Main Street Active Transportation Project…

I’ve sparred on this topic with at least one of our existing SJ City Council on this topic already..but where we are being asked to provide feedback on the proposed plan, I thought I’d save myself the trouble of repeatedly writing the same thing, and so here we are.

Here’s the link to the current proposal:

Main Street Active Transportation Project

For those unfamiliar with the plan, they’re going to be modifying some of the on/off ramps along Main St North, enhancing the pedestrian sidewalks, and adding bike lanes. MOST of this is well thought out, and designed…however, there is one item that I have an issue with, and that’s the inclusion of dedicated bike lanes along Main Street North.

If we look at the May 30, 2022 Presentation to Common Council (with more project concept images) (2.07 MB) (pdf) from the link above, specifically on Page 13…we see this graphic:

Here’s the issue, and what the above image leaves out:

There is already an existing dedicated pedestrian and cyclist path that we as a city spent over a million dollars on. Good old Harbour Passage.

What I would propose, rather than adding another bike lane (that for whatever reason doesn’t link up to the existing paths at all) is to enhance public transportation options along Main St. North. Perhaps a dedicated small electric bus with it’s own protected lane…or a tram/street car.

Let’s be honest here, the old North End/Indiantown has a higher than average instance of people living in poverty, or with addiction issues, or just plain struggling to get by, than the rest of the city, by a full order of magnitude. They are not now, and are not for the foreseeable future, going to be positioned to use a dedicated cyclist lane along Main St North. There are many many better and more viable options that they could use instead.

• The elderly person struggling to make ends meet, who is playing the rent, food, medications, pick any two game, is not going to use a bike lane.
• The young single parent with a couple kids, is not going to use a bike lane.
• The individual struggling with addictions, is not going to use a bike lane.
• The young family struggling to make ends meet, is not going to use a bike lane.

WHO uses bike lanes? Students. Young professionals. Health minded folks with the time and disposable income to support that lifestyle choice.

WHERE are you going to find the largest block of that segment of the population currently? (ie. folks that would make use of bike lanes and paths if offered). University Ave. Milledge Ave. Boars Head Road. Woodward Ave.

What’s the most direct route to the uptown from those places? SOMERSET. Not Main St.

Respective to the bike lanes, my proposal would be thus:

1. Officially extend the existing lane already in place on Main to link up with Harbour passage. Currently it ends at the street before the entrance.
2. Put a focus on SOMERSET as a cyclist lane into the uptown, this is the most direct path, and it’s the one that would actually get use, especially given the focus University Ave is getting with cyclist lanes.
3. Create a dedicated pedestrian/cyclist path from University ave, skimming along the backside of Quality Concrete…bring it out somewhere near the Superstore on Somerset.
4. Extend the existing Harbour Passage in behind TD Station, link it with the bike lane coming out of Somerset.
5. Extend the existing Harbour Passage in behind OSCO on Chesley, bring it right up to the edge of Reversing Falls bridge, then split it.
6. Take one side up along the coast (near the falls view park) and run it up along the coast as far up as the Millidgeville ferry
7. Take the other end, and run a dedicated pedestrian/cyclist path beside the existing Reversing Falls bridge. Split it on the other side, run one side up along towards Simms Corner in anticipation of a roundabout eventually being constructed here. Run the OTHER end up along Riverview, skirting down into the forested path and out towards lower west. Run a bike lane up along Lancaster Ave, up beside Olsen’s.
8. Run another portion along the coast leading towards Dominion Beach/Dead Man’s Cove, and the Randolph Lighthouse.
9. This proposal would safely interlink West, almost ALL of North and uptown, and open the door for cruise ship walking/ebike tours out of the existing waterfront development.

Area of Service, current proposed (blue) vs. Steve’s suggestion (purple)

Long Term Vision for Pedestrian/Cycling pathing

I believe my suggestion is more in line with what is used in Copenhagen (literally the most cyclist friendly city on the planet). They use dedicated bike PATHS, and only interlink these with bike LANES where a path is not possible for whatever reason. (existing road infrastructure/etc)

https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/activities/what-makes-copenhagen-worlds-most-bicycle-friendly-city