Frustration after report shows Windsor added 4.6 km of bike lanes in 2 years
Delegates ask for protected bike lanes to encourage more people to ride
Windsor's push to build bike lanes and multi-use trails in the city is not moving at the speed some councillors want to see, as a report shows 20 kilometres of bike lanes, cycle tracks and multi-use trails have been built in two years.
The report looked at how Windsor is achieving goals approved by city council as part of the active transportation master plan in 2019.
It showed that there has been 3.92 kilometres of painted bike lanes, 0.66 kilometres of cycle tracks and 15.47 kilometres of multi-use and park trails built between 2020 and 2022.
When asked by councillors at a recent committee meeting how the city is performing on timelines outlined in the plan, city administration said that people will see more bike lanes and trails added next year.
Caroline Taylor, a delegate who spoke at that meeting, said that with Windsor's flat terrain and city grid, "We should have the best active transportation network, but we do not."
Taylor, who lives in the city's west end, said the current cycling network isn't meeting expectations set out in the report for safety.
"Ever bike on our busy streets? It's not a safe feeling," she said.
Quick wins missed, committee hears
The master plan outlines how Windsor can become a leader in active transportation over the next 20 years with an aim to make a quarter of all trips people take within Windsor to be without a car.
A recent report showed that in 2021, 7.4 per cent of trips were made using the bus, walking, or cycling.
There are quick wins that the report suggests the city prioritize and finish within two years, including adding a bikeshare program, which the city achieved by bringing in Bird scooters and bikes in 2021.
But council has also shifted priorities away from those items, including by cancelling a temporary plan to install protected bike lanes along University Avenue West.
"In making that decision you have failed every student who needs safe passage on that route today," said Lori Newton, who is the executive director of Bike Windsor-Essex.
She urged the committee to put that plan back on the table after council cancelled the project to put the million-dollar budget toward the budget to fix the entire corridor.
The city has a goal of creating 223 kilometres of on-street bike lanes over 20 years which is broken down by high, medium and low priority.
There are 69 kilometres of high priority on-road painted bike lanes listed as a short-term goal.
As of 2019, there were 50 kilometres of painted bike lanes and paved shoulders in Windsor, according to the master plan, and more than 130 kilometres of multi-use pathways.
More upgrades coming next year, says staff
Councillors sitting on the city's environment, transportation and public safety standing committee said the update showed there was work to be done to hit the plans outlined goals.
"At a high level though, I think it would be fair to say maybe we're not exactly where the master plan would contemplate us to be at this point," said Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie.
Windsor's executive director of operations Shawna Boakes said that a full report looking at the city's timelines for the active transit master plan will be completed next year.
"We've got a lot in the limbo design phase that we're hoping next year will be all out construction on," said Boakes.
She said that includes projects like bike lanes along Kildare Road and work that's expected to start next year that will connect existing bike lanes.
"I'm frustrated a little too, I'd like to see things move a little bit faster but for the most part there's good things being done," said Ward 8 Coun.Gary Kaschak, who said he was looking forward to the projects on the horizon.
Both Taylor and Newton outlined their hope to see the next pieces of cycling infrastructure need to offer more barriers between riders and vehicles to encourage cycling.
"Install safe, separated cycling facilities instead of painted white stripes that only fearless road warriors are comfortable riding on," said Newton.
"People are afraid to ride a bike with car traffic."