Editor:
Re: “Council faces pushback over Shaw Road bike lanes,” Sept. 23.
I was glad to hear that Gibsons council voted for installing bike lanes on Shaw Road despite anticipating opposition. There are many good reasons to go ahead: the lanes are part of the OCP, the majority of those surveyed are in favour, and the funds have already been secured as part of a grant. Council can hold these three tethers as a few residents try to push them off their footing.
There are some better reasons, though they might not provide the same political security. A network of bike lanes changes the way a town operates. Bike lanes not only make streets safer for cyclists but also for pedestrians and motorists. They result in a slower, more orderly flow of traffic. More people get out, seeing each other face to face, instead of through a windshield. Children are more likely to get to school by bike or foot when there is a designated bike lane leading there.
Gibsons has some great bike lanes, but they are mostly fragmented. Any network is only as good as its weakest point. The new lanes will connect to Helen’s Way, allowing cyclists to access the new Gibsons Public Market and waterfront. It will wind behind Gibsons Elementary, connecting to the new lanes on North Road.
Wherever bike lanes are installed, residents protest losing the public property they once accessed. They will say their property values will be hurt, even though bike lanes increase prices.
I ride my bicycle on Shaw Road almost daily. I often find myself greeting others who are out on foot or bike. When the new bike lanes go in, I can look forward to seeing more people.
Nick Smith, Gibsons
