Surrey council endorsed a \u201cLong-Term Cycling Vision\u201d on Monday night, but not everyone is a fan.<\/p>\n
A corporate report from Scott Neuman, Surrey\u2019s general manager of engineering, notes that Surrey began installing painted bike lanes on most of its arterial roads in 2004.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a result, Surrey now has the largest network of painted bike lanes in Metro Vancouver,\u201d Neuman writes. \u201cDespite this,cycling currently represents about one per cent of all trips.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neuman maintains the plan put before council gives city hall \u201ca clear, evidence-based framework to deliver a safe, connected, and equitable cycling network\u201d focusing on routes that link town centres, connect with rapid transit, and affords access to \u201ckey destinations, supporting the City\u2019s goals of complete, sustainable communities and less reliance on cars.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Tim Yzerman, chairman of HUB Cycling\u2019s Surrey\/White Rock committee, charges city hall with \u201climiting public engagement\u201d and \u201ctrying to make large changes to how the city is run without any public engagement.<\/p>\n
\u201cSurrey is proposing a radical change to the cycling network by cutting many routes from its long term vision, cutting cycling routes from neighbourhood concept plans, Surrey Cycling Plan, Surrey Greenways plan that were all made with public engagement,\u201d Yzerman said.<\/p>\n
The corporate report that came before council on Monday night, Yzerman said, was made \u201cwithout seeking input from the cycling advocates that have working knowledge of the cycling network.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neuman\u2019s report indicates Surrey has longer average travel distances \u2013 6.2 kilometre per trip compared to 4.4 kilometres regionally \u2013 and many of its painted bike lanes \u201crun directly beside busy traffic.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven so, cycling in Surrey increased by 56 per cent between 2017 and 2023, reaching roughly 19,000 daily trips; the second highest total in the region after Vancouver,\u201d Neuman told council.<\/p>\n
Upgrading the city\u2019s painted bike lanes to protected lanes, he maintains, where \u201ccyclists are physically separated from vehicles, remains difficult, especially on busy arterials and collector roads\u201d and converting the entire network to \u201cprotected facilities\u201d would cost an estimated $1.5 billion and \u201ctake more than 150 years at typical delivery rates.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor these reasons, the City needs a clear, practical plan to upgrade and expand the cycling network, one that reflects the true cost of protected infrastructure and balances cycling investments with other transportation priorities.\u201c<\/p>\n