Comments

Minnow Lake Development, Bike Lanes, and Roundabouts — 1 Comment

  1. I had an enjoyable chat with a developer at the meeting (not the PR person). I proposed a simple solution to him, which he said he was willing to bring forward to the City. The Ward 11 councillor, who does not live in the Ward, never offered to move anything forward. I held the councillor/City accountable for not having persistently addressed pedestrian safety issues in the ML corridor until they were resolved: half-hearted proposals for stop signs fall short if they are not pursued to completion.

    The concerns being raised now in the context of the new development are old and have little to do with the actual development. My suggestion was simple–If we can put “yield signs” on the back of City buses that require motorists to let buses enter the traffic flow (ticketable offense), we sure as ‘heck’ can do something to allow pedestrians of all ages to cross the road safely.

    Whether it be stop signs or a new bylaw requiring drivers to yield to pedestrians in designated crosswalks (posted with signs) … get something in place, get some enforcement: stop the kids from having to play chicken in traffic to get home. It’s funny, but the way I see this situation, as cyclists, we should be catering to the needs of pedestrians first, and then the safety benefits will also be enjoyed by cyclists, drivers, and home owners. Yielding to pedestrians or having stop signs along the corridor creates breaks in the traffic flow, which is the end goal.

    If the developer is a good corporate citizen, true to his word, he’ll make an effort to raise this suggestion with the City (maybe…). However, this IS a City issue, but even the developer sees the need to advocate to the City on behalf of residents, which I appreciate. So … where’s the City on these issues and Where Is My Councillor to help champion the charge? How can we ever expect to resolve longstanding issues if we ignore the root of the problems and complicate solutions with exaggerated demands? Let’s keep it simple, reasonable, and hold elected officials and the City accountable for the basic things they fall short on delivering that currently compromise our safety. To me, that’s reasonable and logical, and more likely to lead to results.