Construction of a new bike lane is cycling its way through Calgary’s inner-city neighbourhood of Beltline on 15th Ave. SW, stretching from 11th St. eastward to Macleod Trail. The construction basically divides the length of the avenue in half, with a concrete barrier separating bikes and cars. It is not being well-received by residents, nor by a candidate for Calgary’s mayor’s chair this fall. The lane, as it moves east, has eliminated all parking along the northside of 15 Ave. in the highest density neighbourhood in the city, where street parking, if it’s allowed, is at a premium. Residents should be able to park close to their homes, plain and simple. It is just another example of social engineering by city planners, who truly believe if there are more bike lanes in the city, Calgarians will forever park their cars and trucks at home and gleefully pedal their asses to get to work, to go shopping, to visit grandma and grandpa, etc. Demonstrating the myopic belief is, just three blocks north, on 12th Ave. where a bike lane runs through the entire Beltline area, from 14th St. east to Macleod Trail. The traffic on the bike lane on 12th is never such that it couldn’t handle three, four, maybe five times the number of wheeled vehicles that use it everyday. .By the way, the city calls them "wheeling" lanes, not bike lanes. Yes, wheely. Even with the 12th Ave. "wheeling" lane, there are still three lanes for cars and trucks during rush hour, so there’s no impediment to traffic flow. According to the city’s propaganda machine, “We are upgrading infrastructure along 14 and 15 Avenue S. to provide dedicated spaces for walking and wheeling (biking, scootering, and skateboarding). These changes will support community health and wellness, and enhance safety, accessibility, and overall mobility for Calgarians and visitors.” Well, maybe the folks on the avenues will be healthier, but they may also be bald, because they’re tearing out their hair about the lane. On 15th Ave. is Grace Gardens, a seniors’ residence, with about 100 residents, including 69 who pushed back against the bike lane when it was announced, launching a petition stating it would block essential vehicle access, including ambulances, visitor parking, and service deliveries. “They are putting our lives at risk if we can't have access to an ambulance to come to the door and give us service quickly,” said resident Gerry Morgan. “Our children come to visit us and some of us have maid service to help clean. All of those things cannot park in front of the place anymore.” In response, the city moved the designated loading zone 50 meters to the west, encumbering people in wheelchairs and with other mobility issues. .All bike lanes in Calgary are in the sites of Alberta’s Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen, who publicly criticized Calgary’s bike lane expansion efforts in July, arguing city-led reductions in road capacity conflict with provincial investment in expanding road infrastructure. Bike lanes are also in the crosshairs of Calgary mayoral candidate Jeff Davison, who has announced a four-year freeze on new bike lanes if elected this fall. Davison’s plan includes: the rationalization of existing lanes, in consultation with residents, businesses and community associations; moving bike lanes off-road to ensure safer dedicated pathways; relocating disruptive lanes where barriers have created safety concerns for pedestrians and drivers, and the removal of parking has caused significant damage to small businesses. Davison says the four-year capital budget for bike lanes is about $45 million, with maintenance and snow removal costs (most often before streets are cleared) of roughly $600,000 a year “This isn’t about being against cyclists, it’s about building a city that makes sense for everyone,” said Davison. “Bike lanes can be part of a thriving city, but they must be built smart, separated from our roadways, and designed with real consultation, not forced on communities and businesses without a voice.” The base line for bike lanes, and all actions instigated by the city for that matter, should not be ideological, woke polices that pander to the minority at the expense of the majority. Let's see some common sense.
