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Without a clear guideline, each city planning new bike lanes needs to go out and study other best practices itself, he said. Small towns just don’t have the capacity to do that; they might make mistakes or just not do bike lanes at all.

Lobbying for the Idaho Stop

The guideline project is being led by the City of Calgary. The City of Edmonton, Rockyview County, Red Deer, Alberta Transportation and the Town of Canmore are also involved, said Ellick.

She said Edmonton put the so-called Idaho Stop on the table after council’s urban planning committee voted to lobby the province for it last September. Idaho was the first jurisdiction to allowed cyclists to treat stop signs like a yield in 1982, giving its name to the rule.

Advocates argue cyclists should be allowed to roll slowly through a stop because their sight lines and stopping distances are better. They tend to ride long distances on residential roads and spend more energy starting again from a stop.

Bring rule clarity

Coun. Andrew Knack said he hopes the new guide and review of the Traffic Safety Act will make rules clear for everyone, since the current act often doesn’t mention cyclists or simply treats them as vehicles.

That makes something like a left-turn in heavy traffic frustrating because you feel like you’re getting in the way, said Knack, a regular cyclist.

“Make sure you reduce conflict points. That’s safer for everyone,” he said, hoping the guidelines will consider those factors.