Bike lanes vs. parking

There's an interesting debate going on at Public Works this morning about bike lanes on Dundurn Street. Four community residents have taken time out of their Monday morning to express their concern about the dedicated bike lanes coming to their neighbourhood in the spring. Many of the homes in the area don't have driveways and many residents rely solely on street parking.

One of the most powerful comments this morning came from James Clarkson, who recently opened the State Farm Insurance on the corner of Herkimer and Dundurn. He told council that he wouldn't have chosen that location if he knew these bike lanes were coming. That certainly got the attention of the more business-friendly council members.

Councillor Brian McHattie, who represents Dundurn Street, conceded that the public consultation process on this issue wasn't as developed as it could have been. However, he said he's been working with city staff to try and ease the impact of the bike lanes. Instead of painting the lanes in September when the road was repaved, McHattie managed to hold off the process until this spring to allow the public more time to adjust. He also said though the plans originally cut 25 parking spaces, the street is now only losing about 10 parking spots.

This is a debate that will undoubtedly pop up more and more as the city tries to shift its residents' transportation habits away from cars to bikes and public transit. It's the same type of discussion that surrounds the plans to run rapid transit down King Street. I think most of us can agree that trying to get Hamiltonians out of their cars a noble goal - however, many have questioned whether city residents are really prepared to give up their dependence on the almighty automobile.

What do you think? Should we be worried that  the city' s attempts to go green could be driving businesses away and angering neighbourhood residents? Or does the environment trump convenience?

Comments

[Mike Russell]

I for one know that I will not be giving up my car anytime soon. I also know that if I cannot park close to where I want to go, I just won't go there. I will do my business or shopping elsewhere.

Building bike lanes for the select few who choose to ride a bike is a complete waste of money and space. New bike lanes are not going to encourage any more people to ride bikes or take public transit. It will only shift traffic to areas where parking is available. If I owned a business on a street where parking was removed in favour of bike lanes, I would be very concerned as well. It will definitely affect business in a bad way.

[Tom Robertson]

The installation of these neighbourhood disrupting bike lanes should be frozen until staff produces to council and the citizens a study on the month by month usage of the the ones already in place. Maybe one has been done but is been held back because it would not help the agenda of putting them in. With the large deficit council has built up I don't think it is wise spending millions on this infrastructure but should be spent on the much neglected areas needing repaired first. Emma maybe you could get the editors to make this one of the poll questions and ask the taxpayers if they want council to spend millions on these projects while they are raising taxes.
Council cannot justify this expense on all taxpayers for the few bike riders. Maybe council will wake up during this election year and realize they will get more votes from citizens that feel their tax dollars are being spent wisely for the common good rather than the handful of votes they will get from the bike riders.

Emma could you please record each councillors vote on this issue so come October we will know where to cast our votes.

[Downtown by Choice]

You must be joking. 10 parking spaces lost and this is the reaction! No room for compromise. The car is King!

Find another city in southern Ontario that has kowtowed so one sidedly to the automobile above all else. I can't believe that so few see any connection between an infrastruture that has been built to ensure that cars can race right THROUGH the middle of our city and the death of its core.

With the squelchers weighing in against any measure that requires even the slightest change in behaviour and the reaction of our career city counsellors to appease them..........this city is doomed.

[Michelle Hruschka]

If we were to go back in history, before the advent of the car, businesses thrived.

People managed to get the things that they needed.

Why do people resist change, can they not see that in the long run, this would be better for our environment, if less cars are on the road.

If we are facing issues such as peak oil, degradation of mother natures systems, which means water, air and land are under stress. Would it not be in the interests of public good to implement change, for the future generations.

[craig duvall]

I thought road tax was paid by people who drive cars, not people that ride bicycles.If the mayor and the coucillors are so gong ho on installing bike paths and chaos for people that drive vehicles, than let me see them set an example, get out of their cars and ride them new bicycles to work and back and wherever else they got to go around the city, c'mon, show us councillors, YEA RIGHT, thats gonna happen,i can't wait till election day

[Tom Robertson]

Michelle... What would you rather have a business friendly environment that will produce jobs paying a livable wage or go back to the environmentally friendly horse and buggy days that will only create jobs for the pooper scoopers and I doubt that will pay a livable wage.

You are right when you say people will get the things they need done. The reality is they will do it by driving further to malls and box stores where parking is not an issue,stressing the air with more greenhouse gases while the thriving local business areas will start to look like the downtown core. Do you drive a bike and use the bike lanes? Many people who work in the local business areas live nearby and can walk to work. They will now be driving to the malls where the jobs will be created.

[ed]

Less cars on the road means, higher taxes, higher insurance costs, higher gas prices, higher parking fees and even less jobs in the auto sector. If the powers that be were to commit to less profits and lower salaries at the top it could work. We've all seen the evidence that lower water use, gas use and on and on have only resulted in higher costs to us. Profits and bonuses rule the day. Make cars cleaner, smaller and more fuel efficient. Then build a traffic system that works.

[Rick]

If businesses on Dundurn St are that concerned and short-sighted about losing 10 parking spots, perhaps they should think about re-locating in one of the many Big Box developments and malls that dominate our city and have served to KILL our downtown core areas. There's LOTS of parking at the Big Box stores and Malls. Fill your boots!

There are many businesses who can and will cater to those who choose to ride bikes or walk - they will certainly fill the void.

[Markalanwhittle]

Since it's already a done deal, why not charge a fee from bike riders using the system so the costs can be off-set by the users, just like public transportation already is if you take the bus instead of your car?

Last time I checked cars and bicycles are to share the road, according to the law, designated bike lanes are extra privileges on top of that, so extra fees should be charged.

Imagine that, a toll road system for bikes that actually tries to pay for itself, and it's up-keep, instead of all the people who don't use this convoluted system of transportation, especially in the winter.

[Downtown by Choice]

Just so that I understand the fallacious argument being put forward in most of these comments; car drivers pay the total cost of road construction and maintenance through licensing fees and gas taxes? Please.

I suppose bike riders don't pay property tax in your world. Get real. I own a car and I own a bike......oh yeah and a house. Do I get to use "your" roads to ride my bike or should I just ensure that it is firmly fastened to a bike carrier on my car?

God forbid any individual should inconvenience a car driver in this city.

[Tom Robertson]

Rick ... the businesses accessible to the walkers will be fewer and far between separated by boarded up buildings. Who says the bike riders are actually going to stop and shop rather than just driving by. If they do stop it will be just for small purchases that will fit in their back pack. When a car is parked it is there to do business with the local companies.

Mark I suggest a one hundred dollar yearly licensing fee for anyone over the age of 16 to use the bike lanes. The license must be clearly visible on the bike and heavy fines for offenders be imposed.

[Michelle Hruschka]

Tom: Going to the malls were the jobs are created. And these are what you would call living wage jobs, when the majority pay minimum wage, offer no benefits, and then would have to look at where they are sourcing stuff, so it could be that they are getting stuff from other countries where labour and environmental are not imposed.

This has been a reason why we have seen many jobs disappear.

The point I was trying to make was that before the car, people managed and if we think long term, instead of short term, youi know more then just a fiscal period, people and society could adjust.

Maybe what should of happen before was that there was a system that people could ride their bikes from end of town to the other, like the rail trail as an example.

Boy, people sure do get upset if they think they are losing ten parking spots.

I did ride my bike a lot and I hated to ride in traffic. I feared the cars, they were bigger and some drivers hate bikes being on the road.

Anyways, would hazard to guess that most people would go to one location, such as the beer store and the beer store only. If the neighbourhood was walkable and many shops, then people might go in and look around, like the old days, you know stop and smell the roses.

[Tom Robertson]

Michelle..the jobs will go to the malls unless council wakes up to make the local businesses more viable to the needs of the consumer. The jobs in the mall are controlled by large corporate entities and sell mostly goods produced in china at huge profits for their bottom line. To them an employee is just another consumable in the corporate plan. Although the local businesses do not pay the wages you think they should it is a much more friendly family oriented environment to work in. I am sure many operators of small business know the family members of their employees and would be much more sympathetic to the employee if family issues arise. The small business does not have a staff of lawyers to cover their ass if a serious employee issue arises.

Do you think a group of say 10 living in various areas of the city would book a group dinner at a restaurant on Locke or Dundurn if they know they will have an adventure trying to park. They will be booking the dinner at the Keg, Kelsey's, Boston Pizza or one of the other corporate chains where parking is not an issue. The local independent restaurants serve fresh cooked meals using food from local suppliers and the Farmers Market. The big chains serve food supplied through the corporate head office to be cooked or reheated on site. I say the city should be doing everything to keep these business viable which includes not removing parking spaces.

I guess you are not a beer drinker or you would know that they have their own off street parking lots

[Keith Stinson]

"neighbourhood disrupting bike lanes"

wow Tom ... just wow!

[Baffled]

Call me baffled but...
I'd like to see some statistics on how many people chose their insurer based on the proximity of parking spaces to the business' front door. I tend to weigh attributes like premiums, customer service and reputation a little more highly and believe that if you're solid in these areas you shouldn't have much to worry about.
To me, the bike lanes should be viewed as a boon to businesses that are lucky enough to be beside them since an entirely new traffic stream will begin to pass by your doors. Comfortable bike routes are so rare in Hamilton that once some are in place they will be busy. Last I heard, cyclists' cash was just as good as drivers'.
Please don't let this fear of change impede a project so desparately needed by many of us who would like to leave our cars at home.

[Baffled]

A separate follow-up on Mark's comment above...
"Last time I checked cars and bicycles are to share the road, according to the law, designated bike lanes are extra privileges on top of that, so extra fees should be charged."
I presume you are also be in favour of full cost recovery tolls on roads that bikes can't use (400 series highways, the Red Hill, Link, etc.)?

[Tom Robertson]

Keith and Baffled... where you out riding your bike today to do your shopping?

[Baffled]

Tom,
I might have been if the infrastructure to protect me from Hamilton's insane traffic/drivers had been in place!

[Markalanwhittle]

Hamilton's alternate transportation plans are based on the falacy that people will stop using them (cars) because public transportation is somehow better, yet our only methods are Bus, biking, or walking no matter the weather.

I would like to know if city hall staff can tell me exactly how many taxpaying residents of Hamilton ride a bike to and from work or on a daily basis twelve months out of the year?

The only saving grace for bike-lanes are those new-fangled electric bikes Dalton has allowed to be used in bike-lanes throughout Ontario. I've seen a few of them using the bike-lanes along Stonechurch from Upper Wellington to Pritchard road.

To a die-hard car user, this electric bike idea looks like fun for the warmer months to tool around on for recreation, shopping, ect., all for the environment of course.

I think I will order mine now to avoid the rush in a couple of months.

[Tom Robertson]

Mark...You don't really expect city staff to be able to come up with that number do you even though millions of dollars are being budgeted for this program. This plan is on most of the councillors pet project list to appease a vocal minority. It would probably very embarrassing to council if the numbers came out on the actual usage of the bike lanes already in place that they have spent millions of our dollars on.

[Markalanwhittle]

Why not Tom, they (local politicians) expect me to pay for it through my property taxes, so staff should show me the numbers or get out the axe?

I call that accountability, something that's in very short supply down at city hall.

[Tom Robertson]

Mark I hope you got a photo of someone actually using a bike lane. That could be the equivalent of a photo of a dodo bird, the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot. After years of driving my son along Stonechurch to school I have never seen anyone using the bike lane along there. If the high school students now are not interested in riding a bike to school do you think that in 5 to 10 years when they hit the workforce they will have a change of heart and to ride their bikes to work or to go out to shop.Council and staff need come up with a realistic plan to deal with what the city needs in the future without spending hours of debate and millions of dollars now.

[Donna]

Bike riders should have to get licences..and pass a riding test...renew licence yearly..

They want people to shop downtown..what about us on mountain..make it easier for us to come downtown..you will have rail transit from eastgate to mcmaster..wow..thats good for those living down there..but we all dont...

what a waste in the winter of bike lanes..oh wait somwwhere to pile snow...

tax the biker rider.. they should help pay for lanes..

[Tom Robertson]

I agree with you Donna it's too bad we have a council living in lala land. The bike riders should also be charged parking fees every time they chain the bike to a post and fined for violations of the highway traffic act. I think it is pathetic when I see our Police Officers on bikes failing to come to full stops at intersections and not signaling their turns. Maybe we should send the all to Elmer the Safety Elephant to be trained.

[Jerry]

Cyclists do pay for roads. License fees and gas taxes come no where near paying the costs of roads. That's a really tired argument. Increasing bike lanes increases cyclists and decreases road mainteneace. You want to save some money? Get out of your car.

I think drivers should renew licences yearly at rate that actually helps pay for the roads they're using. For the record I drive and bike.

Speaking of lala land Tom, when was the last time you saw a driver come to a complete stop? Drivers should be taking road tests every 5 years when they renew their license. We all seem to forget the rules of the road after we get our licences.

Donna, pay attention LRT will be coming to the mountain as well just give it time. Currently it really is not all that difficult to get downtown. It's very simple to drive, bus, walk or bike down. Try it.