and lanes provide an environmentally friendly transportation alternative. It’s important to understand how Bicycle Only lanes work, as well as the various types of bicycle lanes. There’s room for everyone, so share the road with other cyclists and motorists.
- Shared-Use Lanes have wider lane widths and are shared with parked vehicles and cyclists.
- Bicycle Only Lanes have narrower lane widths and are dedicated for use by cyclists only.
- Bike Boulevards are shared roadways that have low motorized traffic volumes and speeds, and use signs, pavement markings, and traffic calming measures to create a safe environment for cyclists.
On-street bike lanes can be found on:
- Park Street - 17th Avenue to Douglas Avenue
- Broad Street/Wascana Parkway between Lakeshore Drive and Research Drive
- Assiniboine Avenue from Park Street to 100m E of University Park Drive
- McCarthy Boulevard from Brunskill Place to Whelan Drive
- Smith Street from Victoria Avenue to College Avenue (one-way)
- Lorne Street from College Avenue to 12th Avenue (one-way)
- Chuka Boulevard from Green Falls Drive to Buckingham Drive
- Wascana Gate South
- Crosstown Bike Route - 13th Avenue between Forget Street and Lewvan Drive, 14th Avenue from Edward Street to Elphinstone Street
- Bike Boulevard - King Street between 15th Avenue and 14th Avenue
- Bike Boulevard - McTavish Street between College Avenue and 14th Avenue
