Notice that neither of the incumbents for St. George's ward commented on this issue. Peter Secord had previously commented that cycling is simply "a sport". What do you think?
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Here's the full copy and paste of the article that was printed on September 30, 2010:
Putting an election spin on bike lanes
MATTHEW VAN DONGEN, Standard StaffIn the past year, Jacob Schwenk has paid the city twice to ride his bicycle on Welland Ave.
The first time, in late 2009, Schwenk the taxpayer paid for new bike lanes — later removed due to complaints from local businesses — on the busy street between Grantham Ave. and Neilson Ave.
Soon after, Schwenk the cyclist paid again: a $60 fine for riding on the sidewalk.
“Yeah, I know it’s illegal. It’s not like I want to be on the sidewalk, deking around people,” he said. “But this section (of Welland Ave.) is just too dangerous. I’m not going to ride a foot away from a transport truck with no separation … I feel like $60 is kind of a hefty fine for trying to protect myself.”
The part-time landscaper isn’t travelling the east section of Welland Ave. for fun. He often rides his trusty Schwinn that way to work. He routinely gets groceries from the plaza at Welland Ave. and Bunting Rd. “This isn’t my toy; it’s my horse,” he said. “I use it for everything.”
The city is getting a rough ride over recent bike lane decisions.
Motorists and local businesses reacted angrily to slowdowns on Welland Ave. following the addition of bike lanes. When council reversed its decision and removed the lanes at an additional cost of more than $11,000, cyclists — and waste-wary taxpayers — were outraged.
Similar complaints about planned bike lanes for other major streets, including Pelham Rd., prompted council to send its bike lane policy back to the shop for repairs in late August, just two months before the municipal election.
That gives aspiring councillors the perfect opportunity to make their views known on the value of “sustainable transportation,” said Gary Murphy, an organizer with the Active Transportation Niagara Network.
The Region-sponsored group is dedicated to creating “safe and direct routes” for cyclists and pedestrians to all community destinations.
Murphy gives credit to the city for adding 30 kilometres of dedicated or shared bike lanes to local streets over the past few years.
“But there have been some bumps in the road, too,” he said.
The issue is not as simple as bike lanes, either.
The city’s new official plan promotes the idea of more sustainable thoroughfares that allow for sidewalks, bike lanes and street trees. It’s a transportation philosophy that caters to cyclists and pedestrians, as well as cars.
That typically means shrinking traffic lanes with a “road diet” like the one implemented on a section of Scott St., where four lanes of traffic were reduced to two plus a turning lane and dedicated bike lanes.
Murphy points to Scott St. as a success story — but he knows some residents would disagree.
Several letter writers to The Standard have argued adding bike lanes at the expense of car lanes on major thoroughfares is a recipe for snarled traffic, frustrated business owners and safety complaints.
It’s not always easy to compromise, Murphy noted.
His group is encouraging residents to ask their candidates about sustainable transportation issues in advance of the Oct. 25 vote.
Suggested questions include:
— What streets are the least safe and accessible for walking and cycling and what would you do to make them safer and more accessible?
— What infrastructure changes to support walking and cycling as forms of transportation are needed in your community?
— In your role as councillor or mayor, how strongly would you prioritize principles of walkable and bikeable communities in the planning of new developments and changes to existing infrastructure?
We asked candidates for their thoughts on bike lane policy Wednesday. Their responses are included below.
(This is the third article of a weekly Hot Topics election feature that will run every Thursday leading up to the Oct. 25 municipal vote. What issues matter to you? Tell us, and we'll consider your suggestions for Hot Topics. You can reach us by email at mailto:mvandongen@stcatharinesstandard.caor by phone at 905-684-7251, ext. 260.)
Candidate responses:
"I use our bicycle lanes, but sometime they're bloody dangerous… Lakeshore can be just deadly. I don't think we're looking enough at public safety. More bikes lanes is fine, but we need to be very careful where we put them."
– Jim Black, candidate for Grantham ward
"First and foremost in this entire debate, both car drivers and cyclists need to observe the rules of the road, and that has nothing to do with bicycling policy - that's a law enforcement issue. The bottom-line with respect to city policy is simple, and is actually spelled out in the city's Official Plan: the city should create a cycling network that connects major activity areas within St. Catharines, it should provide the amenities that cyclists need to promote bike use such as bike parking at city facilities, and it should create bike lanes on roadways where feasible. I believe the city should implement the Official Plan exactly as it is written. The contentious part is bike lanes, and the argument is over the feasibility issue.
The section of Welland Ave north of the QEW that was converted through a 'road diet' to bike lanes and then quickly converted back is an example of an area where bike lanes aren't feasible. When there is heavy industrial traffic that requires wide turning radiuses and the route is heavily trafficked by other types of vehicles, we shouldn't be making those efforts more difficult by reducing lanes. Cyclists are still able to use the route, but to significantly change the road to serve a very small minority simply doesn't make sense."
– Mat Siscoe, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Any transportation policy must be preceded by a comprehensive transportation policy. This policy should be as inclusive as possible with consideration given to motorists as well as cyclists. To have a sustainable, walkable, motorist friendly and cyclist friendly city a comprehensive master plan needs to be developed so as to avoid conflicts. This plan should be developed in conjunction with the Region since many main streets in St. Catharines are Regional Roads.
Education for both motorists and cyclists that will encompass the rights and responsibilities of both is a necessary component of any policy."
– Jennie Stevens, candidate for Merritton ward
"I see bicycle lanes as part of a strategy of civic beautification to counter past bad planning and to help the personal security of all who use our roads. I have been accused in this election of having a sinister strategy of promoting a so called "road diet" of advocating cycling lanes to promote congestion. I support bicycle lanes to promote road safety. It is important however, that both cyclists and drivers are educated in their use. One of the reasons we need cycling lanes is that having them builds confidence in inexperienced cyclists. Adequate education in cycling safety should be part of the basic high school curriculum. I learned more about cycling safety from my church Boy Scout group than school.
Another part of a whole street strategy is to convert to grass and tree bouvelards dead zones that are now concrete or asphalt. There is a bad example of this in front of St. George's Anglican Church. It even has steps! In some areas instead of being converted to grass, these dead zones could be turned into off street parking. This procedure is known as the cutaway. Installing a cutaway would have been helpful in keeping bicycle lanes on Pelham Road where there was a conflict with local business."
– John Bacher, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Bike Lanes and 'Complete Streets' are a nice idea if you have a newer city and there is unlimited space available. St.Catharines is a grand old city with many unique areas, and carpet solutions are not feasible to suit all of these areas. I am in favor of bike lanes, but only if they do not impede on the flow of traffic or business. Idling cars, especially in winter when the lanes aren't used, is backwards environmental policy. Scott St. between Niagara and Geneva is a perfect example of a street that takes longer to travel with the lanes. Ultimately the residents on a particular street should have the final say in weather the bike lanes should be implemented."
– Alan Ziemianin, candidate for Grantham ward
"I agree we all should work towards lessening our carbon footprint through the use of bicycles and walking. However, unless we focus on the revitalization of this great city and more specifically Downtown, then it won't be long before riders and walkers will have all kinds of space since the streets will be empty, the shops bare and for sale signs dominating front yards. "
– Scott Duff, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Bike lanes in the City are very much needed. We need to have them install correctly. We cannot shorten the width of the car driving lanes to create the bike lanes. We must widen the street to accommodate them. Doing anything in half measures often causes more problems than they correct."
– Dale Millar, candidate for St. George's ward
"I am disappointed that our current council has not taken a more proactive approach with respect to cycling, which is a viable and necessary mode of transportation for many in our community. The two-year-old bicycle lane policy did not need to be sent back to the drawing board…
I also believe that the main reason the bicycle racks on city buses don't get used as much as we'd like them to is because there is not an appropriate network of bicycle lanes and other bicycle-friendly policy to coincide with them. It's like having good roads within each city but no highways to connect them. There are still several issues with cars and the areas where bicycle lanes have been introduced, which are leading some to believe that bicycle lanes are not an appropriate venture; however, the only way to improve these issues is to continue to introduce bicycle lanes throughout the city to make cycling a safer mode of transportation."
– Laura Ip, candidate for St. George's ward
As a cyclist I want bike lanes where they are feasible. Lakeport Rd. is a great example. On busy roads we should be able to widen the sidewalk on one side (asphalt with painted lines) and turn that into a bicycle lane. Where roads cross the QEW there should be bike lanes at those crossings. I would love to see old railways lines paved and made into bicycle only routes.
– Rick Naldjieff, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"I am in support of the ongoing development of "Bike Lanes" throughout our city. St. Catharines' "Bike Lane" policy has developed and grown extensively over the past few years. I believe the continuation of this policy requires a "Check and Balance" approach to insure the quality of the bike lanes in regards to design, location and safety. We, as the leaders of our community, must take all the factors into consideration before making any definite decisions. We must exercise caution when it comes to the requests of "Special Interest" groups and make clear, concise and objective decisions in this regard. The "bike lane" policy needs to move forward in such a way that it truly reflects what is in the best interests of all our citizens.
I am aware that bike enthusiasts would love to see bike lanes on every major and minor transportation route in our city. Although I agree that would be nice, my concern regarding the "bike lane" policy is one of safety for both the bikers and the vehicle operators… Unfortunately, when a vehicle collides with a bike, it is usually the biker who sustains the more serious injuries. Not all the roadways in our city are designed to accommodate bike lanes and as a result the safety of bikers becomes an issue. It is for this reason that I think we need to put more effort and attention into the engineering and design of our "bike lanes" and where they would be best located… St. Catharines and the leaders of its community must place the safety of its citizens as its # 1 priority."
– Len Stack, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"There are many reasons to support the position for building and sustaining a community that supports biking and walking as primary modes of transportation. They include: health, social and economic benefits. As a member of the city's Community Advisory Committee for Sustainability, I believe we need to build St. Catharines into a vibrant and healthy city. Part of that discussion involves how we plan our city streets to be 'complete streets'. If we are to encourage citizens to rely on their cars less and choose walking and biking more often, then the environment in which they live, work and play must support walking and biking as forms of everyday transportation...
Lastly, in terms of process it is important that we reach out and engage all local stakeholders in the walkable/bikeable community discussion. Local businesses might have concerns about losing customers if parking spots are removed from the front of their store. These are valid concerns, especially during tough economic times, and they should be listened to thoroughly before any final decisions are made. It is important that we move forward with a shared vision for the future, and offer a menu of program activities to engage the community in the creation of environments that support walking and biking."
– Marty Mako, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"Having children nearing the age where they will be required to ride on the streets, I understand that the safety of riders should be of utmost importance when planning streets. The city already has approved provisions for bike lanes, and I believe that they should be supported. In older, established neighbourhoods where the streets are narrow, and bike lanes impractical, we should work to find alternative solutions."
In addition, I think any new span over the Twelve-mile creek as a replacement for the Burgoyne Bridge, must include proper bike lanes."
– Sean Polden, candidate for St. Andrew's ward
"The streets of our City are not only transportation networks, but also important components in the livability of our community. The concept of "complete streets" speaks to the need to develop roadways that create a means of safe efficient and enjoyable travel by all users, including drivers, cyclists, transit users and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
The goal of our cycling policy must be to create an interconnected primary transportation network of cycling lanes throughout our City, with a secondary goal of connectivity to our trails system. Cycling cannot be viewed solely under a recreational lens. It is the primary transportation mode of choice for many in our community and will be in greater demand as we build a more sustainable City based on smart growth principles."
– Mark Elliott, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"I support bike lanes in St. Catharines. Bike lanes provide a healthy alternative for the people that use them as well as our environment and provide safety for the cyclists. Its a cost effective means of transportation in our city and more and more people are biking it to work when they can, as well as leisure.
It's our responsibility to provide a safe environment for everyone. The attitude of "automobile traffic still rules the road" is archaic, and proves how some are un-open to change. By saying bike lanes belong in residential areas is biased. Overall this is just another example of how some have the inability to see the over all picture of the benefits such measures have. This year, I have seen more cyclists out on the streets then ever before, this might be due to bike lanes making them more obvious, or just the fact that more people are taking advantage of them. I guess people cannot truly appreciate what bike lanes have to offer 'til they use them."
– Robert George, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
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