Cycling | City of Pickering

It is the City’s goal to improve sustainable mobility networks for cycling and walking when and where possible. As such, in 2021, we developed an Integrated Transportation Master Plan for the City, which identified route connections for a long-term cycling network in the City. Please see the City’s long-term cycling network maps below:

City's Long-Term Cycling Network Map 1

City's Long-Term Cycling Network Map 2 - South

Pickering is home to a number of on-road and off-road bike paths to accommodate your needs, whether you are commuting to work or heading out for a leisurely bike ride with friends and family.

We have kilometres of colourful trails that hug the sandy shoreline of Lake Ontario, providing cyclists with spectacular views of the waterfront, conservation area, lush green spaces and abundant wildlife.

Coming from out of town? The GO Station is located minutes away from our beautiful Nautical Village where you can start your cycling adventure along the waterfront trail or head north to explore some of Pickering's other parks and trails.

The City of Pickering's Parks By-law 5495/99 regulates, protects and controls all public parks in Pickering. When it comes to cycling in parks, unless there are signs prohibiting the activity, cyclists can ride on any trail up to a maximum speed of 20 kilometres per hour.

Cycling Safety & Rules of the Road

When out for a bike ride, remember to follow the rules of the road. Cyclists who are under the age of 18 must wear a helmet; however, everyone is encouraged to wear a helmet when riding their bike.

Ministry of Transportation Cycling Safety Guide

For further information on cycling safety, and taking your bikes on the Durham Transit, please visit the Region of Durham website.

Learn about various types of cycling facilities

On-road cycling facilities

Bike Lanes (also known as cycle lanes) are a portion of a roadway that has been designated by pavement markings and signage for preferential or exclusive use by people riding bikes. Bicycle lanes are separated from motor vehicle lanes typically by a white painted line. This facility is for one-way bicycle travel only. A typical configuration on a two-way roadway includes a conventional bicycle lane on each side.

Sometimes they can have a painted buffer to provide greater horizontal separation between cyclists and vehicles on the roadway. Sometimes there can be a physically separated buffer (i.e., flex bollards, planters, raised medians, on-street parking, etc.). Provisions of these buffers can depend on various factors such as available pavement room, budget, operations and maintenance challenges etc.).

Shared Operating Space

Typically, these routes are coupled with a “Bicycle Route Marker” green colored signage to communicate to cyclists that they are on a roadway with a shared operating space with automobiles that is designated as a bicycle route within a cycling network. They are typically found on local streets with less traffic

Signed Bike Routes are shared roadways on which cyclists are permitted unless specifically prohibited. "Shared arrow" or “Sharrows” are stencils that may be placed in the centre of a narrow travel lane or offset from the curb or parking lane where the travel lane is wide enough for side-by-side travel. They are intended to alert motorists of the expectation to share the lane with cyclists, and to guide cyclists as to where they should ride within the shared lane.

Paved Urban Shoulders (also known as edgelines) – A portion of a roadway with an urban cross-section (with curbs) which is contiguous with the travelled way and provides cyclists with an area for riding that is adjacent to but separate from the motor vehicular travel portion of the roadway.

Paved Rural Shoulders – A portion of a roadway with a rural cross-section (without curbs) which is contiguous with the travelled way and provides cyclists with an area for riding that is adjacent to but separate from the motor vehicular travel portion of the roadway.

Off-road cycling facilities

Cycle Tracks are a physically separated exclusive cycle facilities from the travelled portion of the roadway by a curb and raised buffer, and distinct from sidewalks. Cycle tracks often travel parallel to a sidewalk. They are typically within the public right-of-way of a road.

In-boulevard Multi-Use Paths are typically a paved path within a public right-of-way that is separated from the travelled portion of the roadway by a curb and buffer. Multi-use paths are shared by cyclists and pedestrians. In-boulevard multi-use paths are distinct from multi-use trails, which run in a dedicated corridor separate from the road right-of-way.

Multi-Use Trails are similar to multi-use paths, except they are not within a public right-of-way of a road. They are paved or unpaved trails in parks and conservation areas. Park trails are shared amongst cyclists and pedestrians.

Crossrides

A crossride is dedicated space at an intersection. It's identified by unique pavement markings, for cyclists to legally ride their bicycle through an intersection without dismounting, which is not permitted at pedestrian crosswalks.

Crossrides are identified through pavement markings, signages, exclusive signal heads (signalized intersections only) and increased width compared to pedestrian crosswalks. Depending on the approaching cycling route, as well as the crossing control, crossrides may be marked in different ways on the pavement.

Crossrides Region of Durham Video