Raise the Hammer
The text and standing recorded vote for each bus lane motion brought forward at the Wednesday, January 14, 2015 General Issues Committee meeting.
By RTH Staff
Published January 16, 2015
this article has been updated
At Wednesday's General Issue Committee meeting, four separate motions were brought forward with respect to the contentious transit-only lane on King Street between Mary and Dundurn. All four motions were defeated at the committee, but may by brought forward again at next week's Council meeting.
The City Clerks office was kind enough to provide the text and recorded votes of the motions. They are as follows:
Moved by Farr, seconded by Green:
WHEREAS, a full transit report coming forward to the General Issues Committee meeting of February 6, 2015;
AND WHEREAS, this Friday, January 16, 2015, the City's Director of Transit is meeting with Metrolix and the discussions may inform the City's Transit Only Lane debate;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That Report PW11079(g), respecting King Street Transit Only Lane Pilot Project, be TABLED to the February 6, 2015 General Issues Committee meeting.
Standing Recorded Vote:
Yeas: R. Eisenberger, A. Johnson, J. Farr, M. Green, S. Duvall, M. Pearson, A. VanderBeek (7)
Nays: S. Merulla, C. Collins, T. Jackson, T. Whitehead, D. Conley, L. Ferguson, R. Pasuta (7)
Absent: B. Johnson, J. Partridge (2)
Moved by Collins, seconded by Ferguson:
WHEREAS, the number of vehicular accidents has significantly increased along the Transit Only Lane Pilot route;
AND WHEREAS, many commercial operators have been adversely affected by the implementation and operation of the Transit Only Lane Pilot project;
AND WHEREAS, there are no documented transit benefits listed in the Transit Only Pilot report;
AND WHEREAS the Transit Only Lane Pilot project has created unnecessary traffic congestion, causing lengthy delays for downtown shoppers, residents, workers and merchants;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
(a) That the Transit Only Lane Pilot project be discontinued;
(b) That staff be directed to make the necessary arrangements to return the transit lane to a fully functional lane for all vehicles; and,
(c) That staff be directed to prepare a by-law to amend By-law 01-215 to reflect these changes and present to Council for enactment.
Standing Recorded Vote:
Yeas: T. Jackson, C. Collins, D. Conley, L. Ferguson, A. VanderBeek, R. Pasuta (6)
Nays: T. Whitehead, S. Duvall, S. Merulla, M. Green, J. Farr, A. Johnson, M. Pearson, F. Eisenberger (8)
Absent: B. Johnson, J. Partridge (2)
Moved by Whitehead, seconded by Duvall:
WHEREAS, staff will be presenting the comprehensive Transportation Master Plan to the General Issues Committee in 2016 that will provide additional current data;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
(a) That the Transit Only Lane Pilot project be suspended;
(b) That staff be directed to make the necessary arrangements to return the transit lane to a fully functional lane for all vehicles; and,
(c) That staff be directed to suspend enforcement of the Transit Only Lane until such time as further direction has been provided by Council.
Standing Recorded Vote:
Yeas: T. Whitehead, S. Duvall, D. Conley, L. Ferguson, A. VanderBeek, F. Eisenberger (6)
Nays: T. Jackson, C. Collins, S. Merulla, M. Green, J. Farr, A. Johnson, M. Pearson, R. Pasuta (8)
Absent: B. Johnson, J. Partridge (2)
Moved by A. Johnson, seconded by Green:
(a) That staff be directed to review the feasibility of the King Street Transit Only Lane be reconfigured in Spring 2015, to the second lane from the north curb with parking being reinstated in the north curb lane, from Bay Street running westerly; and,
(b) That staff evaluate potential improvements to signal operations to be implemented in Spring 2015, including transit priority, in order to continue to improve the overall operations throughout the corridor and report to the General Issues Committee.
Standing Recorded Vote:
S. Merulla, A. Johnson, J. Farr, M. Green, D. Conley, M. Pearson, F. Eisenberger (7)
Nays: C. Collins, T. Jackson, S. Duvall, T. Whitehead, R. Pasuta, J. Partridge, A. VanderBeek, L. Ferguson (8)
Absent: B. Johnson (1)
Please note that these results are still considered unofficial until the minutes from the GIC are approved at the Council meeting.
Update: Under "Yeas" in the standing recorded vote for the fourth motion, Councillor Merulla was listed twice. In fact the second name should be Councillor Conley. RTH regrets the error. You can jump to the changed line. Thanks to RTH reader SSnowling for catching the error.
By SSnowling (registered) | Posted January 16, 2015 at 12:31:41
Merulla is listed twice in the "Yeas" for the last vote. Conley seems to be missing - maybe it was him?
By Pxtl (registered) - website | Posted January 16, 2015 at 13:38:50
Seems like Pearson and Conley are the ones that the anti-bus-lane folks will have to convince if they want to kill it. Everybody else on the "pro" side is entrenched.
Not sure who on the "anti" side could be convinced to switch sides to "improve". After the trainwreck reactions online and elsewhere, I don't expect the mountain voting bloc will budge. Dundas and Stoney Creek (Collins especially) are always the disappointment as they stand to benefit from better east-west transit across the lower city - kudos to Pearson for breaking from the pack.
Interesting that Conley voted for both improving and for killing it. I can actually appreciate the sentiment - something must be done with the bus-lane, leaving it as-is is silly. Obviously, though, I disagree that killing it should be an option.
By WTF (anonymous) | Posted January 16, 2015 at 15:34:02 in reply to Comment 107919
Collins is +++++ annoying. What is wrong with Patridge, VanderBeek, Ferguson, Pasuta?
By Hope (anonymous) | Posted January 16, 2015 at 15:30:21 in reply to Comment 107919
I feel like Whitehead can be convinced. After all, he says time and time again he's for "evidence based practice". If he's being honest about that, he only needs to look at the evidence and understand it properly.
By Cultosaurus (registered) | Posted January 17, 2015 at 08:13:30 in reply to Comment 107927
No the man is a moron and he defaulted into his councilor position because he had no credible challengers in the election. He is an empty head.
By Keith (anonymous) | Posted January 16, 2015 at 21:49:00 in reply to Comment 107927
While watching Joey Coleman's live feed, comments of his that were picked up by the mic when they went to recess would imply otherwise...
By KevinLove (registered) | Posted January 16, 2015 at 14:07:18 in reply to Comment 107919
I notice that the mayor also voted both for improving and suspending the lane.
By Pxtl (registered) - website | Posted January 16, 2015 at 15:19:51 in reply to Comment 107923
... I missed that.
Ow.
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