Cycle paths responsible for congestion? Not so fast, experts say

Several experts criticize the Ford government’s solution to road congestion problems, namely to remove “superfluous” cycle lanes to give space back to cars.

Last week, the Ontario provincial government announced plans to legislate to require provincial approval from municipalities for any new bike lanes that would involve taking space away from cars.

L’explosion of the number of cycle paths built during the pandemic has the effect of causing traffic jams for too many motoristsaccording to the Ministry of Transport.

The director of an organization that defends active transportation in Ontario, David Simor, does not agree with the diagnosis made by the province.

If the main cause of traffic jams was cycle pathssaid the leader of Centre for Active Transportation, well highways 401 and Gardiner would be the fastest roads in the province.

Is it really the cyclists’ fault?

Rather, it is cars that cause congestion, according to David Simor.

We talk about traffic flows as if traffic is like rainwater, and if we had enough sewers to catch all the water, everything would be fine… but that’s not how it works. traffic, because the more space there is for cars, the more people drive [et] the worse the traffic gets.

Jeff Leiper, the councilor for the Kitchissippi district in Ottawa, is of the same opinion. If more cyclists get in their cars and drive, he said, we can expect streets to become more congested, even in areas where bike lanes have been established.

Jeff Leiper also deplores the fact that the province is not equipped, according to him, to do the necessary research to determine whether or not a municipality can install a cycle path.

There are many people who don’t have a caradds the advisor.

A plan based on politics, not facts

The active transport researcher at the mobility laboratory of Tartu University in Estonia and resident of ChelseaKarl Saidla, believes Ontario’s plan is based on politics, not facts.

A comment by Transport Minister Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria that cycle paths take up space in winter outrages Mr Saidla.

Seeing an empty cycle path does not constitute proof of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of cycle pathshe said.

Bicycle lanes can slow down traffic, recognizes Ray Tomalty, associate professor at the University’s school of urban planning. McGill.

However, this is not necessarily a bad thing in itself, according to him, since slowing down helps reduce the number of fatal accidents.

He describes Doug Ford’s solution as pseudo-solution.

Ray Tomalty even states that although use of cycle paths may decrease during the winter, it will increase over time. David Simor believes that safety is a constant concern throughout the year.

How can we accept that more people die on our streets in winter than we could avoid?

In Ottawa, 54 cyclists were seriously injured in collisions and seven people died between 2018 and 2021.

With information from All In A Day of CBC News