Members of Brampton City Council say they’ve found a way to prevent what cycling activists are calling “a domino effect” of dwindling bike lanes in the city.

“This isn’t about trying to rip apart a system – this is about listening to our residents, listening to the cyclists as well, and finding what that balance is,” said Wards 3 and 4 Coun. Dennis Keenan in council chambers on Wednesday.

Keenan and his Wards 3 and 4 counterpart Martin Medeiros had put forward a motion calling for the city to convert bike lanes on Charolais Boulevard between James Potter Road and Hodgson Street back to four traffic lanes.

The proposal originally called for the “immediate” removal of the protected bike lanes while the city explores alternatives for maintaining the city’s active transportation network.

But after speaking with other councillors, as well as Brampton MPP and Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, the Charolais Boulevard bike lanes will stay in place until the end of August.

READ MORE: Even more bike lanes could be scrapped for additional car traffic on Brampton street

And as a further “compromise” with other councillors, Keenan accepted amendments to the motion that will lead to the development of a multi-use path to replace the Charolais Boulevard bike lanes, as well as another multi-use path to replace bike lanes on Howden Boulevard.

Coun. Rowena Santos, who has arguably been the most vocal supporter of bike lanes on Brampton City Council, called replacing the scrapped bike lanes with multi-use paths an “ideal” compromise for local residents who are fed up with bike lanes and active cycle track users.

A survey of area residents found 83 per cent of respondents “are not in favour of bike lanes on Charolais,” while 53 per cent said they use the road daily. Nearly 38 per cent also said they are in support of the city’s cycling network, but not on Charolais, Mederios says.

David Laing is the chair of Bike Brampton, and told INsauga.com the “domino effect” of lost bike lanes started around a year ago on Royal West Drive.

He suspects that city councillors facing re-election in the upcoming October municipal election are pushing back against bike lanes to quell complaints and “make the problem go away.”

A proposal from Wards 2 and 6 Coun. Navjit Kaur Brar last month looks to scrap the dedicated bike lane on the south side of Clockwork Drive between Brisdale Drive and Thornbush Boulevard to allow for more vehicle parking while still maintaining “east–west active transportation connectivity.”

Converting the bike lane into an urban shoulder on Clockwork Drive would cost $740, according to the report.

And the push to remove protected bike lanes on Howden Boulevard was led by Ward 7 Coun. Rod Power, who for months urged council colleagues to get rid of the cycle track between Dixie Road and Williams Parkway.

Laing said Brampton’s bike lanes are part of the Active Transportation Master Plan, Vision 2040 and Mobility Plan, and were implemented after a multi-year process that involved bringing in expertise and industry experts, stakeholders, and public engagement.

He called removing any bike lanes in Brampton “a short-sighted mistake,” and questioned why council would “remove this infrastructure without due process,” like was done for the Active Transportation Master Plan.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said while it may seem like bike lanes are “an issue that divides council,” he suggested the compromise through Keenan and suggested council is “closer to being on the same page as we may appear.”

City staff are expected to report back in June on the costs of adding multi-use paths to replace bike lanes on Charolais and Howden Boulevards.


INsauga’s Editorial Standards and Policies

Last 30 Days: 51,374 Votes

All Time: 1,360,197 Votes

841 VOTES
Will you visit the new Ontario Science Centre when it opens?

WIN A $100 GIFT CARD

Subscribe to INsauga’s daily email newsletter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.