I know a lot of people in this forum ride bikes either for recreation or to commute. I thought it might be a good idea to have a section were we can discuss issues related to cycling in Edmonton.
Here are a couple of recent news stories related to the subject...
Edmonton councillor pushes quicker bike plan
Don Iveson says funding cuts put bicycle-friendly improvements decades away
BY JAMIE HALL, EDMONTON JOURNAL
City councillor Don Iveson worries that transforming Edmonton into a more walkable, cycling-friendly place is going to take decades rather than a few years after hearing details Thursday of the newly revised plan for bikes and sidewalks.
Earlier this year, two multimillion-dollar plans were proposed to improve cycling and walking routes in the city:$100 million for a cycling strategy, and another $186 million for construction of more than 200 kilometres of sidewalks, mainly in older communities and commercial districts.
The two plans have now essentially been rolled into one and carry a much-reduced price tag.
Instead of nearly $300 million, the proposal that will be put forward to the transportation and public works committee next Tuesday will recommend that between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent of the city's annual capital budget be allocated to the plan, a number that will fluctuate year to year and amount to millions of dollars less.
"They've established funding recommendations that are too low to get the job done in the time frame I'd like to see," said a disappointed Iveson, who interrupted his summer vacation to hear details of the proposal.
"I don't think the resources are in place to make the sort of infrastructure investment that's going to encourage more people to walk more and cycle more."
The bike and sidewalk strategy is a key component of the transportation master plan, which will come before city council Sept. 14 for approval.
Much of the sidewalk plan was developed through review and public consultation to determine which streets get priority for sidewalk construction and repair.
Many neighbourhoods have essentially missing pieces of sidewalks while industrial areas have no sidewalks at all, which are needed to support transit services.
Iveson said while the city is a wonderful place for recreational cyclists, it's "lousy" for commuters who would rather park their cars and pedal to work.
Since 1992, which is when the bike strategy was last updated, the city has grown significantly, as has the number of cyclists.
Police recently started cracking down on skateboarders and cyclists who use sidewalks.
There has also been a rash of accidents involving cyclists. Earlier this month, one cyclist died, another was injured and a third suffered injuries that left him in a coma.
Iveson said while any injury accident is a cause for concern, he doesn't believe recent events reflect a trend.
"I think we need to monitor the safety of cyclists, but I'm not hearing alarm bells yet."
The new bike strategy is designed to support and integrate bicycles into the transportation system to meet the needs of both hobbyists and serious cyclists.
In addition to what will eventually become a network of 500 kilometres of on-street bike routes for cyclists across the city, the plan also recommends the use of marked bicycle-only lanes.
Historically, the city has used shared lanes to accommodate cyclists.
"The plan that is being proposed will chip away at the problem over decades but I think if we were a little bolder up front we could achieve more and see the kind of shift toward people walking and cycling that our transportation master plan in its draft form calls for," Iveson said.
jhall@thejournal.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/...729/story.html
City councillor wants cyclists to have option of riding on sidewalks
BY GORDON KENT, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM AUGUST 25, 2009
EDMONTON - Edmonton cyclists should be allowed to keep safe by riding on the sidewalks beside main roads, Coun. Amarjeet Sohi says.
He asked for a report Tuesday on the steps needed to amend the bylaw that now only allows bicycles on sidewalks if they have wheels smaller than a 20-inch diameter, saying pedalling on the streets is often too dangerous.
“I ride my bike, and I ride it on the sidewalk. I know so many other people who ride on the sidewalk,” he said, explaining he uses multi-use trails or wider thoroughfares when possible, but sticks to a footpath rather that risk busy two-lane arterial roads.
“They’re breaking the law. The law doesn’t allow it. All I want is those people shouldn’t be given tickets.”
The changes wouldn’t apply to residential streets, downtown or Whyte Avenue, Sohi said.
“I don’t want to see people in a position where they would get a ticket just because they ride their bicycle on a sidewalk,” he said.
“What’s wrong with kids and mom and dad riding their bikes to a recreation centre or the public library or a convenience store?”
But Audra Jones, the city’s director of sustainable transportation, said staff asked hundreds of people from across Edmonton about this issue in 2007-08 during consultations on a new bicycle strategy, and most wanted the current rules retained.
“What we heard from cyclists is it’s safest if cyclists are predictable … The most predictable thing for cyclists to do is act like vehicles and ride on the road.”
Although two-wheelers are allowed on sidewalks in St. Albert, they can face collisions at driveways and crossings as well as the potential for hitting pedestrians, she said.
“Based on the feedback we received in the two years leading up to our bike plan, I think it was very clear that cyclists weren’t asking to ride on sidewalks.”
Michael Kalmanovitch, president of Edmonton Bicycle Commuters, also doesn’t support the proposal, saying cyclists on a sidewalk might not notice cars turning in front of them at intersections.
He’s also concerned about an increase in crashes between people on foot and people on wheels.
“If a cyclist is on a roadway, they’re following the rules of the road. If they’re on a sidewalk, which rules do they have to follow?” he asked.
“A fast-moving cyclist is a threat to a pedestrian.”
Coun. Don Iveson, an avid cyclist, said the proposal is symptom of a larger problem.
“Our roadways aren’t perceived to be safe for cyclists. That’s the root cause to deal with.”
Earlier this month, police began a crackdown on people biking, skateboarding or in-line skating on Whyte Avenue sidewalks between 109th and 99th Streets due to complaints from business owners and pedestrians.
Fines range from $100 to $250.
Sohi raised the issue after council’s transportation and public works committee approved a plan to spend $58 million by 2017 building new sidewalks, adding multi-use trails, marking on-street bicycle routes, constructing curb ramps and other parts of the new active transportation strategy.
This is less than the 10-year, $195-million budget proposed last year, because of the city’s financial condition, but three times higher than historical levels, according to a city report.
The overall strategy must still be approved this fall or next year.
gkent@thejournal.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/City+...208/story.html
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