THUNDER BAY – I been noticing a lot of letters have been submitted against these bike lanes. Here’s a win-win-win solution.
Don’t have bike lanes, have designated bike routes. These routes could be immediately implemented city-wide, with a minimal cost to the taxpayer. A designated bike route would be a 40 km/hr speed zone on a residential street running parallel to a major one. No bike lanes necessary, just signs indicating it is a designated bike route.
Here are the benefits of having a bike route over these bike lanes: 1) No bike lanes to complain about; 2) Through-traffic would be discouraged from using these designated roads, thus only having local traffic; 3) Cyclists will be safer since they would only have to contend with local traffic.
Here’s an example how it would work: Instead of putting a bike lane and a “sorta” bike lane on Shuniah St.; combine Otto St, Erie St and Egan St. as the designated bike route from Hudson St to Court St. Traffic on those streets are minimal as it is. I suggested this to the City. Mayor Hobbs thinks this is a great idea, Adam Kruper from administration does not; even though he admitted to me, he would feel safer on my proposed route rather than biking on Shuniah Street.
Unfortunately we are ruled by an Administration that thinks it knows what’s best for the city. They tell us how we should develop our water front. They made the deal for the wind farms before any public consultation. These bike lanes were already planned before our new council got in. They favour a certain location for the proposed multiplex. They took $10 million out of our annual budget for roads since 2005. Are these the things that are best for our city? I don’t get it.
Andy Wolff
