On The Right Track

It's nice to know that Burlington's 2009 Cycling Master Plan is on the right track -  the cycle track.

European cycle tracks

Common in European cities, "cycle tracks are bike lanes separated from travel lanes, parking lanes and sidewalks by pavement markings, pavement colouring, bollards, curbs, raised medians, or a combination of these elements. They are used by cyclists only."  (Burlington CMP pg viii)
  

North American

Cycle tracks are slowly but surely making their way into North America.  New York City's 9th Ave. is a prime example.  BC, Montreal, and Cambridge MA are other examples.
  
Even Rob Ford, the Toronto mayor who gave us Don Cherry's rant about bike riding pinkos, is also getting into cycle tracks.  His administration "has proposed a connected network of physically separated bike lanes in the city core."
  
Burlington's 2009 cycling master plan calls for 10km of separated cycle tracks on Dundas St. across Burlington from Kerns Road to BurOak.  The $3 million cycle track would be developed and hopely funded by the Metrolinx proposed rapid transit corridor for Dundas.
  
The taxpayer in me cringes at the cost of the cycle track!.  However, numerous gooooogle searches confirm the many, many benefits of cycling.  A UK study states "people who cycle to work experienced a 39% lower rate of all-cause mortality compared to those who did not."  Economically a Danish cost/benefit study showed that a $1 investment in cycling infrastructure, results in $10 of reduced health care costs and other savings.  An AECOM report in Australia cites $4 in benefits for every dollar invested.   And they are safer!  The sooner Burlington starts, the sooner we save taxpayer $$$$.

Green line shows the proposed cycle track in Burlington.