Proposed path grinds gears
Shared space between bikes and pedestrians draws debate at council
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Northern News Services
Friday, April 21, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The multi-use path proposed for Franklin Avenue ruffled feathers at municipal services committee on April 10.
The department of public works and engineering presented council with plans for the new pathways, which will be shared by pedestrians and cyclists.
The plan would include three-metre-wide asphalt trails on either side of Franklin Avenue between Old Airport Road and 57 Street, like the kind already used on Old Airport Road, 52 Avenue and Franklin Avenue in Old Town.
But council had some concerns about the plan - mainly how many old ladies might get bowled over when bicycles hit the path.
Coun. Adrian Bell cited an example of a student biking on the sidewalk in front of Mildred Hall School to explain the issue.
"A student zipped by a senior, and clipped the senior's elbow," he said. "And the senior phoned me and I could hear her shaking on the phone. She was concerned that had she been two inches further to the side she would have had at minimum a broken arm and a lot worse could have happened."
Bell warned multi-use paths could lead to more incidents like this.
The path was proposed as a solution for a street that sees a lot of vehicle traffic. Administration told council they went with this design because it would allow for a median in the street.
Coun. Rebecca Alty raised concerns about the speed of cyclists on shared spaces.
"I think cyclists on Franklin are commuters and they're not looking for the Sunday pedal on a multi-use path," she said, adding she's biked this stretch often.
"The speed I was going is on par with cars and not pedestrians. Biking on the sidewalk is a disaster."
But simply having bicycles part of the flow of other vehicle traffic is not necessarily a solution either, according to Coun. Julian Morse, who admitted to breaking the rules regularly in order to avoid issues on that stretch of Franklin.
"I've tired to legally bike down that road and it's a bit of a nightmare," he said. "I've done it once and was terrified."
Morse said he preferred the idea of separating bikes from traffic, but wanted to see it done in a way that avoids issues like the one Bell brought up.
Public works director Dennis Kefalas said his department considered the option of stenciling in a bike lane on the road, but dismissed the idea because of traffic concerns. This option was not included in a survey component of public consultation for the plan.
According to documents provided to council, the final design drawings for the pathway are being completed.
The project has gone to tender. If it goes ahead, the work will be completed by fall 2018.
