Council debated ad nauseam, staff's recommendation to keep the bike lanes on Guelph Line and add new bike lanes on Walkers & Appleby between New St. & Lakeshore Road. It should have been a slam dunk. It was only $45K to get 2km, or 4km if you count both directions. That worked out to be $11.25 per meter of a safer, buffered bike lane. You won't find a cheaper, better infrastructure investment anywhere!
In the report, emails favouring keeping Walkers and Appleby as 4 lane highways out numbered those promoting change by 25 to 10. Countering the onslaught of negative emails who argued for the status quo were 2 delegations. Eleanor McMahon, CEO of the provincial wide Share the Road cycling advocacy group spoke to the numerous benefits (health, tourism environment, live able city etc) of cycling and in favour of the report. STR surveys indicated 60% of people do not ride because of a perceived fear that road are not safe. The 1.5m bike lane buffered by a .7m hatch lane will be a huge step for safer cycling. It's not perfect but the city must do with limited resources.A sampling of the negative questions faced by staff:
- bike lanes to nowhere
- why did Oakville back out of BurlOak?
- other cities e.g Hamilton had physical barriers - doing it differently
- no data measuring the # of cyclists before & after the Guelph Line pilot
- lack of connectivity
- $45K would be better spent on a location joining the network
- use the money for a segregated lane on New St.
- lack of before/after accident data in the report
- local residents negative emails
- local residents should have been able to vote on this issue effecting their area
- couldn't the work be done when the roads would be re-surfaced saving $45K
- didn't connect to the Centennial pathway, why do it etc. etc.
Vito Tolone, Bruce Zavinga & Scott Stewart answered council's questions with well spirited explanations supporting the report. Councillor Dennison dismantled all of the negative concerns from council citing well reasoned explanations. One of the more revealing comments was that existing home owners on Guelph Line that Jack canvassed during the past election were pleasantly surprised and very pleased with the more peaceful, residential current configuration of Guelph Line. Changed does have it's benefits.  |
| Where do cyclists go as they approach the intersection???? |
It's not perfect!! Sadly, despite all the rhetoric, posturing and debate, the project has deficiencies. Like other bike lanes in Burlington as they approach major intersections, they disappear. The bike lanes end just before they reach New St. Motorists and cyclists will be wondering where they should go. This uncertainty is risky for both. To be effective all future bike lane projects should go to and even through the intersection. We've got to put the bike lanes where they are needed, not just where it's easy to do!!!
An incredulous one hour and 15 minutes later the $45,000 motion promoting traffic calming, fewer accidents, safer streets for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists was passed as a pilot to be re-examined in 2 years.
