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City's plan includes cyclists Some residents worry bike lanes will restrict their roadside parking
Cyclists are celebrating a new bike-friendly attitude at St. Catharines city hall, with a report this week that says streets are not just for cars. A new transportation master plan being drafted by city engineers will "focus on creating a more sustainable transportation system that provides a better balance for all road users," transportation manager Kris Jacobson said in a written report to council. If the city's old plan focused on "increasing the capacity and efficiency" of roads for cars, the new plan's theme will be sustainability, the report said. And with the increased public pressure from cycling advocates, the city can't afford to wait several years until the new plan is developed, it said. "There's no reason why policies and practices can't be adopted in the interim," the report said, recommending that bike lanes be added immediately to three more streets. City councillors deferred a decision on the report Monday night, after Grantham Coun. Dawn Dodge asked for a two-week delay. After the meeting, Dodge said some of the residents of Scott Street, Linwell Road and Vine Street are worried about the street parking they'll lose when bike lanes are added. City staff have said all street parking will be banned where there are bike lanes. A survey of residents in the affected areas showed some want street parking for visitors and holiday gatherings, and Dodge said some of them want a chance to tell council about their concerns. Jacobson's report says he understands the residents' concerns about parking, but streets are for moving people, not for storing cars, and homeowners shouldn't expect parking to be a right. Meanwhile, the dozen cycling advocates who attended Monday's meeting said they'll be back in two weeks to make their case in support of a bike-friendly city. "This gives us an opportunity to do more preparation and extend our reach and recruitment of allies and advocates," said Bob Hillier, a member of the Garden City Alliance for Sustainable Transportation, one of the groups that has recently been putting pressure on council to improve cycling. Hillier and other advocates said they are pleased with the city's proposed new emphasis on cycling. "We are thinking, 'Wow, this is delightfully unexpected,' " Hillier said. "This is a big step forward," agreed Denis Soron, also a member of GCAST. "Compared to even a few months ago, this is light-years forward in terms of incorporating cycling." "This feels like one of the first really positive initiatives," Hillier said. "After what seemed like interminable delays and basically ignoring the reports going back to 1992, this feels like we are finally being heard. It's very exciting." In addition to the three streets being proposed for the immediate addition of bike lanes, city staff are proposing all major roads get bike lanes soon -- either when they are reconstructed or, if they are already wide enough, by repainting the lines. Twenty-four more roads are slated for bike lanes. - - - Cycling changes so far: New bike lanes on sections of Linwell Road, Lakeport Road and Geneva Street Bike lane on new Merritt Street Bridge Bike lanes and wider sidewalks to be built on all new crossings of the QEW corridor: Martindale Road, Lake Street, Geneva Street and Welland Avenue Proposed immediate changes: Bike lanes to be added this year to: Scott Street (between Niagara Street and Bunting Road) Linwell Road (between Geneva Street and Bunting Road) Vine Street (between Lakeshore Road and Scott Street) |