Protected bike lanes will stay in downtown

Council votes narrowly in favour until a comprehensive plan can be developed

Pedal pushers in Saskatoon may be pleased.

Protected bike lanes will remain in the downtown area, although city councillors were split on the results of a pilot project presented to council on Monday. Council voted narrowly in favour of keeping the bike lanes on Fourth Avenue and 23rd Street until a comprehensive, all-ages and abilities plan for a downtown bike network can be developed.

Councillors noted they heard both support and opposition regarding the lanes, which were installed on 23rd Street in 2015 and on Fourth Avenue in 2016.

The Fourth Avenue route appears to be the most controversial. Ward 4 Coun. Troy Davies said he wanted those lanes removed as soon as weather permits, saying he’s heard strong opposition from his constituents.

“Numbers don’t lie,” he said. “The majority of residents that contacted me and responded to the survey want the bike lane on Fourth Avenue removed.”

Davies and councillors Randy Donauer, Bev Dubois and Darren Hill supported his motion to drop the Fourth Avenue lanes, citing lack of public support, the cost associated with maintaining them and the unknown future impact of changes like the opening of the rebuilt Traffic Bridge and introduction of a bus rapid-transit system.

Mayor Charlie Clark and councillors Hilary Gough, Zach Jeffries, Sarina Gersher, Cynthia Block and Mairin Loewen voted in favour of keeping all of the bike lanes.

Loewen noted she’s heard “mixed feedback” on the lanes. While the pilot project was not perfect, it would be a step backwards to remove the existing lanes because an upcoming report will provide more insight into where they should be located, she said.

The mixed feedback is part of the process because the introduction of bike lanes is a “major change” for the city, representing a “significant shift” from the status quo, Loewen added.

“It would be foolish to remove these lanes and go back to square one at another location, or to remove these lanes and find out that actually, when all is considered, Fourth Avenue is the best location.”

The report on the pilot project found additional education for all road users would be beneficial. The city administration plans to distribute more material on shared bike lanes in the spring and work with Saskatchewan Government Insurance to include information on protected bike lanes in future editions of the Driver’s Handbook.