Bike lane 'envy': Bradford failing to build cycling infrastructure

'We should look into it," Mayor Rob Keffer agrees

Simcoe.com
November 7, 2019
Lisa Queen

Ian Brownlee admits he’s jealous as he watches other communities put in dedicated bike lanes while Bradford West Gwillimbury seems to make few accommodations for cyclists.

“As I’ve watched Bradford grow with subdivision after subdivision, I cannot wrap my mind around why we are not putting in bike lanes,” said the married father of three daughters aged 11 to 18 who has lived in town since 1999.

“The reason it’s become an issue is because we’re observant of the fact these bike lanes are popping up in other areas such as Newmarket, such as Barrie and Holland Landing as an example of another close one where they’ve got dedicated bike lanes. You know, it gives you a little bit of envy if you’re a cyclist at all or even if you use your bike for recreational purposes for a family ride after dinner or something like that.”

The town does encourage residents to enjoy the outdoors but can look at doing more, Mayor Rob Keffer said.

“We have our paths and our trails and the development community has been very good about making sure there are connecting trails. I guess from the urban design guidelines that were put in place a couple of years ago, the actual width of the streets weren’t wide enough to allow bike lanes,” he said.

“It’s a good idea. We’ve had some other issues with the urban design guidelines and it probably is time to revisit that. We should look into it and see if it’s an option we can bring forward.”

The town has missed opportunities to create infrastructure for cyclists, said Brownlee, who cycled about 500 kilometres last summer.

“When the 8th Line was widened, I thought for sure that our town planners would be progressive. Cycling to the train station would have many benefits from reducing congestion on the road, providing the opportunity for exercise for commuters and sending out a message to Bradford residents that we care about progress with a conscience,” he said.

“I’d enjoy cycling to work if I felt safe enough to do it. But our town has not made this a priority.”

While the town hosted a news conference Oct. 2 at St. Angela Merici Catholic School, which saw Education Minister Stephen Lecce and York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney promoting a campaign encouraging students to walk and wheel to school, Brownlee feels the municipality hasn’t put in the infrastructure to make cycling an easier option.

“Our schools are busting at the seams and full of young citizens who would appreciate a safe space to ride bikes, scooters and skateboards. Why isn’t this happening? Aren’t we fighting an obesity epidemic? Don’t we see issues around all of our elementary schools with parking cars and picking up kids? Aren’t we finding it difficult to drive through town with the added population?” he said.

“For the environment, for our health, for the safety of our children and for thinking progressively about the future, shouldn’t bike lanes be a part of all of our street plans?”

Dedicate bike lanes provide an added layer of safety for cyclists, who are otherwise at the mercy of distracted drivers checking their cellphones, Brownlee said.

“Yes, it is illegal but you have to be caught (so drivers continue to look at their phones). To me, it’s still pretty prevalent,” he said

“Research has shown that (dedicate bike lanes) are far and away the best solution."

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has flagged the danger of cycling on local roads.

Between 2000 and 2015, 17 Simcoe Muskoka residents died in cycling accidents, with 10 victims hit by a vehicle, according to a report.

Cyclists seeking medical treatment in hospitals is “significantly higher” in Simcoe Muskoka than other areas of the province, the report said.

Medical officer of health, Dr. Charles Gardner, a cyclist himself, has warned Ontario’s cycling safety lags behind European communities.

“And it’s purely because of design, really. If you design so it’s safe and it’s separated and (with barriers) and preferential to cycle, you can greatly reduce the risk,” he said.

“It’s fundamentally a challenge to cycle safely in an environment with cars. They’re big, heavy, rapid machines with blind spots."