Bike lanes
I’ve commuted on bikes all my adult life. I could manage without bike lanes. But our children don’t, nor our parents and grandparents. They deserve a safe way to get around the city. We need a connected active transit network. Complemented by 30 km/h limits on neighbourhood streets, one-way conversions, cyclist aware parking, mixed use trails.
Where I stand
Bike lanes work when they are part of a safe transit network that connects people to their destinations.
Saint John already has several good segments. The Main Street bike lane almost extends to Douglas Avenue, with only about 500 metres missing to reach Churchill Boulevard, and from there up to the Hospital and University.
Not every street can fit a bike lane. But every street can be made safe for people on bikes. A good network matches the city, built around what each street can carry. Arterials, the wide and fast roads that carry high traffic volume at high speeds, need bike lanes for safe cycling. That’s the most expensive, and most used, part of the network: protected lanes with curbs and separation. Neighbourhood streets need a different tool: a 30 km/h speed limit and traffic calming, so regardless of vehicle choice, people can share the road safely.
A network that gets people to their destination is still missing one thing: bike parking. Bikes take up far less space than cars, and a rack costs about $500. But while businesses have parking minimums for cars, there is nothing equivalent for bikes. Most riders today lock to whatever they can find.
What I will push for on council
- Protected lanes on arterials, real ones with curbs and separation.
- 30 km/h on neighbourhood streets so bikes and cars can share safely without bike lanes (see also: Walkability and traffic calming).
- One-way conversions on narrow streets where a contraflow protected bike lane fits.
- Connect Uptown to Atlantic Superstore on Rothesay Avenue.
- Extend the Main Street bike lane to Douglas Avenue and connect to Churchill Boulevard.
- Make any major road renovation consider cyclists from the design phase.
- Introduce 30 km/h on Union Street and review parking layouts to make the shared road surface safe.