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Letter: Burnaby must set aside road space for cyclists

Editor: In this time of light motor vehicle traffic, and high walking and cycling volumes, we urge the City of Burnaby to rapidly expand our active transportation networks.
cycling
Many studies show that in the long run, the health benefits of cycling and attendant reductions in healthcare far outweigh the costs of creating new infrastructure. file photo Dan Toulgoet/Vancouver Courier

Editor:

In this time of light motor vehicle traffic, and high walking and cycling volumes, we urge the City of Burnaby to rapidly expand our active transportation networks.

HUB Cycling’s Burnaby Committee has submitted a proposal to the city for an Emergency Cycling Network that would put people cycling in safe spaces on the road while freeing up Multi-Use Paths (MUPs) for people walking. The proposal would also close critical gaps in the existing cycle network, like over the Gilmore overpass, Boundary Road north of the Central Valley Greenway, Kingsway, and improve access to Burnaby Hospital and other health facilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic (with physical distancing to remain in place well into the future) has also caused a sharp decline in transit ridership (over 80%). Financially motivated cutbacks of transit service mean the remaining riders are squeezed into the few buses and SkyTrain cars that remain operating. In response, many essential service workers who previously relied on transit have taken to cycling to work.

We have also observed a huge increase in recreational cycling by families with young children and adults new or returning to cycling and walking. With organized sports, girl guides, boy scouts, playground use, swimming and fitness classes, and community centre programs shut down, we anticipate greater numbers of people will take up walking and cycling for recreation in the coming months.

To support the large number of people walking and cycling, cities worldwide are rethinking the use of public space, which includes our roads. Many have used bollards or barriers to repurpose underused road space to create temporary protected cycle lanes, while others have added traffic calming to residential roads or made entire streets car-free.

This temporary reallocation of road space will help create more space for people while maintaining physical distancing and supporting local businesses.

We look forward to supporting the City of Burnaby in their efforts to rapidly expand safe spaces for walking and cycling for the benefit of everyone in Burnaby.

Debbie Reid, member

Cathy Griffin, co-chair

Moreno Zanotto, co-chair

HUB Cycling, Burnaby committee