Let's focus on the goal, not just the bike lanes

I agree with the people disappointed by some of the changes city council made to our bike lane pilot project — there hasn't yet been one complete summer season upon which to judge the project's merits, and major links along the route have now been removed.

But politics — especially civic politics — is the art of the possible. From my seat on the bike, I'd rather our pilot project with bike lanes ended with tangible successes, than have the entire experiment condemned out of hand and abandoned, with not even one season of use to measure its value.

I'm writing now as president of the Red Deer Association for Bicycle Commuting and as a volunteer on the steering committee that came up with the suggested changes council adopted Monday.

Everyone in council chambers Monday agrees that the biggest disappointment in this whole process has been the way it evolved into a contest of wins and losses.

You won't find anyone on council or among city staff who is against seeing more people using their bikes as a regular means of getting around the city — something beyond going out to ride for fitness or to tour our parks. I see no dispute anywhere that putting more bikes on our streets, as traffic, is a desirable goal.

The unhappiness comes from an ever-growing population of cyclists (and many more would-be cyclists) who see their right to the road being made unsafe.

The habits of drivers — the vast majority of whom are courteous and accommodating — do not always include looking out for human-powered traffic on the streets. The habits of cyclists — some of whom obey one set of regulations when they drive and another when they ride — can infuriate drivers.

And our city infrastructure is simply not designed to accommodate arterial traffic that moves at two widely different speeds.

Yet we all seem to agree that more cycling in our transportation mix is a very good idea.

I don't hear any reasonable voice that disagrees with any of that.

So a group of concerned citizens used their democratic right to convince council that we ought to seriously explore ways to match our goal with reality. Nobody disagrees with that, either.

Contrary to what some are saying, there was indeed a period of public consultation. The people who paid attention came to broad consensus that some arterial roads should contain separate bike lanes, to keep cycle traffic from mixing with vehicular traffic in places where connecting regions of the city is important, and where those connections can be dangerous.

Routes were argued, and eventually lines were drawn on a map. Council then put money into seeing how it would work.

This is a process identical to that followed with great success in cities all around the world.

This includes something that happens when large groups try to match new goals with existing reality: a resistance to change.

So now the lines are being altered in some places. But the goal remains — and I still see no evidence that people disagree with the goal.

For myself, I never liked riding a bike on 55^th Street. The feeling of safety improved for the few days there was a bike lane on that section, but I use alternate routes that are far more pleasant, safer, and efficient enough to get me where I want to go.

Likewise the route along 40^th Ave. I've ridden it for many years, and with or without a bike lane on it, it's never been fun. I like to think I'm a hard-core urban rider, but I'm not so hard-core that I would insist on depriving other citizens of their safe passage, just to ensure mine.

So I use alternate routes on residential streets that make my commute a few blocks longer. But I appreciate the exercise and there are many pretty yards and houses to see along the way.

This is in contravention of the stated goal of RDABC, which is that major arterial traffic routes ought to have separate lanes for bikes. That's still a reasonable goal, and I do not think RDABC should set it aside. Especially since there are big changes coming in infrastructure, like the ring road from the north entrance to the city to the south.

If safe passage is not planned for bikes along that route, with safe, separate crossings east and west, then we can talk about losers.

For now, we push our pedals toward success. The sun will eventually shine here. Get your bike tuned up and show the city that there needs to be room for everyone to get around safely. You'll have lots of friends along the way.

You also can join a national challenge to record your distance as a bike commuter during Environment Week June 2-8. Go to www.commuterchallenge.ca and see how you can register yourself, and your workplace for a national contest on sustainable commuting.

There will be more information on that, coming soon. I'm on that committee, too.