On November 17, City Council voted to remove the bike lanes on 97 St between 63 Ave and 34 Ave.
You can review the report and attachments that were provided to Council, as well as the full meeting minutes.
We have also provided an unofficial transcript of the meeting, as well as the audio recording.
The motions and votes from the meeting were:
Option 1: Shared-Use Path on 97 Street (Recommended Option)
- The construction of a shared-use path along 97 Street is estimated at $4.25M, including restriping the roadway to the pre-bike route configuration (see Attachment 3). The shared-use path could be constructed in the existing boulevard space, with the relocation of utilities. Any off-street parking areas for businesses that currently extend onto road right-of-way will be impacted by this design. This estimate does not consider the widening of the pedestrian facility on the 97 Street bridge over Whitemud Drive, which is sub-standard for cycling. An unfunded capital profile based on this option has been prepared, for Council’s consideration as part of the Fall 2015 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment. (Implementation - 2017)
Option 2: Removal of 97 Street Bike Route
- Removal of the bike route on 97 Street between 34 Avenue and 63 Avenue and restriping the roadway to the pre-bike route configuration is estimated at $650K. Onstreet parking can be re-instated with this option. (Implementation - 2016)
Option 6: Shared-Use Path on 91 Street
- The construction of a shared-use path along 91 Street to complete the 91 Street corridor between 23 Avenue and 34 Avenue is estimated at $1.2M, including restriping the 97 Street roadway to the pre-bike route configuration (see Attachment 2). On-street parking can be re-instated with this option. Further construction of shared-use path connections between 91 Street and 97 Street along 39 Avenue and 58 Avenue could also be considered, at a cost estimated at $1.5M (a total cost of $2.7M). Shared-use paths on the avenues will provide cyclists with network connectivity to the 97 Street area, with a physical separation for cyclists from traffic, while maintaining on-street parking on the avenues. (Implementation - 2017)
Moved M. Nickel - E. Gibbons:
- That Administration remove the bike lane on 97 Street as outlined in Option 2 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621 with funding from Capital Profile Road Program - Arterial Renewal Composite #15-66-1020.
- That Administration prepare a Capital Profile for Council’s consideration in 2016 as outlined in Option 6 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621.
Amendment moved M. Walters - S. McKeen:
That Part 2 be replaced with the following:
- That Administration prepare a Capital Profile for Council’s consideration in 2016 as outlined in Option 1 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621 including pro's and con's, cost and benefits of both Options 1 and 6.
For the Amendment:
- D. Iveson, B. Anderson, T. Caterina, B. Esslinger, E. Gibbons, B. Henderson, A. Knack, D. Loken, S. McKeen, M. Nickel, M. Oshry, M. Walters
Carried
Members of Council requested the motion be split for voting purposes.
Part 1 of Motion, put:
- That Administration remove the bike lane on 97 Street as outlined in Option 2 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621 with funding from Capital Profile Road Program - Arterial Renewal Composite #15-66-1020.
In Favour:
- B. Anderson, T. Caterina, B. Esslinger, E. Gibbons, A. Knack, D. Loken, S. McKeen, M. Nickel, M. Oshry, M. Walters
Opposed:
- D. Iveson, B. Henderson
Carried
Part 2 of Motion, as Amended, put:
- That Administration prepare a Capital Profile for Council’s consideration in 2016 as outlined in Option 1 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621 including pro's and con's, cost and benefits of both Options 1 and 6.
In Favour:
- D. Iveson, B. Anderson, T. Caterina, B. Esslinger, E. Gibbons, B. Henderson, A. Knack, D. Loken, S. McKeen, M. Nickel, M. Oshry, M. Walters
Carried
Summary of Council’s Decision on item 6.4:
- That Administration remove the bike lane on 97 Street as outlined in Option 2 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621 with funding from Capital Profile Road Program - Arterial Renewal Composite #15-66-1020.
- That Administration prepare a Capital Profile for Council’s consideration in 2016 as outlined in Option 1 of the November 17, 2015, Transportation Services report CR_2621 including pro's and con's, cost and benefits of both Options 1 and 6.
Due by:
- To be determined
Edmontonians using the bike lanes on 97 St work, live, and shop in the area, they also use 97 St for commuting through to other destinations. It is a valuable route to connect cyclists to their workplaces and the businesses they frequent in the area, including the businesses along 99 St and in the 97 St area, and provides an important network connection, starting at 34 Avenue and continuing north to the Hazeldean shared use path, 76 Avenue signed bike route, and the future 83 Avenue bike route. The route is relatively low-traffic, and also provides a safe crossing of the Whitemud without requiring a cyclist to navigate any interchanges. The only north-south alternate through-routes are 91 St and 99 St.
We spoke to Transportation Committee about 97 St in April this year, strongly advocating for the network connectivity and neighbourhood connectivity of the 97 St route. Detouring to 91 St is a round-trip distance of at least 1.6km; farther for the majority of trips as there are very few east-west roads connecting 97 St and 91 St. The 97 St Whitemud crossing is also very bike-friendly on 97 St, whereas crossing at 99 St or 91 St requires navigating an interchange.
People use bikes to travel to destinations, and there are many destinations along 97 St; bypassing an entire section of the city won't help encourage people to ride bikes. In November 2014, we conducted an informal survey of our members. In one week, we received a dozen responses. All but one of them preferred the 97 St route to 91 St.
This council has now voted to remove 14km of bike routes, while committing to build only 7.9km.
We are now working on a response to these motions to ask council to focus on replacing the 97 St route with off-street shared-use paths (option 1). This will satisfy business owner concerns about having more on-street parking and simultaneously improve the conditions for people choosing to bike.