Sarnia streets will soon be a little bit safer for cyclists.
A joint initiative between the Bluewater International Granfondo (B.I.G.) and the City of Sarnia will see over 100 safety signs erected on common cycling routes.
B.I.G. Spokesperson Peter Cobb said the signs will remind motorists to "Share the Road."
"What the signs do is reinforce the law that motorists have to provide one metre of space between the cyclist and their vehicle."
"Share the Road" signage erected in Sarnia. October 2021. (Photo submitted by the Bluewater International Granfondo)
Cobb said around 120 signs in total will be put up in Sarnia this fall -- the next step is to reach out to surrounding municipalities.
Cobb said B.I.G. and its chairman, Ken MacAlpine, have shown a real interest in promoting bike safety.
"We have had a number of incidents in Sarnia and the surrounding community involving collisions between vehicles and cyclists."
Cobb said a second component of B.I.G.'s "Share the Road" campaign is about teaching cyclists safe and defensive bicycling skills. He said it will continue next spring.
"And we've done some work this year. There was a number of seminars put on within the Lambton Kent District School Board -- we'll expand that to other school boards next year. And there will be a social media campaign promoting safe and defensive bicycling skills."
Cobb said B.I.G. has set a budget of $40,000 for the initiative -- half of the money is for the signs, half is for the educational and social media aspect of the campaign.
