Although city council approved more bike lanes across Thunder Bay Monday, some councillors aren’t happy with what they see as a lack of public consultation from the city’s active transportation plan.
The city will now have bike lanes on Balsam Street, John Street, McIntyre Street, Syndicate Avenue and Victoria avenue. But Shuniah Street, which will also have bike lanes after a unanimous vote by council, had two residents with over 200 signatures in front of council to say the bike lanes weren’t wanted.
"This is our street and the needs of the cyclists are being put ahead of the needs of the residents," said Jyl Barkley who made a deputation to council along with neighbour Barbara Brayshaw-Fontaine.
Bike lanes on either side of the street would remove parking, which is used by friends and families of Shuniah Street residents. Although city administration said there was sufficient parking along side streets, driveways and back lanes, Brayshaw-Fontaine told council that many people who visit the neighbourhood are elderly or have mobility issues.
The two suggested that parking could be saved by putting one direction of the bike lane on Shuniah Street and another on Otto or Toledo Street close by. But active transportation coordinator Adam Krupper said that would contradict the city’s plan to make bike lanes as simple as possible. And disrputing on-street parking on those streets, which has a much higher volume of parked cars, would cause more parking concerns than Shuniah Street residents have.
"I don’t think we would be able to accommodate all the parking on one side of the road," Krupper siad.
Coun. Joe Viridiramo pointed out that plans for Victoria Avenue, which include three different systems such as reducing the traffic to two lanes with a dedicated turning lane, don’t look simple.
"Three different types on one street. How confusing is that?" Virdiramo said. "How simple is that?"
Viridramo was also one of several councillors who chewed out administration for not consulting with Shuniah Street resident enough. Barkley and Brayshaw-Fontaine said they received only one letter about the changes to their street.
"One letter to residents asking for their input is not enough," Virdiramo said.
Coun. Ken Boshcoff agreed.
"I think in the way that this has come to the public," Boshcoff said. "It’s clear that we have a long way to go in addressing some of these situations and letting people know."
Current River Coun. Andrew Foulds said the bike lane has been a concern for resident s since at least last October but city council has already budgeted for widening the road to ensure safety, another concern for residents. And while it may be inconvenient for some people having to walk to houses the active transportation committee did their homework before recommending Shuniah Street. Despite residents saying they park on the street all the time, Foulds said in the last two weeks, he has only seen seven cars at one time parking on Shuniah Street.
"We saw that the active transposition committee spent years looking at this," Foulds said. "There was a process."
Council also heard from five deputants, including the representatives from the health unit and cycling clubs, who were in support of the additional bike lanes. Bicycle courier Kelsey Agnew said having bike lanes is a the best way for cyclists and drivers to share the road. Without them, drivers sometimes veer too far into an opposing lane of traffic for fear that they might hit a cyclist. She recommended that drivers and cyclists are trained about what the rules of the road are.
"Awareness and education in my opinion are key to a bike-friendly city," Agnew said.
