Study of city bike racks being pushed forward
Gignac pushes for $350,000 active transportation study to be fast-tracked
Windsor city council has decided to fast-track an active transportation study and review the issue of bike racks in the city and who will pay for them.
City council was to review the issue of bicycle parking at Monday night’s meeting with an administration report recommending compensation for bicycle racks on a cost-recovery basis.
But Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac questioned administration on the progress of an approved active transportation study, and learned that despite being approved by council, it has not moved forward because other projects took precedence.
That study, expected to cost between $300,000 and $350,000, will now be fast-tracked thanks to a motion Gignac brought forward.
“Small businesses need any advantage they can get in this world of big box stores, malls and chain restaurants — studies show this,” Walkerville Business Improvement Association chair Cara Kennedy told council.
She said cyclists make more frequent visits to stores where they are properly accommodated.
“We want the city to make bicycling more accessible because if you do, the BIAs will see more business,” Kennedy said.
The study on bicycle parking will involve feedback from the city’s BIAs, but businesses outside the BIAs will be taken into consideration in the wider study.
Lori Newton of Bike Windsor Essex said she wants bicycle parking to become a line item in city budgets.
“We do not recover the millions of dollars spent on car parking,” Newton said.
Amy Farkas, chair of the Windsor Bicycling Committee, said making it easier for cyclists to park their bikes will lead to more positive benefits for health and business.
“Bike racks are a lot cheaper than parking lots,” Farkas said.
“Making small-scale interventions can really have a positive effect on our community.”
The city last updated its bicycle parking on public policy in 2004 and city administration decided it was time for a revamp.
The existing policy does not provide guidance on how requests for on-street bicycle parking should be addressed.
It also does not address funding for installation or maintenance of on-street bicycle parking.
In BIA areas, the maintenance costs would be the responsibility of the BIA. Outside of BIAs, the costs would be covered by the city.
The city report recommends making bicycle parking a priority in its future streetscaping projects.
Administration also is recommending a reserve fund for bicycle parking maintenance.
If council agrees to the active transportation study, it will be part of the 2018 budget and will take roughly a year to complete.
Kennedy said that parking is already at a premium in Walkerville and bicycles need to be accommodated.
“If an active transportation study is going to be fast-tracked, that is what we need,” said Kennedy.
Money for the active transportation study will come from the city’s budget stabilization reserve fund.