From the Government of Alberta (https://www.alberta.ca/report-concerns-about-bike-lanes)
From Overview:
“Alberta’s government supports alternative modes of transportation infrastructure including bicycle lanes, when they are safe, well-planned, functionally integrated into the broader transportation network and do not use taxpayer dollars to reduce the existing road network.
Concerns have been raised that municipal bike lane initiatives, particularly those involving traffic lane removal, may compromise road capacity, increase congestion and hinder the efficient movement of vehicles, goods and emergency services.”
From Share Your Concern:
“Fill out the form to share your concern about bike lanes that are located on the streets of your municipality. Include any relevant pictures or documents in the form.”
SAGE comment:
The Report Concerns About Bike Lanes website allows feedback on your ‘concerns’ about bike lanes and how they negatively affect you. Not exactly a survey to garner varied opinions – it is designed to collect complaints justifying the removal of bike lanes.
From a SAGE Director:
I am concerned that any removal of the protected bike lanes such as we have currently beside some streets and avenues would reduce safety, accessibility, and economic activity rather than improve transportation outcomes. Many cities all over the world, including Lethbridge, can provide protected bicycling infrastructure with connections across transportation networks, which matters for bicyclists. The removal of major routes could substantially reduce access to workplaces, healthcare, local markets, and other destinations for residents of this city.
The removal of protected bicycle paths such as we have at this time could: reduce our safety while bicycling; cause the average affected resident to lose bicycle access to many workplaces; reduce the number of potential customers who are able to safely reach many local businesses, and some businesses would lose bicyclist customers; and affect businesses outside the area where bike lanes are removed because protected bike lanes are links in the bicycling network.
Protected bike infrastructure increases the rates of bicycling and therefore people arriving by bicycle or on foot often visit businesses more frequently and spend as much or more over time than customers who arrive by car while safe bicycling infrastructure improves accessibility, reduces traffic congestion, and supports local economic activity.
Municipal decisions regarding transportation should begin with systematic reviews of peer-reviewed science and scholarship. Such decisions should weigh the possible impacts on prosocial users of the road space, not just the antisocial users of internal combustion engines. Protected bike lanes should be maintained. Future investments should prioritize connected, protected bicycling networks; electric transit; the abilities of pedestrians to make face-to-face connections on the street; and the urgent transition away from fossil-fueled car culture.
Improved health, better safety and lower emissions – why would you remove existing bike lanes?