Temporary bike lanes decision delayed
Council divided over closing traffic lanes without consultation
WATERLOO REGION — A decision about closing lanes on several regional roads to create 24 kilometres of temporary bike lanes while vehicle traffic is down during the pandemic was pushed back for a week by Waterloo Region council following concerns from some councillors about the lack of public consultation.
Council had a long debate Tuesday about the staff recommendation for a rapid reallocation of select four-lane roads in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo to create temporary dedicated bike lanes which would allow for more opportunities for active transportation and also physical distancing on trails and sidewalks to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“This just lets us take advantage of a really good opportunity,” transportation director Steve van De Keere told councillors in his presentation. “We’re hoping to get everything in before August.”
There was a divide between councillors who were enthusiastic, and those who objected to there being no opportunity for the community to offer input into the proposal that would affect vehicle traffic on major roadways, including Westmount Road, before being put to council for a vote just a day after the report was made public.
A motion to defer the decision until staff could present a public consultation plan put forward by Coun. Sean Strickland resulted in a tied vote, leading to a unanimous vote to postpone the decision to the council meeting next Wednesday.
“I support active transportation, but I also support due process,” Strickland said. “I don’t think we can just do this overnight.”
Coun. Geoff Lorentz seconded the deferral motion, questioning the safety and use by cyclists, and citing the need to get the public on board.
“I don’t know what the rush is,” Lorentz said. “I think we need to rethink this.
Traffic volumes on area municipality and regional roads are about a third lower than before the pandemic, going up from about half recently as people begin returning to work and more businesses reopen.
The selection criteria, in consultation with area municipalities, included roads with no existing cycling facilities or planned improvements, key gaps in cycling networks, bus delays and roads already identified for “road diets.”
Regional staff recommended the closure of curb lanes with traffic cones on:
King Street/Coronation Boulevard/Dundas Street from Bishop Street to Beverly Street,
Cambridge;
Westmount Road from Queen’s Boulevard to University Avenue, Kitchener and Waterloo;
Frederick Street from Weber Street to Lancaster Street, Kitchener;
Erb Street from Westmount Road to Caroline Street, Waterloo;
Erb from Peppler Street to Margaret Avenue (one lane only), Waterloo;
Bridgeport Road, King Street to Margaret Avenue (one lane only), Waterloo.
“I think it really shows the innovation of Waterloo Region,” said Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworksy. “I’m sure some things won’t work, but we’ll certainly learn lots.”
Regional Chair Karen Redman said she understood the concerns, but she said there was nothing new in the report and it was a pilot project that would come back to council for review. A deferral would lose valuable time to act, especially as summer is almost here.
“There’s a window of opportunity that exists now and may not come again,” Redman said.
Coun. Sue Foxton agreed. “This is the door opening folks. This is the door opening for that change in lifestyle that we’ve always been talking about.”
Coun. Tom Galloway, chair of the committee of the whole, expressed surprise about all the conversation, saying the main purpose was to make it possible for people to walk and cycle safely.
“We need to provide more facilities for people to properly social distance,” Galloway said. “We’re seizing the opportunity. We didn’t get any notice about the virus coming.”
He said public consultations could take a month or two.
“We’re responding to a public health crisis,” Galloway said. “I think there is an urgency here that needs to be met.”
Councillors voted unanimously to refer the matter to next week’s meeting, when there will be some information from staff about what a public consultation process will look like.