A decision by city council’s transportation committee to green light a plan aimed at making Bronson Avenue safer could spell changes for other major roads in the future.
The committee voted Wednesday to approve recommendations by city staff to make the street safer for cyclists and pedestrians between Holmwood Avenue and Brewer Way.
Bronson is one of the busiest streets in the city and the main artery linking the north and south ends of the city. According to a report by city staff, nearly 50,000 vehicles use the road every day.
The report also highlighted the most-pressing safety concerns for the road: cyclists coming off the path from Carleton University and continuing on the wrong side of the road, high vehicle speeds, jaywalking, and inconsiderate motorists.
Phil Landry, the city’s traffic expert, said the focus of the plan to revamp Bronson is to “strike a balance” between safety for cyclists and pedestrians and allowing traffic to flow on the arterial road.
As part of the plan, the city will look to add more speed-limit and pedestrian crossing signs, and to improve the marking of bike lanes and pedestrian crossings on Bronson by the end of Spring.
Landry said that other plans — such as adding a pedestrian crossing at the canal and installing flexible posts to mark bike lanes — are conceptual and still need to have details worked out. He said the design work for those changes will cost around $60,000.
Hunt Club Community Association secretary Peter Brimacombe said in an interview that the city needs to focus on combatting road congestion, which provides the south end of the city access to downtown and Gatineau.
Briamcombe said he appreciates the need for cyclist safety, but that city council needs to recognize how important the road is for people who live in the Hunt Club area.
“It’s absolutely vital to the south. There is no way around Bronson Avenue,” Briamcombe said. “And we’re talking about 50,000 cars per day and 100 or so bicycles. Which one should get priority?”
Capital ward Coun. David Chernushenko disagrees.
Chernushenko said improving safety on Bronson should be a priority, especially after the death of Carleton University student
Krista Johnson, who was struck by a car and killed while cycling on the road in November.
He said safety should trump convenience moving forward.
“This is not an urban versus suburban issue,” Chernushenko said. “I drive that street, too.”
“I will make this safer for everyone.”
Others at the meeting said the safety review shouldn’t be limited to one street.
Rideau-Rockliffe ward Coun. Peter Clark said the city should look at making similar safety improvements and performing similar safety reviews for other major roads in the city, such as Beechwood Avenue.
City planner Vivian Chi echoed that sentiment, saying safety will take priority over other transportation planning issues.
She said the city will consider looking at things such as separating bikers, pedestrians and cars on major roads during the city’s review of its transportation master plan.
Kanata South ward Coun. Allan Hubley said the city needs to be proactive in planning moving forward while also recognizing that there “will always be the need for cars” on roads such as Bronson.
“Sometimes we miss the big picture,” he said. “People always ask, ‘Are you going to wait until somebody dies.’ ''
The plan will go before the full council at its next meeting.