Bike Lanes In Doubt?
According to the Bicycle Master Plan, Colborne Street is the most logical north/south core corridor for bike lanes. Staff recommend widening that road slightly and removing the parking in order to retain trees and create those lanes.
But wait! Following a verbal delegation at today’s ETC meeting, that’s no longer such a sure thing.
If you’re a cyclist, consider this a heads-up.
I understand that there’s going to be some kind of staff/neighbourhood meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 12th). I’ll try to get some more info about that for you tomorrow, and I’ll try to post the audio of the ETC discussion as soon as possible.
Appended 2010/01/12 @ 12:15 p.m:
It may be a while before I can post any video for you, but the 45-minute audio is now online and you can
listen HERE.
It begins with the verbal delegation of Jane Montieth, a member of the Old North community. The other speakers should be easily identifiable.
Information about the Old North Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Plan can be found in agenda item #6 of the 2009/09/28 ETC meeting.
Appended 2010/01/12 @ 02:30 p.m:
There will be a public meeting tonight at 7 pm, at Ryerson Public School on Waterloo Street. I believe that it’s purpose is for city staff to respond to the citizen input from the 9/28 meeting, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the subject of the bike lanes reared it’s head.
Appended 2010/01/14 @ 09:35 p.m:
This first video is the verbal citizen delegation by Jane Monteith.
Appended 2010/01/14 @ 11:30 p.m:
This second video is the response by John Lucas (Division Manager – Transportation Engineering).
(more to come…)
© Fowler Media
I coudln’t get the audio to work
Thank you for posting this! Also noted from last night’s ETC agenda – under agenda item 5 page 34 – that all affected streets OTHER than Colborne (that is: Regent, Victoria, Cheapside, Grosvenor, St. James, Waterloo, Maitland, William) will have traffic calming measures such as raised intersections, speed cushions, and curb extensions implemented, while Colborne alone will have no calming measures implemented but will instead be widened 2 feet on the west side. (What about the trees? I love the trees!) Ostensibly, driver’s will opt to drive down Colborne – increasing the level of congestion.
Admittedly, I do not know the entire situation, nor the history on this issue, but my question is: Wouldn’t it be safer for cyclists if the bike lanes are added for a street that IS traffic calmed?
My understanding from what I heard staff say at the ETC meeting is that the recommended design (bike lanes + removal of on-street parking) would protect all of the existing trees and that Colborne Street was selected for the bike lanes because it’s an unbroken route (eg. Wellington is interrupted because of the railroad tracks).
Shouldn’t cyclists have room made for them on already congested and busy streets such as Wellington. These streets are already main thoroughfares that could easily accomodate a cycle lane – and this would raise the profile of cycling as a legitimate means of transport.
I don’t understand why bicycles -which are people-powered – are hidden away to follow a different and less-direct route – when they are the ones that *do*need a direct route.
In fact, Councillor Hubert remarked that as a cyclist he would NOT go out of his way to use Colborne Street (eg. if he was on Richmond Street to begin with). If you want to fast-forward the audio, I think that his comments are toward the end of the discussion. If I have time after I get home tonight and if I remember, I’ll note the exact position (mm:ss) for you.