Public Input on Bike Lanes

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Certain elements in the Vancouver media are trying to create opposition to the plans for the Hornby bike lane.  Critics often claim that Vision, the current political party in power, has pushed forward bike lanes in an "aggressive" manner with a disregard for public process.

Ironically as the NPA leaning blog CityCaucus.com points out, the previous NPA government actually created more bike routes during its tenure.

Some of these were simply bike routes that shared the road with vehicles.   But there were many actual bike lanes that gave a distinct strip of pavement to bikes.  Many were downtown and some removed parking and/or lanes for motor vehicles.  Examples of bike lanes introduced before Vision took power include:
- Burrard Street
- Hornby Street
- Pacific
- Carrall Street
- Homer
- Richards
- Pacific
- Beatty
- 41st
- 49th

But from what I remember in most cases there was LESS pre-construction communication and public process for these changes then there has for the Burrard bridge, Dunsmuir Lane expansion and the Hornby Lane expansion. 

In advance of the the Hornby Lane there were two public open houses plus websites and social media that solicited input.  And the original plans were changed based on the public input.

It seems to me that the reason we are hearing more criticism is because there has been earlier and more public communication about these projects prior to construction.

Comments

Anonymous said…
We're hearing more complaining because road space is being taken away. That and some people just like to oppose change. My take is here:
http://canadianveggie.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/arguments-against-cycling-debunked/
11:50 AM
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