City council is looking into alternative ways to incorporate bike lanes on an east Edmonton street, after residents say it comes at the expense of parking and safe street access.
The city is currently planning to install bike lanes and shared pathways along a large swath of 50 Street, between 102 Avenue and 109A Avenue. That portion cuts through Capilano, Gold Bar and Fulton Place.
It’s part of the city’s Active Transportation Network Expansion Program, which looks to improve and add shared pathways to a number of roads.
City administration has since ordered a pause on construction until Tuesday so council can consider other ways to incorporate active transportation along the road.
Dozens of residents, like Shauna Dowson, gathered on Monday to protest the current plans and to ask city council to reconsider the bike lanes.
Shauna Dowson has lived in the Capilano neighbourhood for about 26 years. She said she wants to see the city accommodate both drivers and cyclists. (Craig Ryan/CBC)
“Parking is obviously at the heart of this, but so is safety. And I don’t think that the safety of one group of people should be overshadowed by another group of people,” said Dowson, who has lived in the Capilano neighbourhood for almost 26 years.
“If they put the bike lanes and take the parking away, there’s no way for you to, for example, get an Uber and get out of that Uber safely.”
As a result, she said traffic congestion could skyrocket in the area.
Dowson also said residents had only recently learned of the city’s plans to install bike lanes on the street. She said she remembers the city conducted consultation several years ago, but didn’t follow up.
“What has been at the heart of the decision-making has not been citizens, but in rapid implementation. And that’s not right,” she said.
Dowson said she and other residents are asking for the city to reconsider an option to install bike lanes that would accommodate drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and residents.
Bike lane woes came to a head earlier this year, when Alberta Transportation Minister, Devin Dreeshen, said legislation would cycle through the legislature this fall, which could give the government more power to review or remove bike lanes.
Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador, who represents the area, said she hopes city council can strike a balance when it comes to this bike lane.
A large median separates 50 Street, which runs accross three east Edmonton neighbourhoods. (Emma Zhao/CBC)
She said the city looked at alternative ways to balance bike lanes and street parking.
“In this case, we’re not dealing with a narrow or constrained roadway. We’re talking about a road that has four lanes of traffic and about a 10 metre-wide centre-running median,” said Salvador.
“So there is room to accommodate everyone and I think we should be looking at how we can do that.”
Edmonton’s city council is expected to weigh out other options starting today.