Cars and bicycles can get along

Well, Winnipeg is finally building an active transportation network.

For the last four years, politicians at all levels, recognizing the wisdom of these projects and the momentum behind them, chose to support them, and we should be proud of them for doing so, whether we ride a bike or not. It has taken an incredible effort. More has been done to engage people in these discussions than has ever been tried on the average road widening, overpass or freeway.

Traffic-calming circles may be new to Winnipeg, but not to other cities. They are very popular, especially for local residents. Emergency vehicles aren't going to be left stranded. Engineers generally don't design things that don't work -- it's not in their nature. Some designs may need fine-tuning upon completion, but they can be revisited. Property values on the routes will go up, not down.

There is grassroots involvement, not a conspiracy. Patience, everyone.

First of all, riding a bike is not an ideology, it's just something people do. Why? Because it's fun. And, compared to driving, it's basically free. Think about it: even at the current rate of use, each week the number of trips taken by bicycle in Winnipeg outnumbers the attendance at Moose or Blue Bomber games combined. The vast majority of Winnipeggers, if you ask them, think that bike paths and bike lanes are good for our city. Not everyone chooses to cycle to work, but there are plenty of other places to go. Even the trail-riding purists need to get to the trail somehow.

Why do cyclists shy away from the busy areas? Because without bike lanes, cyclists typically must ride alongside heavy, scary, fast-moving cars and trucks. Build infrastructure for cycling, and we all will ride.

Come spring, once it's ready, this stuff will be very popular. Yes, we will have to be patient to see the full effect. Yes, we are a winter city. Yes, it will be cold out soon. But, no, it's not silly to build this infrastructure even if it's mostly used between April and October.

Consider this. A tiny, tiny percentage of us will become pro hockey players, but no one suggests that multi-million dollar investments in indoor and outdoor rinks for regular people is not worth the investment. So, build it, and we will swerve around on razor-sharp shoes, hurtling rubber discs at each other at eye level -- even in the summer months.

But, unlike cycling, you can't use hockey to go somewhere, fight poverty, get fit, cut the infrastructure deficit, and save the planet. Whether it's fighting the stress and frustration of traffic congestion, avoiding unnecessarily lubricating the seahorses in the Gulf of Mexico, or avoiding turning Northern Alberta upside down in our search for more oil (which, at some point, we may no longer find), or the lack of physical activity options for our kids, or the need for "tighter buns", everyone has a problem cycling can address.

Unfortunately, lawsuits, learning curves, and last-minute objections make the news (especially during an election when any controversy counts), but safely completed bike rides, and pedestrian crossings and accidents that don't happen never do.

Do advocates care about keeping parking? Yes, wherever possible when it doesn't impact safety.

Do "the cyclists" hate cars? No. Most of them drive cars, too. Have the bike routes been chosen for maximum benefit with the minimum disruption? Yes. We all have to make compromises when determining the best use of the public right of way. There be minor mistakes, updates, design changes and monitoring along the way.

There were 19 open houses - each acting as an advertisement and encouragement to attend the next and numerous mall displays. The city/province/feds produced a tremendous amount of pamphlets, maps, curbside billboards, thousands of individually mailed letters, posters, newspaper ads, web announcements, press releases, etc... all urging people to get involved. All of this was so that people could come out and have their say.

We have ignored the bicycle for 50 years. These are exciting times, and only time, especially starting in the spring of 2011, will tell just how good this is for our city.

Anders Swanson is a year-round cyclist, bike mechanic and coordinator of One Green City - a volunteer project to create a network of safe and efficient cycling routes in Winnipeg.

Anders Swanson is a year-round cyclist, bike mechanic and coordinator of One Green City - a volunteer project with a goal to create a network of safe and efficient cycling routes for everyone in Winnipeg.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 9, 2010 H1