Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is calling on the province to halt any efforts to remove existing local bike lanes. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen has confirmed plans to introduce a bill this autumn granting the province more authority over approving and eliminating bike lanes. While decisions on bike lane implementation typically fall to municipalities, Farkas expressed concern about the potential removal of lanes crucial for student commutes and cyclist safety.
Farkas emphasized the importance of maintaining safety for children and urged the province to prioritize issues like pedestrian safety, particularly in light of a spike in pedestrian deaths in the city last year. He expressed disappointment over the cancellation of a meeting with Dreeshen to discuss pedestrian safety and criticized the province for diverting attention to what he perceives as less critical matters like bike lanes.
Dreeshen had previously mentioned reviewing municipal bike lanes due to public complaints about poorly placed lanes disrupting traffic flow. He stated that while his government supports some bike lanes, complaints have been received about lanes affecting parking availability and worsening daily commutes.
Council members, including Ward 8 Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt, have questioned the necessity of provincial intervention in bike lane matters, citing a lack of data to support the proposed legislation. The province’s move to introduce a new bill on bike lanes follows a similar legal battle in Ontario, where cyclists successfully challenged the removal of lanes in Toronto, arguing it posed a safety risk.
Bike Calgary president Doug Clark raised concerns about the province’s legislation potentially compromising cyclist safety and emphasized the importance of municipal governments in planning transportation systems. Clark advocated for expanding bike lane networks to enhance connectivity and redundancy in Calgary’s existing cycling infrastructure.
In response to Farkas’s concerns, Dreeshen highlighted the province’s investment in expanding road capacity and expressed reservations about municipalities reducing road space. The debate over bike lanes continues to spark discussions in Alberta, with stakeholders weighing in on the balance between safety, infrastructure development, and local decision-making processes.