Hamilton will use new provincial cycling cash to build long-awaited bike lanes up the Claremont Access as well as an extension to Mohawk College starting next year.

The city began studying the addition of a separated bike path up the busy Mountain-climbing road after cyclist Jay Keddy was struck and killed on the access in late 2015. There are no two-way cycling lanes up the escarpment in the city right now.

An unfunded $2 million price tag - combined with landslide risk on the escarpment slopes above - doused the initial council urgency for the project.

But late last year, the province announced $3.7 million in new cycling infrastructure cash for Hamilton.

The city will use that cash starting in 2019 to build the Mountain-climbing cycling route and an extension along West 5th Street to near Mohawk College, says an update report to the public works committee Monday.

The main new cycling path will climb from Hunter Street all the way to Brantdale Ave. at West 5th and will include various side trail connection to sidewalks, a multi-use trail to St. Joseph's Drive and the Bruce Trail along the way.

The total cost of the improvements is about $2.1 million. Hamilton is responsible for paying 20 per cent of the cost, or about $400,000.

mvandongen@thespec.com

905-526-3241 | @Mattatthespec

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