Mar
8
By Marg Gardiner
Residents of any, or all, of these streets could be affected by the Biketoria initiative. The effect could be positive, or negative. Due to the lack of consultation and absence of information to assist residents in assessing the impacts, at this point one can only guess.
Complete Streets:
Several North American cities are committed to a Complete Street approach to planning and use of streets. Complete streets, as described by “Complete Streets for Canada” are “designed for all ages, abilities, and modes of travel. On Complete Streets, safe and comfortable access for pedestrians, bicycles, transit users and people with disabilities is not an afterthought, but an integral planning feature.”
Victoria’s Official Community Plan has a hierarchical transportation focus with pedestrian uses being primary. The Strategic Plan commits to “Improved quality of life . . . and pedestrian and cycling trips through implementation of neighbourhood-led transportation planning and “complete streets” lens for all transportation projects”; however, that does not appear to be happening with the Biketoria project.
Two of the policy elements that guide the Complete Streets program are:
“Must mention, at minimum, that ‘all users’ includes pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users of all ages and abilities.“ and “Must apply to all projects including new projects, retrofit/reconstruction projects, and repair/maintenance and/or other projects for the entire right-of-way.”
http://completestreetsforcanada.ca
Shared Streets:
Shared streets can be part of a Complete Street strategy. The approach allows for streets to be shared by several users. A variation of this would be “Sharrows” lanes used by cyclists and vehicles. The Galloping Goose pathway is shared by pedestrians, cyclists, mobility scooters, and horses.
A more Complete Street would have pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, and other transportation users, and perhaps the odd busker, coexist, sharing the street without physical separation of the road space.
Designated (Silo) Streets: BIKETORIA
Biketoria has not been developed using a Complete Street perspective. Background information around Biketoria suggests that roadway treatments for cyclists will be driven by the context of the streets involved, with the nature of the routes being key determinants.
One Biketoria route is named Harbour Road - Wharf, two streets that are not in James Bay. It was not until November 1, 2015, that JBNA became aware of the intent to have a dedicated route through part of James Bay. A Biketoria consultant was asked if he had any idea what the chosen route was like; his response was that he had “driven by” the area. Since he had driven by that week, it is unlikely that he understood summer traffic, especially on a multi-cruise-ship day.
Biketoria initially chose a dedicated curb-lane along Belleville, leading to Erie Street. The route has since been amended to continue from Belleville along St Lawrence Street to Dallas Road. The Belleville portion, and perhaps the rest, is to be a dedicated protected curb lane for cyclists.
The small print is that thousands of vehicle movements are to be diverted off Belleville to other streets. Diverted traffic could affect the traffic loads on Kingston, Quebec, Superior, Oswego and beyond.
Superior Street may (or may not) be a better street for dedicated bike lanes. Dedicated lanes that allow youngsters to cycle to school more safely may be in order. One option would be to spend funds on implementing the 2014 Cycling Master Plan. But without community consultation, we don’t know.
Since early November, JBNA has been requesting a community charrette, followed by broader and meaningful consultation. JBNA awaits a response.
James Bay Challenges:
In James Bay we have all seen seniors and others with mobility challenges using walkers and scooters on the roadways.
The City’s Greenways and Pedestrian plans acknowledge the difficulties in James Bay where sidewalks are encumbered by poles and other impediments. Problems worsen as sidewalks deteriorate and the poles/signage increase, while more residents use mobility aids. 37% of our population is over 60 years of age. People using canes, walkers, and scooters need more space and better maintained walking surfaces than provided by most of our walkways.
Rather than a Complete Streets initiative, Biketoria could be described as a cycling initiative; those who walk, use scooters or walkers, or push baby carriages have not even been an afterthought. James Bay streets are also used by pedicabs, horse carriages, personal vehicles, trucks, tour buses and transit buses; these forms of transportation seem not to have been considered.
March 9, 7-9 Pm, 234 Menzies:
The Biketoria group will be presenting at the JBNA General meeting. Do you have changes you would like to see to the streets of James Bay? This will be an opportunity for residents to inform the Biketoria team about our streets.