THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay has adjusted a bylaw that effects traffic on sidewalks, bike lanes and multi-use trails.
The Thunder Bay Police Service revealed in a news release issued Friday that the previous bylaw section governing boulevards and multi-use trails had been scrapped. In its place is a new section 34.
The entire bylaw change, and question and answers supplied by the Thunder Bay Police Service, can be read below.
Boulevards and Bicycles
There has been an adjustment to section 34 of City of Thunder Bay By-law 065-2011 that will affect driving on City boulevards and Multi-Use Trails. This was ratified and passed July 27 2015.
The previous section 34 is deleted in its entirety and is replaced with the following:
34. Driving on Sidewalk, Curb, Boulevard, Bicycle Lane or Multi-Use Trail
(1) No person shall drive a Vehicle upon any Sidewalk, Curb , Boulevard, except to directly cross a
permanent driveway approved by the Corporation.
(2) No person shall drive a Vehicle, except Bicycles, upon a Bicycle Lane, except to directly cross a permanent driveway approved by the Corporation.
(3) No person shall drive a vehicle, except for non-motorized Vehicles that are propelled or driven by muscular power, including Bicycles, upon a Multi-Use Trail, except to directly cross a permanent driveway approved by the Corporation.
(4) Operation of a Vehicle contrary to this section constitutes an offence.
Q&A :
Question : Can a personal mobility scooter/device be driven on a sidewalk?
Answer- Those are deemed to be medical devices for the assistance of mobility for persons with a physical disability, and therefore fall within the definition of a wheelchair. Persons in a wheelchair are pedestrians.
Question : Can one of those mobility devices be driven on a Multi-Use Trail ?
Answer - Again, they are wheel chairs, so they will allow access and use to any place that a pedestrian can lawfully use.
Question: Can one of those mobility devices be used on a bicycle lane?
Answer - No. A Bicycle Lane is a portion of a roadway, and should be considered only as a designated use lane. No pedestrian, including those in a mobility device may impede vehicular traffic on a roadway. This would be an offence contrary to section 39(2) of the by-law.
Question: Can e-bikes be driven on a Multi-Use Trail or in bicycle lanes ?
Answer - That would be dependent upon the mode of power being used. If the pedals are deployed and the motor disengaged the answer would be yes. Please refer to subsection (3). Section one definition: (2) "Bicycle" means a Vehicle operated by muscular power having wheels of more than 43 cm in diameter."
Parking restrictions have been added to Hodder Ave. and Hudson Ave. to facilitate the bicycle lanes.
The intersection of Hutton Park Drive and Sunflower Street is now controlled by a stop sign. East/west traffic on Hutton Park Drive is now stopped at the intersection.
