The City of Ottawa has won a sustainability award from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for its segregated bike lane project on Laurier Avenue, according to a press release.
“We are proud of the work we have done to earn this prestigious award and the investments we have made to ensure a safer cycling and pedestrian-friendly city,” said Mayor Jim Watson in the statement.
The segregated bike lanes opened in July 2011 as a pilot project, but were made a permanent feature of the downtown core in July 2013 based on its success, the statement said.
The on-street bike lanes have a physical barrier to protect cyclists from ongoing vehicle traffic.
More than 2,500 cyclists have commuted on the bike lanes during peak season, reported the statement.
The Laurier segregated bike lanes are part of the growing cycling network that won the City of Ottawa numerous awards and recognitions, such as the gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community Award by Share the Road Cycling Coalition in 2013.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities will award a trophy to the city on the final day of its Sustainable Communities conference in London, Ont. in February.