Council Divided on Shared Use - Daily Gleaner Fredericton

City councillor Stephen Kelly will get his wish granted for a city hall staff review of shared use for city sidewalks, but support for the in-house study came reluctantly from council colleagues.

Kelly and Coun. Stephen Chase are at odds when it comes to who should get to use public sidewalks.

Chase wants bicycles on city streets, on trails or in designated bicycle lanes, not on the sidewalk. He has argued for more enforcement to drive cyclists to downtown streets.

But Kelly said for nearly half a century, people have ridden bicycles on city sidewalks with relatively few conflicts with pedestrians.

Chase doesn't agree.

Kelly wants to go a step further and consider allowing skateboarders and people who use inline skates to share the sidewalk with pedestrians.

"People of all ages have used sidewalks for various reasons for convenience and safety," Kelly said.

"As a councillor over the past 10 years, I haven't had very many people tell me they have issues with people using the sidewalks - with certain restrictions. "

With the city moving in the direction of going green and being much more active, and with 240 kilometres of sidewalks in the city and $32 million invested in them, Kelly said the sidewalks should be used and can be shared the same way city walking trails are shared by walkers and bicyclists.

Kelly would like to see the idea researched and reported back to the committee by spring.

"I have some concerns with that," Chase responded. "First of all, we've spent a lot of money installing bicycle routes along the sides of streets and promoting bicycle routes, and I think there's further plans to create more bicycle routes.

"It's good to see people on bicycles and to see them using them in a safe way, using their helmets ... but the concern that I have is that bicycles are regulated under the Motor Vehicle Act and they are, in fact, a vehicle."

Chase said sidewalks are intended for pedestrians and are used by people in wheelchairs.

The councillor said he's not adverse to looking into Kelly's ideas, but is satisfied with existing law and policy which generally works well.

Coun. Scott McConaghy said children who are learning to ride bicycles should be on sidewalks, and generally there's little disagreement in residential areas.

McConaghy said he wouldn't want to drive bicyclists back onto city sidewalks.

"I think it's something we can take a look at," said Coun. Tony Whalen.

He said he's OK with young kids on bicycles on city sidewalks, but not older riders.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/search/article/1464361

Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Bicycles

Fredericton's Problem Intersections

     Some of the major problems concerning cyclists and pedestrians in Fredericton, is the lack of common sense, failure to yield or even courtesy. Granted, issues are at fault of some cyclists and pedestrians. Who walks at night dressed entirely in black or cycles without lights? Whatever happened to looking both ways before you cross the road? In the map below, I have noted some problem intersections, mostly from personal experience, but also stories from others where they have experienced conflicts. Feel free to explore the map and click the bicycle icons, where I explain my reasoning.

     You know your society is becoming car-centric when it starts installing signs such as the "Pedestrian Accident Area" posted to the left. Why build a society around cars, when you can build one around pedestrians, bicycles and even public transportation?! Incidents between cars, bicycles and pedestrians can be dramatically reduced by implementing traffic calming measures such as pedestrian islands, flashing lights. Even setting speed limits to 30km/h in residential neighbourhoods can be life savers! No, not the delicious candy, that thing that keeps you from knocking at the golden gates... or well, you know.

Flashing yellow lights installed in the ground attract the drivers
attention where it belongs.

Pedestrian island help pedestrians to concentrate on one
direction at a time while crossing.

Cycling at Night

     A few months ago, you may recall two different accidents where a vehicle hit a cyclist. The first one occurred on Waggoners Lane, and the other on Brookside Drive. From what I recall, both cyclists had lights and both drivers were not paying attention. I, myself, have had many close encounters at night, all of which include drivers speeding up behind me, honking, swearing at me, then speeding off. Ahh, the ideal date night.
     The majority of bicycle-car related accidents are due to the drivers not paying attention, the cyclist riding erratically, or visibility of the cyclist. I have encountered cyclists riding at night with no lights, reflective jacket or even reflectors. In order to legally ride a bicycle (yes, legally), you need reflectors. Why don't those kinds of cyclists get hit? Yes, Fredericton cyclists need to smarten up, but drivers also need to open their eyes a little, especially at dusk! Check out this cool video: