Raise the Hammer
Making it easier and safer for people to cycle to transit is a key part of reducing costly traffic congestion and addressing the climate emergency.
By Jay Krause and Chelsea Cox
Published January 15, 2020
On Monday, the City's Public Works Committee voted against receiving an information report from staff about the Hunter Streetbicycle connection. As reported by CBC Hamilton and The Hamilton Spectator, this vote doesn't mean that the bicycle lane is cancelled, but it could be cancelled if a motion is introduced against the project at next week's Council meeting.
Hunter Street bike lanes, ending at MacNab Street (RTH file photo)
Now is the time to reach out to your councillor and voice your support for the Hunter Streetcycling connection. Contact information is linked at the end of this post.
First approved in 2018, the Hunter Street bicycle lane will fill a dangerous gap in our downtown cycling network. The project will connect two "orphaned" bicycle lanes on Hunter Street, which end abruptly at Catharine Street to the east and MacNab Street to the west, leaving a four-block gap in front of the GO station downtown.
Map: Hunter Bike Lanes (blue) with missing connection (red) (Image Credit: Google Maps)
As outlined in the staff report, 33 metered parking spots along Hunter Streetwill be removed and a loading zone will be created on the north side curb. The project also includes a new AODA compliant traffic signal on Hunter at Hughson to facilitate pedestrian crossings in front of the GO station.
Rendering from staff report on Hunter Street bike lane connection
When the City conducted public consultations in 2019, support for the project was high. Over 500 people and businesses participated in a series of events. An online survey was also conducted with 254 people responding, 91 perce of whom supported the project. You can read more about the public consultations.
Originally planned for installation in 2019, the Hunter Streetcycling connection was one of 19 planned cycling projects that were delayed until 2020 (or later). The project is being built with 80 percent funding from the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program, a one-time provincial grant that must be spent by the end of 2020.
At the end of the discussion, the committee voted against receiving the staff information report. Here's how committee members voted.
Voted to receive the report:
Voted against receiving the report:
Conflict:
Completing this project will provide a safer connection for people cycling to the GO station as well as a new and safer route for cycling across the downtown. Making it easier and safer for people to cycle to transit is a key part of reducing costly traffic congestion and addressing the climate emergency.
We urge all Cycle Hamilton members to act and ensure that this project moves ahead. Please reach out to your Councillor and the Mayor by email or by phone to voice your support for this important connection.
Contact information for your councillor is available online.
By grok (registered) | Posted April 28, 2020 at 19:27:23
The middle-class makes a virtue of its punch-pulling: because the 'ecological crisis' IS -- instead, rather -- * THE CRISIS OF CAPITALISM*. And not something lesser or more derivative...
And that means ALL of Capitalism: as in the EXISTENTIAL REQUIREMENT that Humanity move to s SOCIALIST solution to the World crisis, ASAP. Or face REAL EXTINCTION. As in WWIII thermonuclear Armageddon extinction.
You must be logged in to comment.
There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?