Comment
I think this is a bad proposal.
The province has many urgent issues on which it should be focusing (affordable housing, healthcare, long-term care, education, etc.). There is no need to add more things to the province's plate right now, especially when municipalities are fully capable of overseeing and managing the development or removal of bike lanes within their jurisdictions.
This proposal is, in essence, anti-democratic, as it unnecessarily limits municipalities' ability to manage their own affairs effectively.
It is also not clear that the removal of bike lanes or the halting of their development will actually lead to significant decongestion of city streets; research, in fact, suggests the opposite.
Studies, moreover, indicate that bike lanes are actually good for business and increase property values because they make neighbourhoods and local businesses more accessible rather than less accessible.
The cost of removing existing bike lanes is therefore a huge waste of taxpayer dollars, which is not worth whatever benefits it might bring about since research suggests that these benefits are likely negligible.
More worrying, though, is the fact that this proposal will remove from city streets existing infrastructure that currently keeps both motorists and cyclists safe while also supporting and encouraging an affordable and environmentally conscious form of transportation.
Supporting links
Submitted November 14, 2024 12:21 PM
Comment on
Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 - Framework for bike lanes that require removal of a traffic lane.
ERO number
019-9266
Comment ID
115690
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Comment status