Latest news with #bike lanes
CTV News
a day ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Calgary mayor, Alberta minister to discuss bike lanes as threats of removal loom
In a composite image made from two file photographs, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, left, is shown in Calgary on Oct. 25, 2021 and Alberta Minister of Transportation Devin Dreeshen is shown in Calgary on May 19, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh EDMONTON — It was 10 years ago this month that Edmonton city staff returned a national traffic safety award when the councillors of the day voted to rip up a trio of bike lanes that played a small role in winning the prize. Councillors considered the lanes unsafe and underutilized. Edmonton has since built a flurry of new lanes to higher standards in busier areas. But the spectre of lane removals is again looming — this time over both of Alberta's major cities. In recent months, Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen has said he thinks Edmonton and Calgary have been going the wrong way when it comes to building bike infrastructure. He has said the province hasn't ruled out stepping in. In April, Dreeshen called on Edmonton and Calgary to remove bike lanes from 'major corridors,' as he said they clash with provincial goals and investments in expanding roadway networks for vehicles. Dreeshen, in an April interview, said his eyes were set on four already-finished bike lanes in Edmonton, plus an additional project that was nearly complete. When it came to Calgary, he said he hadn't done the same level of digging for examples. He traded brief letters with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek earlier this summer over the future of bike infrastructure in her city, and the two are set to meet Wednesday to discuss next steps. Just like the reasoning used in 2015 by Edmonton councillors, Dreeshen has said the lanes he's concerned about aren't being used enough to justify their cost and, in turn, are making commutes longer for drivers. Francisco Alaniz Uribe, a professor at the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, said little has changed in the politics of bike lanes over the past 10 years. He expects it to remain a political conversation for years to come. 'We are in a moment where we're shifting some of our values of what we have been doing for decades, which is to prioritize the car on the street,' Alaniz Uribe said. 'And that has come to a point where you cannot continue to add capacity to that — there's no more room for extra lanes. 'But the political part of it is that there's a huge pushback on these changes for people that are accustomed and used to what is the status quo.' He said what's usually missing in the political conversation around bike lanes is data. 'They make streets safer, they allow for other aspects of urban planning to develop like making our cities more compact and building housing closer to employment centres, not having to spend so much money on parking, and even opening space for trees and green infrastructure,' Alaniz Uribe said. 'It is very difficult to talk about those in this kind of political conversation. Is it really the issue — bike lanes — or are we talking about more (of) a resistance to change?' City planners in Edmonton and Calgary say the actual percentage of cycling infrastructure that shares the road with cars is small in terms of each city's overall cycling network. In Edmonton, separated bike lanes and painted, but not protected, bike lanes make up just five per cent of the city's roughly 1,500 kilometres of cycling infrastructure, said Natalie Lazurko with the city's infrastructure department. Just how much of that five per cent meets the 'major corridor' threshold set by Dreeshen is unclear. Earlier this month, his office said the province is undertaking a review of existing bike lanes in both cities. Dreeshen has said the province hasn't ruled out stepping in to remove existing bike lanes, and that Alberta could follow Ontario in legislating that any new bike lane coming at the price of removing a vehicle lane would require provincial approval. Ontario's law, passed last year, also gave it the power to order municipalities to remove bike lanes and reinstall traffic lanes. A Charter challenge has been launched against parts of the bill, and awaits a judicial ruling. Lazurko said it would be difficult to pivot if the province or the next city council were to act on anti-bike lane urges. Adapting to new directions handed down by elected officials is also just part of the job, she said. 'Right now, we have a plan. Council has approved that plan. We're moving forward with that mandate,' said Lazurko. The plan, approved by council in 2020, set Edmonton's philosophy around bike infrastructure as being necessary to ensure residents have options to get around as the city grows. 'We have to rely on other ways of getting around. Otherwise, we're going to be living in congestion all over the place,' Lazurko said. 'We're not moving away from vehicular travel in Edmonton — that's never going to happen — but we are looking at providing more opportunities for people to travel in a different way.' A spokesperson for Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, who, unlike Gondek, isn't seeking re-election in the municipal elections this fall, said the minister hadn't requested a meeting with him about bike lanes. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
CTV News
21-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
More split opinions over Halifax bike lane project
As the debate over whether Morris Street in Halifax should be made a one-way for bike lanes continues, the owner of a bookstore located on the street, has a strong stance on the matter. 'I think it's a good idea. The last council debated it, did all sorts of research, took in input from the port, from the hospital, from everyone around. And they passed it, I think it's a good idea,' says Chris Green, the owner of Atlantic News. A focal point in the debate seems to be whether making Morris Street a one-way will increase traffic congestion. Green says it's obvious the change will only help that concern. 'If you improve bike lanes, (that means) more people rid(ing) bikes, less people in cars. So, it will help congestion,' he says. But Dave Buffet, the president of HRM'S Taxi Association, calls the plan a 'failed experiment,' and says his drivers aren't happy about it. 'We get complaints all the time, (saying) 'Dave, what are they doing and can we do anything about this Dave? Can we fight them on it?' says Buffet. 'I think it's a really poor idea. I think it should have been tested on the drawing board, so to speak.' Buffet argues people will face delays getting to their destination, as drivers face delays getting to them. 'We're potentially going to drive by more passengers and say 'oh gosh, I missed that address. Now I've got all the way around the block,'' says Buffet. 'That could easily add another five minutes to the wait time, which is significant. That could be 50 per cent more than if we hadn't missed it.' Meanwhile, from a business standpoint, Green isn't worried about the project affecting his store. Though even he admits it will take time for everyone to adjust. 'Any sort of change at the beginning will cause ripples, certainly, but I think in the long run for this city, it's a good idea.' For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
13-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Transportation minister says Alberta is 'actively reviewing' bike lanes
Alberta's provincial government is "actively reviewing" bike lanes that draw the ire of local residents. Devin Dreeshen, provincial minister of transportation and economic corridors, said the province is reviewing bike lanes that draw concern from residents. He said the reasoning behind the move is to continue Alberta's work to build a "safe, efficient road network." "Alberta's government supports active transportation, but we're concerned when municipalities use taxpayer dollars to reduce road capacity at a time when our province is investing billions to expand it," said Dreeshen via an emailed statement. "While we fund major infrastructure projects, like the Deerfoot, to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, some local decisions are moving in the opposite direction removing driving lanes." When asked, earlier this week, whether the province is planning to review both active and future bike lane projects, and if any current bike lanes are already under review, Dreeshen's office did not reply. The minister's statement follows a June 27 letter he addressed to Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek where Dreeshen said he was concerned about bike lanes being built at the expense of road capacity, and with how this work affects provincial road capacity. Gondek's response in a July 3 letter invited Dreeshen to a meeting on how to best support Calgary's transportation needs. Bike lanes at the expense of vehicle capacity? Alberta minister pens letter with concerns 9 days ago Duration 1:47 Alberta's transportation minister sent a letter late in June to ask for a meeting with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek to talk about cycling infrastructure. Bike Calgary, a local cycling advocacy group, hopes Alberta won't follow suit with Ontario, where the Doug Ford government has given itself powers to remove existing bike lanes and require approvals for new projects. Calgary currently has roughly 290 kilometres of on-street bikeways and cycle tracks. City council approved $56 million for Calgary's network of pathways and bikeways in 2023, and its long-term transportation plan looks to expand the network more throughout the next 60 years, including several ongoing projects to build further bikeway connections around the city. In April, Dreeshen also voiced opposition to Edmonton's planned bike-lane expansions. He said the province supports bike lanes "when they make sense," but won't support "tax dollars being used to reduce road capacity." In the past, Calgary residents have raised concerns about some of the city's bike lane projects, arguing they add more traffic congestion. Provincial review lacks clarity, says city councillor The purpose and process behind a provincial review of bike lanes is unclear, said Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott in an interview with CBC News. The infrastructure isn't under provincial jurisdiction, and within Calgary's central neighbourhoods, the lanes are far removed from the provincial road network. "The provincial networks are highways. We're not talking about the Beltline. [From] the Beltline, it takes three different roads to get to a provincial road essentially, in many cases. And none of them will have cycling tracks on them," Walcott said. When it comes to congestion, Walcott argued research has shown more lanes of traffic doesn't effectively tackle this problem. But alternative modes of transportation like bike lanes and public transit can ease congestion. Regardless, when Walcott hears complaints from his constituents about bike lanes, typically it has more to do with parking than road capacity. For example, the pathways on 11th Street and 15th Avenue S.W. have drawn complaints for removing parking spaces or interfering with loading zones. In some cases, Walcott said the city can respond to improve accessibility for all of a pathway's users. But he added that less on-street parking is sometimes a tradeoff the city makes to make space for cyclists, buses or pedestrians. "That's what it means to share the road a little bit differently," said Walcott. "These issues seem very beneath the minister." Walcott added he was frustrated to have conversations around the value of bike lanes, after the recent death of a cyclist. Calgary police said a man using an electric bike in a designated bike lane on 26th Avenue S.W. in Killarney died after colliding with a dump truck. Walcott noted the collision occurred in an unprotected, painted bike lane that's slated for construction to become a lane separated and protected from cars. "The reality is [bike lanes are] good for the city, it's good for the health of the individuals using them, it's good for reducing traffic on the road, it's good for the environment, and it's really cost-effective," Walcott said. Politicized debate Francisco Alaniz Uribe, an associate professor at the University of Calgary's school of architecture, planning and landscape, said the political nature of urban planning debates has been seen more often in Canada lately, noting a similar ongoing issue in Ontario. The Ontario government passed a bill last year that allows it to remove major bike lanes in Toronto, despite the city's objections. Under the bill, cities also must now seek provincial approval to install new bike lanes that cut into vehicle traffic. A temporary injunction in April halted Ontario's plans to remove three Toronto bike lanes until a judge rules on a Charter challenge by cycling advocates. On Wednesday, an Ontario court dismissed the province's attempt to appeal the court order. Alaniz Uribe said Calgary's approach to creating a cycling network has involved extensive consultation, but that urban planning debates are always highly political because they involve discussing how we use shared spaces in our cities. Cars have dominated streets for decades, Alaniz Uribe said, adding that urban planning now often involves carving out space for cyclists, wider sidewalks, public transit or more trees, which usually faces pushback. "We're trying to change a value set where for a long time our value set has been the private automobile. And now, we're trying to get some of that space back for something that is not the automobile," Alaniz Uribe said.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Transportation minister says Alberta is 'actively reviewing' bike lanes
Alberta's provincial government is "actively reviewing" bike lanes that draw the ire of local residents. Devin Dreeshen, provincial minister of transportation and economic corridors, said the province is reviewing bike lanes that draw concern from residents. He said the reasoning behind the move is to continue Alberta's work to build a "safe, efficient road network." "Alberta's government supports active transportation, but we're concerned when municipalities use taxpayer dollars to reduce road capacity at a time when our province is investing billions to expand it," said Dreeshen via an emailed statement. "While we fund major infrastructure projects, like the Deerfoot, to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, some local decisions are moving in the opposite direction removing driving lanes." When asked, earlier this week, whether the province is planning to review both active and future bike lane projects, and if any current bike lanes are already under review, Dreeshen's office did not reply. The minister's statement follows a June 27 letter he addressed to Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek where Dreeshen said he was concerned about bike lanes being built at the expense of road capacity, and with how this work affects provincial road capacity. Gondek's response in a July 3 letter invited Dreeshen to a meeting on how to best support Calgary's transportation needs. Calgary currently has roughly 290 kilometres of on-street bikeways and cycle tracks. City council approved $56 million for Calgary's network of pathways and bikeways in 2023, and its long-term transportation plan looks to expand the network more throughout the next 60 years, including several ongoing projects to build further bikeway connections around the city. In April, Dreeshen also voiced opposition to Edmonton's planned bike-lane expansions. He said the province supports bike lanes "when they make sense," but won't support "tax dollars being used to reduce road capacity." In the past, Calgary residents have raised concerns about some of the city's bike lane projects, arguing they add more traffic congestion. The purpose and process behind a provincial review of bike lanes is unclear, said Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott in an interview with CBC News. The infrastructure isn't under provincial jurisdiction, and within Calgary's central neighbourhoods, the lanes are far removed from the provincial road network. "The provincial networks are highways. We're not talking about the Beltline. [From] the Beltline, it takes three different roads to get to a provincial road essentially, in many cases. And none of them will have cycling tracks on them," Walcott said. When it comes to congestion, Walcott argued research has shown more lanes of traffic doesn't effectively tackle this problem. But alternative modes of transportation like bike lanes and public transit can ease congestion. Regardless, when Walcott hears complaints from his constituents about bike lanes, typically it has more to do with parking than road capacity. For example, the pathways on 11th Street and 15th Avenue S.W. have drawn complaints for removing parking spaces or interfering with loading zones. In some cases, Walcott said the city can respond to improve accessibility for all of a pathway's users. But he added that less on-street parking is sometimes a tradeoff the city makes to make space for cyclists, buses or pedestrians. "That's what it means to share the road a little bit differently," said Walcott. "These issues seem very beneath the minister." Walcott added he was frustrated to have conversations around the value of bike lanes, after the recent death of a cyclist. Calgary police said a man using an electric bike in a designated bike lane on 26th Avenue S.W. in Killarney died after colliding with a dump truck. Walcott noted the collision occurred in an unprotected, painted bike lane that's slated for construction to become a lane separated and protected from cars. "The reality is [bike lanes are] good for the city, it's good for the health of the individuals using them, it's good for reducing traffic on the road, it's good for the environment, and it's really cost-effective," Walcott said. Francisco Alaniz Uribe, an associate professor at the University of Calgary's school of architecture, planning and landscape, said the political nature of urban planning debates has been seen more often in Canada lately, noting a similar ongoing issue in Ontario. The Ontario government passed a bill last year that allows it to remove major bike lanes in Toronto, despite the city's objections. Under the bill, cities also must now seek provincial approval to install new bike lanes that cut into vehicle traffic. A temporary injunction in April halted Ontario's plans to remove three Toronto bike lanes until a judge rules on a Charter challenge by cycling advocates. On Wednesday, an Ontario court dismissed the province's attempt to appeal the court order. Alaniz Uribe said Calgary's approach to creating a cycling network has involved extensive consultation, but that urban planning debates are always highly political because they involve discussing how we use shared spaces in our cities. Cars have dominated streets for decades, Alaniz Uribe said, adding that urban planning now often involves carving out space for cyclists, wider sidewalks, public transit or more trees, which usually faces pushback. "We're trying to change a value set where for a long time our value set has been the private automobile. And now, we're trying to get some of that space back for something that is not the automobile," Alaniz Uribe said.
