After months of debate, consultation and neighbourhood meetings, Gibsons council has voted to install “advisory bike lanes” on Shaw Road.
The lanes, which can be shared by vehicles and cyclists but give the bikes priority, were the compromise solution proposed by Town staff after people on Shaw Road and surrounding streets objected to a plan that would have eliminated parking.
The plan approved at the Feb. 7 council meeting also calls for dedicated bike lanes on the wider part of Shaw from Gibsons Way to the 600 block, and traffic calming at the Shaw and O’Shea intersection.
Coun. Silas White didn’t like the original plan, and told his fellow councillors Tuesday night that he wasn’t in favour of the current plan either.
“I’m concerned about it being confusing, especially for residents who aren’t familiar with advisory lanes. The room for traffic will be very narrow … I’m concerned about safety,” White said. “I strongly believe we need better bike routes in Gibsons; I just don’t think we’re quite ready for this yet.”
The plan did get support from others, including Coun. Charlene SanJenko.
“Our overall vision is to improve connectivity for cycling, for pedestrians, for our entire community, and this is one of the ways we’re going to do that,” SanJenko said. “I think we’ve found something that is going to work for the whole community.”
Coun. Stafford Lumley said he was impressed by the work of staff and the input from residents and felt that after all the debate the Town had arrived at “a great compromise.”
Mayor Wayne Rowe said council has struggled with the question of the Shaw Road bike lanes, and he was still wrestling with it. In the end, he and White voted against the plan, although Rowe said afterward he would back it as a decision of council.
Council also made another traffic-related decision Feb. 7, voting in favour of first reading of a bylaw that would impose a 30 km/h speed limit on Martin Road, Hillcrest Road, Tricklebrook Road, Seacot Way and Mountainview Drive. The speed limit on those streets was temporarily lowered after they were resurfaced with chip seal late last year.
