City council needs to show support for the new bike lanes

Editor:

I am writing in support of the downtown bike lanes along 4th Avenue and 7th Street South, and for continued development of a cohesive and connected network of safe cycling infrastructure within the city of Lethbridge.

I am dismayed by councillor Dodic’s motion to tear up the existing bike lanes and put a halt on further cycling infrastructure. If the issue is around accessibility, there are certainly workable solutions. Jurisdictions around the world have managed to create safe and inclusive bike routes – that accommodate a wide range of accessibility needs. Safe cycling infrastructure and accessibility are not mutually exclusive.

They can and do co-exist. In fact there is plenty of evidence to show that communities that prioritize safe cycling, improve accessibility and equitable transport.

Take a look at Dutch Cycling Embassy

(https://dutchcycling.nl/) and Melissa and

Chris Bruntlett (https://www.modacitylife.com/). It may well be that the existing design requires tweaking, but tearing it up is beyond ridiculous!

Councillor Dodic further claims that “the bicycle lanes has [sic] created problems during snow events as well as anecdotally has been almost universally seen as a barrier to the success of downtown businesses”. No doubt the construction downtown (for more than just a bike lane) was disruptive to downtown businesses.

However I think it’s premature and an overreach to assert that the bike lanes are responsible for the universal lack of success of downtown businesses.

The bike lane was only completed at the end of November (I was able to take an inaugural ride on December 2 after most of the pylons had been removed). As for effect on business, you don’t need to go far in a literature review to see the overwhelming evidence that cycling infrastructure contributes to a significant economic boost to local businesses.

We haven’t yet had a cycling season on these new bike lanes.

When the bike lane opened on 4th Avenue, I was ecstatic! We live just east of the downtown core and often dine, shop and recreate in downtown either on foot or by bike.

Without a dedicated bike lane, we have had many close calls with motorists. The combination of traffic calming and protected bike lanes are going to be a game changer in safely accessing downtown.

Councillor Dodic ponders that “painted lines as was done on 13th Street North” may be the way forward. I’ve rediscovered cycling recently and in just over 2 years (including 3 Lethbridge winters) I’ve cycled 8000 km – 6400 of those kilometres in Lethbridge. Once I rode up 13th Street North on the “bike path.”

It is not safe. Painted lines are not safe infrastructure.

Our home is about one kilometre from Centre Village Mall on 13th Street North, but there is no safe way to cycle there.

Instead it’s an 11 km bike ride (one way) along the bike boulevard and designated bike paths to the south end shopping centres.

The point is not everyone in Lethbridge drives a car (or wants to drive a car) and there should be safe infrastructure for all modes of transportation. The downtown bike lanes are a terrific start towards this.

It seems nearly every city around the world has figured out that cycling infrastructure benefits everyone – not just cyclists.

Passing this motion would be a terrible step backwards for the city of Lethbridge. On top of that, what kind of disrespect is this to the processes we have in place? (To the City planners, Cycling Master Plan, Transportation Master Plan, countless hours of community engagement?)

With the stroke of a pen we can undo all of that?

I want to live in a vibrant city that makes space for everyone – and that most certainly includes cyclists and individuals who choose active modes of transportation.

I ask this council to preserve the existing bike lanes and continue to support and develop safe cycling infrastructure throughout the city. Henriette Plas

Lethbridge