Trudging through snowy, icy roads are a cold reality for winter cyclists in Centretown, and this year will be no exception. But despite the city’s proposed transportation plan that prioritizes snow removal from bike lanes, it’s not ready to pay the additional $200,000.
Removing snow from bike lanes is part of the Transportation Master Plan, the city’s guideline on how Ottawa residents should get around.
The plan proposes to increase plowing on newly identified bike lane routes in Centretown, including Bronson Avenue and along the new path beside the O-train tracks near Little Italy, which connects pathways downtown.
The plan proposes to remove snow on 40 kilometres of bike lanes, an additional 19 kilometres to the 21 kilometres already being maintained on Scott Street, Albert Street, the segregated bike lanes on Laurier Avenue and elsewhere.
However, scraping clean the additional 19 kilometers will cost the city an estimated annual $200,000, which city officials have postponed paying until at least the 2014 election.
The price tag covers the cost of removing snow from bike lanes in quieter residential areas around Bay and Percy streets, says Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes.
Without a definite plan this winter, Holmes says the city’s seeking cheaper options for snow removal by changing the plow distribution plan, so there are more plows for bike lanes.
Although the snow will be plowed off of the bike lanes, it’ll remain in a pile on the side of the road instead of being removed as the transportation plan proposed.
Alex deVries, vice-president of Citizens for Safe Cycling, believes the city should actually remove the snow this winter.
He says the city should encourage cycling and that includes finding money in the budget for snow removal.
DeVries says he’s disappointed that it’s another winter with no real progress on snow removal of bike lanes.
“The city does a lot of talking about it, but hasn’t actually committed any money to it. They’re talking the talk, but until they’re putting up funds, all it is is talk — and talk is cheap.”