I agree with a review of…

I agree with a review of bike lanes and restricting them when they cause traffic congestion.
A few points to also review:
1) Costs - here in Hamilton they are not just putting in mostly unused bike lanes, but adding poles every few feet along them, in addition to cement curbs, plus ridiculous amounts of traffic signage, which are very visually distracting as a driver, and painted areas on roads to show where a bike may turn. Also bump outs at corners and speed bumps going in everywhere, anything to deter drivers. Also they put up small bike image lights next to regular traffic lights - so both turn red or green at the same time, but one has a bike image on it - how dumb and waste of our municipal tax dollars.
2) Safety - many times I see trucks, buses and other large vehicles riding over center lane to avoid being close to and possibly hitting the bike barriers.
3) Usage - I almost never see anyone using bike lanes, especially in winter, and although I agree cyclists need to be safe, the onus is on them as well as drivers. I think cyclists need to be tested and possibly licensed to know rules of the road as most don’t stop at stop signs, lights or signal. Many don’t even wear helmets.
4) regulations - please publish studies to show the costs of these infrastructures to tax payers and compare to actual number of users, bike accidents, and how other cities do things. Then regulate signage, road painting based on the drivers handbook, etc. One round-about in Ancaster has about a dozen signs, most saying the same thing, which is visually distracting…drivers know a cross walk when they see it, and don’t need 4 signs telling you.

Driving in Hamilton has become a nightmare, due to congestion, reduced lanes, traffic slowing measures, which only one person has to ask for and the councillor can do at their discretion, excessive, visually distracting signage and mostly unused bike lanes. Some areas around the university and college and downtown warrant bike lanes, but keep it simple. In London there are bike lanes with simply a painted line with image of bike in the lane and occasional signs stating “cars and bikes share road”. That’s all that’s needed.