We are proud of our extensive walking and cycling routes and are excited to share them with you. Peterborough is rated as a silver walk friendly and bike friendly community and 1 in 10 people walk or bike to work. To make walking and cycling more comfortable and enjoyable, we are building more sidewalks, trails and cycling lanes.
During winter, our 42 km of paved trails through greenspaces and alongside roads are plowed and maintained for your enjoyment. Walking and cycling are great winter activities, helping to keep you mobile and moving in all seasons.
Unpaved trails are kept in their natural state in the winter, so be aware of conditions that are variable.
As always, pedestrians have the right-of-way. Keeping to the right leaves space for faster people to pass with a safe berth. Many trails are not lit, so bring your lights!
New Bike Registration: 529 Garage
In partnership with the Peterborough Police Service and the Peterborough Bike Advisory Committer, bike registration in the City of Peterborough has moved to 529 Garage. This free service is meant to safeguard your bicycle and increase the chances of having your bicycle returned to you if it is lost or stolen.
You can learn more about the program and register online through the link below.
Register your bike with 529 Garage
| Definition of bicycle: |
| A vehicle with two wheels tandem, handlebars for steering, a saddle seat, and pedals by which it is propelled |
| Identification of your bicycle: |
| Manufacturers mark most bicycles with a serial number. However, how much information you wish to enter into 529 Garage is up to you. |
| Pick Up Your Identification Sticker: |
| You can pick up a sticker anytime; just remember to update your information on the 529 Garage website
|
City Council approved reduced speed limits and Community Safety Zones for all City elementary and secondary school areas in the City of Peterborough in June 2023.
Active Transportation Events and Activities
| Winter Walk Day |
| Join students from across Ontario and walk to school on Wednesday, February 2. Walking through all the seasons develops healthy habits for life and supports our goal to reduce vehicle use. Keep on walking! |
| Grade 8 Transit Quest |
| To help students become familiar with Peterborough Transit, every Grade 8 student in the city will get a free transit pass to use for March Break. The passes will be distributed through the schools, along with information about how to use transit. |
| Register Your Bike |
| The City is working with a program called 529 Garage. Register your bike on their site and then you will become part of a social network keeping an eye out for each other's bikes. You can also get a Shield to place on your bike so that it can be easily identified as your bike and returned to you if it is recovered. You can get the Shields at B!KE and GreenUP. Register your bike by July 16 to qualify to win one of three Abus U-Grip Bordo 5700 bike locks. |
| Celebrating New Cycling and Trail Infrastructure |
| Lighting for a section of the Rotary Greenway Trail Initiated by Scott Wood of the Ashburnham Ale House, the project will provide lighting on the trail from Hunter Street to Douro Street. The project started with a community engagement session in 2019, followed by City Council endorsement of the project in May of 2020. Wood says, “Many residents and visitors use this section of trail for evening walks, bike rides and commutes for groceries and other purposes. By providing lighting, people will be able to use the trail more comfortably after dark”. Wood’s business, The Ashburnham Ale House, is a major funder for this project, as well as the Village Business Improvement Area, Barry Electric, Shimano Canada, StoneGuide Realty, Wild Rock Outfitters and the Kawartha Rotary Club. Barry Electric will be doing the installation, which is anticipated to be completed by the end of July. A plaque is being installed on the section of trail to recognize the contributions of the community donors. This is the second such trail lighting donation the City has been gifted. In 2017, the City received an anonymous donation to light the Rotary Greenway Trail link from Water Street to the main trail, just east of the intersection of Water Street and Hilliard Street. New Section of Trail on Lansdowne Street The new section of trail along the south side of Lansdowne Street between Ashburnham Drive and River Road is open. Previously there was no sidewalk and no cycling infrastructure on the section of road, making this project a high priority for investment in new facilities. The City was successful in obtaining $250,000 in funding through the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Infrastructure Program to assist in the construction of this project. |
Walk and Bicycle Friendly Status
The City has received Silver Bicycle Friendly designation from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition. The Active Transportation and Health 2020 Indicators Report outlines the trends in local transportation with a focus on walk, cycling and transit.
Cycling and trail maps
The Cycling and Trail map shows trails and cycling routes in Peterborough and the surrounding area. The Peterborough Cycling Short Routes map details eight lovely routes of 15 to 40 kilometres in length. You can pick up both maps at City Hall, local cycling shops, and from Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, which has more information about local cycling routes and services.
Maintenance and suggestions
Call Public Works at 705-745-1386 if you have a concern about maintenance along a sidewalk, bike lane or paved trail. We plow sidewalks, bike lanes and paved trails in the winter.
Please let us know if you have a suggestion about how we can improve walking, cycling or trails.
Rules and etiquette
To make walking, cycling, skateboarding and E-biking safe and fun for everyone, we have a by-law that says where you can skateboard, bicycle and E-bike in the City of Peterborough. This table shows where you can travel using different types of transportation.
| Type of Transportation | Where you can travel |
|---|---|
| Scooter-style E-bikes |
You are not allowed to use a scooter-style e-bike on multi-use trails. You can use them in bike lanes. |
| Bicycle-style E-bikes |
You can bicycle in bike lanes and on multi-use trails if pedalling only. |
| Skateboard |
You can skateboard on both multi-use trails and bike lanes. |
| Bicycle |
You are not allowed to ride a bicycle on sidewalks downtown. Children under 14 years of age can ride on the sidewalk outside of the downtown. |
Paths beside roads
There are many paths beside roads where riding a bicycle is allowed. A path is wider than 2 metres and sidewalks are 2 metres wide or less.
Programs and workshops
GreenUP and B!KE have workshops and events related to walking and cycling. Programs include:
- Active School Travel
- Rack 'n Roll (through Shifting Gears)
- Shifting Gears
- Winter Wheels
Cycling
We are creating a Cycling Master Plan for the City. Public engagement is a key part of the process and your input is appreciated. Peterborough has 80 km of bike lanes and trails to explore. You can find your way using the directional signs along cycling routes all over the city.
Bike parking
We provide bike parking downtown and at public facilities. We have information on how to provide bike parking at your location.
Trail and Cycling Projects
Current trail and cycling projects include:
| Rotary Greenway Trail Links |
| Several connection to the Rotary Greenway Trail are being formalized to allow better access for people with disabilities and snow clearing in the winter. |
| Bethune Street |
| Bethune Street between McDonnel Street and Townsend Street is currently under construction. A large culvert is being installed as a flood remediation measure, helping to protect the downtown from flooding. When the digging is done, Bethune Street will have a new design that is bicycle and pedestrian friendly. |
| Rotary Greenway Trail Extension |
| Construction of a new section of the Rotary Greenway Trail between Gzowski College at Trent University and the trail to Lakefield. The project is expected to be tendered in 2022. |
Tips for Cyclists and Drivers
The How to Use Bike Lane booklet shows cyclists and drivers how to use bike lanes, including the green pavement markings.
A Metre Matters
The a Metre Matters video shows how much room to give cyclists when passing.
Stay Back, Stay Safe
Share the Road's Stay Back, Stay Safe information shows cyclists how to keep safe when near large vehicles.
Walking
Our Sidewalk Policy requires that we provide sidewalks on both sides of new and reconstructed streets.
| Sidewalk Strategic Plan |
| Where sidewalks are missing along existing streets, new sidewalks are provided according to need as identified in the 2022 Sidewalk Strategic Plan. Each year, we build about 2 km of new sidewalks along existing streets. We upgrade and add pedestrian crossings as well to make it easier for you to cross busy streets. |
| New Sidewalks in 2021 |
| Projects planned for 2021 include links to the Rotary Trail connecting several side streets to the trail north of Parkhill Road. |
Reports about walking and cycling
The 2020 Active Transportation and Health Indicators Report has information about who walks and bikes, where people walk and bike, how the City and County are doing for walking and biking and the health of our community related to how we get around.
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